Traveling along the Thai Mekong

Best of IgoUgo

A travel journal to Thailand by SeenThat

Khong Chiam Mun Promenade Photo - Ubon Ratchatani, Thailand

Quote: Hiding behind a thick, cold mist during the cold season or bubbling under a sudden monsoon rain, the Mekong River is always an exciting place to visit. Traveling along it in Thailand means entering deep into Isaan and getting to know the most untouched part of the Thai culture.

17 Photos

Traveling along the Thai Mekong

Best Of IgoUgo

Overview

Mun River Photo - Ubon Ratchatani, Thailand

Quote:

Chiang Khan, the starting point of this trip, is one of the most beautiful river locations in Thailand, and despite its tiny size, it has a surprisingly developed tourism infrastructure; most probably all of it will be fully dedicated to you since very few tourists arrive here. From there you will reach Pak Chom, a delightful market within a small village by the river. Srichiangmai, the next stop, offers sights of Vientiane, the Laotian capital, as well as a great promenade with a pleasant night market. Nong Khai marks midway. From here, you will cross from the western to the eastern part of your trip. The town hosts the Friendship Bridge to Laos, and you can read the relevant information in a separate journal. Nakhon Phanom and Mukdahan offer two other cross points to Laos as well as several interesting locations in their vicinity; see the Mukdahan journal for details. The trip ends at Kong Chiam, where the Mun River meets the Mekong and the latter enters the Laotian territory for the last time. The meeting of two big rivers doubles the reason of this river, and the town offers some superb meals on boat-restaurants.

Quick Tips:

Due to events deep into the 19th century, the Mekong River does not cross northern Thailand, except for a small area south from the Golden Triangle. From there, south to Chiang Khan, it is fully within Laos. Its Laotian part is very different in nature, much wilder, thus it is better to do it in a separate trip. Hence, the Thai section of the trip is limited to the river semicircular way around Isaan. Instead of being a limitation, the relative cultural homogeneity of that area allows you to experience it better.

Regarding the climate, Isaan is one of the hottest zones in the kingdom. Thus even in the cold season, there is no necessity to bring hot clothes for the trip. The zone is humid, especially in its western side, and in the monsoon season, so bringing some protection is essential. The area is not in a malaria-infested zone, but nearby, in the Laotian city of Savannakhet, there were a few cases of Dengue Fever in the last years, as a precaution I recommend to bring a DEET containing mosquito lotion.

Best Way To Get Around:

Unlike most of Thailand, this is a relatively complicated area to travel through. Buses reach only the main towns, trucks connect to the small villages, and there are whole areas where the only way to travel is with private transport. Western Isaan is less developed than the eastern part, but it offers better traveling commodities thus, I recommend starting there from Khon Kaen, the main city in the area. Since this trip draws a semicircle through Thailand’s northeastern lobe, you will never be more than a few hours away from that city or from Udon Thani, its neighbor to the north, thus aborting the mission in the case of necessity is a breeze. The different entries in this journal will give the relevant information regarding the best methods of transport on each stretch of the road.

Read Less

Cheer!
Flag

1. Beginning the Adventure; Reaching Chiang Khan

Best Of IgoUgo

Story/Tip

Chiang Khan, Thailand Photo - Thailand, Asia

Quote:

LoeiThe Thai Mekong draws a rough arch around Isaan and Khon Kaen, which is thus the optimal place for beginning such a trip. If – as recommended in this journal’s overview – the travel direction would be from north to south, then the town of Loei would be the first stop. An air conditioned bus to Loei from Khon Kaen costs 207B; leaving during the early hours of the day, would allow enjoying the sights along the way.Loei is a good place from where to visit the four national parks in that area, but that is a topic for another entry. The town itself is small...Read More

Cheer!
Flag

2. Reaching Nong Khai; the Middle Point

Best Of IgoUgo

Story/Tip

Quote:

The central part of this journey is the most densely populated, maybe due to the influence of the main crossing point between Thailand and Laos: the Friendship Bridge next to Nong Khai; hence it offers several possibilities for stopovers.If traveling with plenty of time, I recommend staying overnight in each one of the main towns along the way, but if reality presses hard, reaching Nong Khai from Chiang Khan in one day is possible.A simple compromise can be reache...Read More

Cheer!
Flag

3. The Other Side; Reaching Beung Kan

Best Of IgoUgo

Story/Tip

Quote:

The next stop along the Thai Mekong in this journey is the town of Beung Kan; the 136km separating it from Nong Khai do not allow continuing the trip on the same day, but the town is worth a longer visit. The Way from Nong Khai to Beung KanThe way from Nong Khai to Beung Kan does not follow closely the Mekong riverside and most of the time the river is not visible, nevertheless the ...Read More

Cheer!
Flag

4. The Last Leg; Reaching Khong Chiam

Best Of IgoUgo

Story/Tip

Quote:

Nakhon Phanom has a beautiful riverside location and extraordinary views of the Laotian mountains across the river. They are not very tall, but their broken, cliff-like shape and their deep green color make them an interesting view from the promenade; apparently, they are the source for the town’s name that means City of Mountains.As in Mukdahan, crossing from here to La...Read More