What to do in Mukdahan? Discover a peaceful town on the banks of the Mekong River

Today I'd like to introduce you to a place that could be described as " off the beaten track ." Rather than returning directly to Bangkok after my visit to Savannakhet in Laos, I decided that this time I would stop for a visit to Mukdahan before heading home.

Originally, I was planning to visit Laos instead, heading to Pakse and then the Boloven Plateau and all the way to the 4 Islands, but I had to back out due to budget constraints. So I thought, why not Mukdahan after all?

And for that, I only had a short day to explore this little corner of Issan, which borders the giant Mekong River, with its neighbor across the river, Savannakhet, in Laos. A day is very short, but... challenge accepted!

Rent a motorbike in Mukdahan

True to my style, I absolutely needed a motorbike to be able to travel around the area. And there, things get complicated… Indeed, Mukdahan is above all a place of passage; since it is a border town, there are no real usual structures for tourists, so no motorbike rental companies…

At least, that's the theory! In practice, while doing my research, I thought I understood that it was possible to rent from a Honda dealership, which basically sells motorcycles, but offers rental when the opportunity arises.

Once I arrived at the Mukdhadan bus station, after returning to Thailand via the Friendship Bridge, I told the tuk tuk driver who spontaneously introduced himself that I was looking for a motorbike to rent for the next day. I was obviously not surprised when he told me that there were none.

Knowing also that for him, it is a potential loss of earnings… and I doubt a little of his total sincerity. I still try to tell him about my “find” but he insists in his “no, there are no motorbikes to rent in Mukdahan…”

Yes, but there is a catch…

Since I wasn't going to hang around there either, I asked him to take me to my hotel, hoping to have better luck asking for the reception there.

By the way, I should mention that I stayed at the Bird Day Boutique Hotel , a little outside the center but right next to a Big C supermarket and a few street food stalls. Excellent value for money (650 Baht) and a great breakfast.

And there it was, Bingo! I'd barely checked in and asked the question when they told me yes, there were motorcycles for rent. And the receptionist handed me a slip of paper with a phone number on it.

Yes, but there is a catch... because the number I was given, until proven otherwise, I don't think they speak English... so to make you understand I can't guarantee anything... In my case, I speak enough Thai to deal with that.

Maybe possible to see this with the reception but there again, good English is not guaranteed…

Anyway. I tried calling that night to get the bike tomorrow morning, but of course the shop was already closed since it was like 18pm. No problem, I figured I'd call the next morning.

Which I did indeed, but only after having breakfast, and I finally hung around my room a bit before checking out and called only afterwards…

Big mistake on my part! If I manage to reach them directly, there was a misunderstanding coming from the first person I had on the phone (having dealt with someone else afterwards). I was waiting nicely for the bike to arrive even though I had said where I was staying, but I let too much time pass before deciding to call back. I then heard my new contact yelling in the background because I was still waiting for my bike...

When it finally arrived, it was already 14pm! In theory, I still had some time; my bus to Bangkok left at 20pm and night fell around 00:18pm.

But I'm a bit taken aback when the guys who come to give me the bike explain to me that the shop closes at 16:30 p.m.! I still negotiate to return the bike to the bus station directly, since I don't need to go back to the hotel (being on a short excursion, I only have a small backpack that I can carry around).

So I have just over 2 hours ahead of me to visit Mukdahan and its surroundings!

Too bad, in absolute terms, it's my fault, I mismanaged my timing, so as a certain Barney said:

“Challenge Accepted!”

So it was with a bit of stress that I got on my motorbike for the day, rented for 200 baht.

First step, go to the city center, about 4 km from my hotel.

Well, if you've read this whole long paragraph, you're champions!

What to do in Mukdahan City, what to see?

I started this express visit by stopping on the banks of the Mekong, enjoying the view of the same place I was facing the day before. From there, we can see both the Friendship Bridge that crosses the day before, and the city of Mukdahan, whose iconic tower can be seen.

The city, seemingly unassuming, is home to nearly 200,000 inhabitants. It has a rather peaceful atmosphere . There is a significant Vietnamese community, as in several other cities located along the Mekong River (I mentioned this during my visit to Nakhon Phanom , mentioned earlier).

Wat Si Mongkhon Tai

If you only have time to visit one temple in Mukdahan , this is the one. Located right across from the Mekong and next to the immigration building (which was the main one before the construction of the second Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge in 2006; the connection with Laos was previously only by ferry).

This is a temple elevated to the rank of royal temple.

The Buddha statue inside, 2 m high and wide, is said to predate the creation of the temple. It was found during the foundation work of the city in 1770.

The ceramic-inlaid North Gate was built as a gesture of friendship from the city's large Vietnamese community in 1954.

Stroll along the banks of the Mekong

Opposite the temple is a large square bordering the river . There was a small amulet market there. My presence amused the locals. When they saw that I spoke Thai, they were curious about what I was doing there.

We agreed that here, 90% of foreigners are only passing through and only know the city's bus station (that was also the case for me before...).

In my case, I explained to them that I wanted to introduce the city to the readers of my blog, and they could only appreciate my approach 😉

A quick trip to the markets

I first went to the "Indochina Market," which turns out to be a recent creation of a Singaporean entrepreneur. Basically, a series of shops selling a little bit of everything, lined up along the banks of the Mekong.

A sort of XXL hardware store. I didn't really linger there because it was cluttered and I didn't have time (one day, that is :). But there's plenty to wander around if you have the time.

If you happen to like markets, I also went to the Mukdahan covered market , located not far from the municipal park ( see location on Google Maps ).

We're staying in a "classic" small-town provincial market, with the cheerful, organized "mess" often found in provincial markets. The stalls are well-presented, with fruit and vegetables, meat, and other fresh produce in one corner.

One notable point is the welcome! Smiles and smiles! It must be said that few people spend time here, being, like me, only passing through from/to Savannakhet, the city opposite (by the way, you can find my articles on the city of Savannakhet here and on the province here ).

It's more of a transit city, with many considering it to be nothing to see. And if I took the time to stop there, it was precisely to form my own opinion and go beyond the clichés.

Mukdahan Municipal Park

My next stop was the municipal park. The park is located right in the heart of the city , opposite the stadium.

In the shade, I came across a group of young people practicing traditional dance moves, apparently in rehearsal. They were obviously surprised to see me there and quickly posed, all smiles, together for the photo before I left.

Otherwise, the park itself is basically just a body of water , along which it must be nice to go for a jog (but not in this heat). There's also a playground for children, and places to take a short break if you're in the area.

Mukdahan Observatory

Mukdahan Tower is a monument I won't have time to visit. If you're interested, it houses a museum about local art and culture , including descriptions of the different ethnic groups that make up the region.

Built in 1996 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the king's accession to the throne, the 65-meter-high structure primarily serves to offer a 360° panoramic view from its 6th-floor observatory. The 7th floor houses the Buddha statues.

After that, I had to speed up to the national park, about fifteen kilometers from there. The road is in good condition and goes straight. I come across a construction in the distance on a hill, a Buddha in a seated position that will dominate the area.

Phu Pha Thoep National Park

Also known simply as Mukdahan National Park , it is mainly visited to see these rock formations, which remind me of those of Sao Chaliang, encountered in Pha Taem National Park.

I only had about ten minutes to take a look around before I had to leave again, as I wanted to stop at one last destination before returning.

But from what little I saw, it's interesting. There are usually small caves further along the path containing Buddha statues . These caves also have murals that are 3000 to 5000 years old.

The park is located just under 20 km from the centre of Mukdahan.