Nakhon Phanom

In the deep northeast of Thailand, the Province of Nakhon Phanom is located on a valley adjacent to the Mekong River. Its attractiveness to the traveler relies on its culture and history – the last being surprisingly rich and complex even in modern time – and on the nature in it.

Mostly plain, the province features several rivers crossing it (Songkhram and Oun rivers in the north and the Kum in the south) and one – the Mekong – delimiting it to the east. Across the last river is a mountainous area of Laos that gave the name to the province and its capital ("Mountain City").

South of Nakhon Phanom

The main religious and cultural attraction of the province is That Phanom, a town located between Nakhon Phanom and the town of Mukdahan, on the southern side of the province. That Phanom features the Phra That Phanom Chedi, one of the most important and impressive stuppas in the northeast; it is featured on the province’s seal. Built in Laotian style it is worth a visit while in the area; see that entry in this journal for more details.

Near That Phanom, is the village of Renu Nakhon; it is home to a Thai ethnic subgroup called Phu Thai. Strongly adhering to their traditions – especially to their language that is closely related to Lao - they are known for welcoming guests with a Bai Si ceremony, the Pha Laeng dinner feast, the U rice liquor and the Phu Thai dance. Their cotton products make excellent souvenirs. It is strongly recommended to plan a day visit to That Phanom followed by a late afternoon and night visit to Renu Nakhon. To reach the village – if coming from Nakhon Phanom – turn right on the side road nine kilometers before That Phanom (milestone 44) and continue along this road for about seven kilometers.

Another point of interest in the village is Phra That Renu – by now readers should understand the name means the Holy Stuppa of Renu. The stuppa is similar to the one in That Phanom but smaller, more angular and was built only during the early 20th century. A gold Buddha and Buddhist texts await the visitor within the pagoda.

West of Nakhon Phanom

If reaching Nakhon Phanom by car from Sakhon Nakhon, then it is worth considering a short detour to Ban Maha Chai. The village is located on Road 22, forty kilometers before Nakhon Phanom (the excellent Thai milestones include also the distance to the next town, though reading Thai is needed for enjoying this feature).

In the village is Wat Phrathat Maha Chai, a temple with a tall stuppa including Buddha relics and two sacred Buddha image, one is named Phra Phutthachaiyasit, the other is the largest wooden Buddha image in Thailand. The pagoda includes murals of excellent quality, showing details of Buddha’s life.

North of Nakhon Phanom

If traveling northwards from Nakhon Phanom along Road 212 – that runs parallel to the Mekong River - Phra That Tha Uthen is reached about thirty kilometers later, in front of the Lao village of Hin Bun. It features a stuppa called Phra That Tha Uthen, which is another replica of That Phanom dating back to the first half of the 20th century. However, this one contains Buddha relics brought from Yangon, Myanmar.

In the same district is Wat Trai Phum, where an image called Phra Bang is placed atop an unusual octagonal base surrounded by eight elephants. Stuppas based atop a similar base can be seen only in Nan and Sukhothai. Processions with the image during the dry season are said to bring the rain.

The Phu Lang Ka National Park is one of the most popular attractions in the province; it is located next to the Langka Mountains and six kilometers from Ban Pang on the only non-plain area of the province. The Langka Mountains feature three main peaks, the highest of them barely crossing the 500m height.

The park is divided between the Nakhon Phanom and Nong Khai provinces. If the last is the next stop of the traveller, then the park is the perfect break on the trip there from Nakhon Phanom

Covering fifty square kilometers of hills and dense tropical rainforest, it features the impressive Tat Kham and Tat Pho waterfalls ("namtok" in Thai), each running along several levels.

Namtok Tat Kham is near the park office, while Tat Pho is five kilometers away. Entering the park through the first and walking to the second through the lush surroundings is highly recommended. Another point of interest is the Phu Langka Mountain, which features two cliffs named Phu Langka Tai and Phu Langka Naur, both allowing good views of the surrounding park.

From journal Mountain City