Thailand What to do in Mukdahan? Discover a peaceful town on the banks of the Mekong River Mukdahan, Northeastern Provinces (Issan), Travel to Thailand 4.4 (7)It is a place that could be described as " off the beaten track » that I invite you to discover today. Rather than returning directly to Bangkok after my visit to Savannakhet in Laos, I thought that this time, I would stop for a walk in Mukdahan before returning.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! Summary hide Rent a motorbike in Mukdahan What to do in Mukdahan City, what to see? Wat Si Mongkhon Tai Stroll along the banks of the Mekong A quick trip to the markets Mukdahan Municipal Park Mukdahan Observatory Phu Pha Thoep National Park Express visit to Sing Reservoir Map of Mukdahan and surroundings Getting to Mukdahan and surrounding areas Rent a motorbike in MukdahanTrue 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.A street in Mukdahan, with the typical tuk tuks of this region.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 would like to point out that I slept at Bird Day Boutique Hotel, a little out of the way from the center but right next to a Big C supermarket and some street restaurants. Excellent value for money (650 Baht) and great breakfast.Facade of the Bird Day Boutique Hotel.Room at Bird Day Boutique Hotel.And there, Bingo! As soon as I checked in and asked the question, they said yes, there are motorbikes for rent. And the receptionist handed me a piece of paper with a phone number.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…In front of a large empty square.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...A street in Mukdahan, we need to illustrate it a little.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 a little stressed when 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.Hey Laos!We can see the Friendship Bridge in the distance.The city is home to nearly 200 inhabitants, seemingly out of the blue. a rather peaceful atmosphere. There is a large Vietnamese community, as are several other towns along the Mekong (I spoke about this during my visit to Nakhon Phanom, located higher up).The church of Mukdahan.Wat Si Mongkhon TaiIf you don't have to visit only one temple in Mukdahan, this is the one. Located right across 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.No, this is not the facade described above, I did not take a picture of it…Stroll along the banks of the MekongOpposite 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 😉The square in front of the temple.Next to immigration.A quick trip to the marketsI first went to the "Indochina Market", or in good French, the Indochina market, which turns out to be a recent creation of a Singaporean entrepreneur. Basically, a succession of shops selling a little bit of everything and nothing, 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 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.A notable point, the welcome! Smiles and smiles! It must be said that few people spend time here, being there, like me, only passing through from/to Savannakhet, the city opposite (incidentally, 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.What would Thailand be without its smiles!Mukdahan Municipal ParkMy next stop was to go to the municipal park. The park is located 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 reduced to a body of water, along which it must be nice to go jogging (but not in this heat). There is also a playground for children, and a place to take a short break if you are in the area.Mukdahan ObservatoryThe Mukdahan Tower is a monument that I will not have time to visit. If you are interested, it contains a museum of local art and culture, including in particular a description of the different ethnic groups making up the region.Built in 1996 in honour of the 50th anniversary of the king's accession to the throne, with its 65 m height, its primary function is toadmire the surrounding view in 360° from its observatory on the 6th floor. On the 7th floor, it is the space reserved for Buddha statues.The Mukdahan Tower.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.On the road to the national park, a large seated Buddha under construction, next attraction!On the road to Mukdahan National Park.Phu Pha Thoep National ParkAlso known simply as Mukdahan National Park, it is mainly visited to see these rock formations, which remind me of those of Sao Chaliang, crossed at Pha Taem National Park.The entrance to the national park from the main road.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 the little I've seen, it's interesting. There are normally, walking further, small caves housing Buddha statuettes. These caves also have wall paintings that are 3000 to 5000 years old.The park is located just under 20 km from the centre of Mukdahan.Please note: National parks require paid entry = 200 baht per adult. In my case, I managed to negotiate to get in for free, since I was really going to pass through quickly. Express visit to Sing ReservoirCe small artificial lake was my last stop of the day. The lake level was low and I could see the tree trunks, so the small forest bordering the lake must have once covered this part.It's a lovely place, I was able to see some fishermen at work and families having a picnic.The sign from the main road, indicating the reservoir.I would have liked to have sat down there for a bit if I had had the time. Unfortunately I was already late.As I was just leaving from there, the people from the store had already called me once and had just called me back to ask me where I was…So I rushed back to the bus station. Normally I should have returned the bike with a full tank but I didn't have time... They did me a favor and didn't ask me to pay even though I handed over a note to do so (I used about half of it)End of the express tour.I waited the rest of the afternoon in a café in the station, then on the benches once it closed. I was the only foreigner in the entire terminal.Map of Mukdahan and surroundingsThis is likely to become a habit, so I'm putting together a little map for you including all the places mentioned in the article so you can find your way around better!Getting to Mukdahan and surrounding areasEverything is centralized towards the bus terminal. Whether it is tuk tuk, songtaew or motorbike taxis and of course, buses for connections across the country, and also the connection to Savannakhet in Laos.Bangkok – Mukdahan journey = expect 790 baht for a 32-seater VIP bus with the company Transport Co. Ltd, but from 508 baht with the company Sahaphan Roi Et, classified as a “First Class” bus. Having taken one company on the way there and the other on the way back, I preferred the service of the first (Transport), which has a very good reputation (GPS tracking and forced speed limit). But if your budget is tighter, the other will do the job.Journey Mukdahan – Savannakhet = 55 bahts, attention, because after passing through Laotian immigration, they don't necessarily wait for all passengers (especially foreigners...), leaving you with the choice of either waiting for the next one (there's one every hour), or taking a tuk tuk which will basically ask for 200 bahts to take you to the end! (negotiated to 100 bahts for me)The nearest airport is Nakhon Phanom, the other option is to fly to Ubon Ratchathani.So, convinced to stop by Mukdahan? Want to discover other places like this, off the beaten track? Let me know! Did you like the article? Vote on the article Note globale 4.4 / 5. Number of votes: 7 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 Suggestions for visits 1 1 Roman 06/06/2015
