About Udon Thani
Udon Thani is a city of about 131,000 inhabitants in Isaan and an important hub in the northeast. The city has its own airport, many shopping malls and a city park around Nong Prajak lake, where locals walk and exercise in the morning and evening. The biggest sight is Ban Chiang, about 35 km east of the city, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with a prehistoric burial ground and pottery. South of the city lies the Red Lotus Lake, where in the morning you take a boat among thousands of pink lotus flowers. In the forests lies the remote temple Wat Pa Phu Kon. Udon Thani is a good base for Nong Khai and the Mekong. Udon Thani lies about 560 km from Bangkok and can be reached by plane, night train or bus, which makes the city a handy entry point to the northeast.
Best time to visit (indicative)
Best from November to February: cool and dry. March to May is very hot; June to October is the rainy season, with green rice fields. From February to April there can be haze from burning fields. Weather varies from year to year; this is a guideline based on the climate.
Getting there
From Bangkok by flight (about 1 hour), night train or bus (about 8 to 10 hours); from Udon Thani about 1 hour to Nong Khai. Distances and travel times are rounded estimates.
Things to do in Udon Thani
- Ban Chiang A World Heritage site with prehistoric burials and pottery, about 35 km east.
- Red Lotus Lake A lake full of pink lotus, best in the early morning in the cool season.
- Nong Prajak Park A large city park around the lake, popular with walkers and exercisers.
- Wat Pa Phu Kon A remote forest temple in the hills of Na Yung.
