Thailand Nakhon Phanom: a charming town on the banks of the Mekong Nakhon Phanom, Northeastern Provinces (Issan), Travel to Thailand 5 (5)Be careful not to confuse it with the city of Nakhon Pathom, which sounds similar, or other cities in Nakhon something (Nakhon simply meaning city). Among the millions of tourists traveling through Thailand each year, few people go here for vacation. However, there is plenty to do, especially by crossing the Mekong River, to take an excursion to Laos opposite it.Remember, I was telling you not so long ago about Thakhek in Laos, well Nakhon Phanom is located just opposite! Summary hide At the gates of Laos… and Vietnam! Temples and dinosaurs How to get to Nakhon Phanom: Where to sleep in Nakhon Phanom: At the gates of Laos… and Vietnam!Located on the border with Laos, now accessible via a Thai-Lao "friendship bridge" since 2011 and it is the 4th of its kind allowing direct passage to Laos, even if the bridge is actually about twenty kilometers away and therefore the detour is more than 60 km! A little frustrating when you see these cities facing each other. Previously and this is sometimes still the case for Thais (who do not need a visa) the passage was only done by boat directly.Nakhon Phanom is on the edge of the region called Issan which was once part of Laos (until the end of the 19th century), so there is a culture that is found in everything else in this large region (notably the regional language, Issan, which is close to Lao) but not only that. Nakhon Phanom has experienced a significant Vietnamese influence.The street along the Mekong.The hills of Laos opposite.Why? Well, Vietnam at this precise location is only 150km away and many Vietnamese fled the country during the period of French Indochina and especially during the war.Among these Vietnamese, a certain Nguyen Ái Quoc, uncle Ho who is none other thanHo Chi Minh !Today it is possible to visit Ho Chi Minh's house in this village of Ban Na Chok, defined as the Vietnamese village a few kilometers from the city. The visit is free and the places are managed by the local Vietnamese community.I recommend that once you are in the area, you take the time to walk around, especially if the rice fields are green (from June).How to get to Ho Chi Minh House:– the easiest way is to take a tuk tuk in town, it will take you there, given the distance I estimate the price at 200 bahts return, maybe more for lost “tourists”…– If you are independent like I was, the best thing to do is to use this map below, the house is just 5 kilometers from the center from the ferry dock crossing the Mekong (currently under construction) it is the only red light in the area so hard to miss. Once on the main road, again you will normally not be able to miss the road to take on the left since a red sign with Vietnamese flags indicates the place, continue straight (you will pass a Chinese cemetery on your left) for about 1,5km and turn right at the end of the village that you will cross (again, recognizable with these flags) just before arriving at the fields. The house is a few meters further on your right.Temples and dinosaursThere are of course, as always, temples to visit in the region, the most famous of which is Wat Phra That Phanom. But beware of the name which is misleading, because this one is not located in Nakhon Phanom itself, but 50km from there to the south! The name Phanom actually refers to the department and name of the city.As we rented a scooter, we therefore did the 100 km (round trip) with it, it is a bit long, but it is a bit of a "must-see" in the region. This temple is known as in the whole region for its chedi with its particular shape, namely octagonal instead of bell-shaped. We were going to another temple located about ten kilometers from this one, in the village of Renu, not unmissable but hey, it was only a small detour (see map of points of interest at the end of the article).We just took advantage of this village to have a bite to eat, while everything was closed since it was a public holiday. After that we returned to our hotel (located at the end of the town and next to the river).Wat That RenuWat That RenuIt's still far away!The city still has some buildings in a colonial style around its clock in particular, which, for the record (as I love stories) was built by the Vietnamese community in 1960 to thank the Thais for their hospitality, while many returned to Vietnam at that time to defend their country while the Vietnam War intensified. Near this clock is the street called Walking Street, because it is closed to traffic on Fridays and Saturdays to make way for a night market.If you like shopping, there is another market which takes place on Sundays during the day (see map for location) as well as a market, open during the week, facing the river, Indochina Market.If you like museums, you can visit theold governor's house of the province, which was also the residence of the King and Queen of Thailand during a stay in Nakhon Phanom in 1955. Note that not far from our hotel there is also St Anne's Church.Indonchina market.St Anne's Church.Finally because it is far north (also about 50 km) we did not go to Tha Uthen, which in addition to also having a temple with a chedi in this decidedly very regional shape, has a place for those who appreciate distant history with a series of very well preserved dinosaur tracks.Generally speaking, it is certainly not a place where one goes deliberately but rather when passing through.It is quite pleasant to cycle along the river with its large trees providing shade, sip a drink and/or eat on the terrace of a restaurant overlooking the hills of Laos. And if all this does not suit you, there are always massage parlors for a relaxing moment!How to get to Nakhon Phanom:The city is big enough to have its own airport, served by Nok Air. Alternatively, there are bus connections from its terminal on the edge of town.In addition to internal routes in Thailand, there is also a connection to Thakhek in Laos (70 Baht).Where to sleep in Nakhon Phanom:It was at the northern end of the city that we stayed, in a hotel facing the Mekong, the Khongpumork Hometel. A family hotel despite the appearance of the building. We appreciated its recent appearance, the large clean rooms with the view of the river and Laos opposite. The only small downside was that there was not much in terms of restaurants and local life.Do you plan to stop there if you are passing through the region? Do you know about this “little piece of Vietnam”? Did you like the article? Vote on the article Note globale 5 / 5. Number of votes: 5 No votes yet. Be the first to rate this article! Did you like the article? Follow me on social media Along the water Urban exploration Off the beaten track 0 5 Roman 28/08/2014
