Nong Khai Attractions
Nong Khai
Visitors to Nong Khai are not attracted by its sights, such as temples and museums, but by its close proximity to the border with Laos and its main town of Vientiane (once called Viangchan). The view across the mighty Mekong, south-eastern Asia's largest river and the eighth-longest river in the world, is impressive.
By car: from Udon Thani Highway 2 (53 km (33 mi.)).
By rail: terminus of the Bangkok to south-west Thailand line.
By bus: from Bangkok Southern Bus Terminal three times daily.
Nearest airport: Udon Thani (50 km (31 mi.); bus connections).
Visitors to Nong Khai are not attracted by its sights, such as temples and museums, but by its close proximity to the border with Laos and its main town of Vientiane (once called Viangchan). The view across the mighty Mekong, south-eastern Asia's largest river and the eighth-longest river in the world, is impressive.
By car: from Udon Thani Highway 2 (53 km (33 mi.)).
By rail: terminus of the Bangkok to south-west Thailand line.
By bus: from Bangkok Southern Bus Terminal three times daily.
Nearest airport: Udon Thani (50 km (31 mi.); bus connections).
Nong Khai Wat Kaek
Wat Kaek stands on the Thai side of the Mekong and contains a large, apparently random collection of figures. This includes a monumental statue of a meditating Buddha (notice the portrayal with a richly ornamented point on the head) and the sculpture of the four-armed Indian god Ganesha (the god of the arts), who is riding a rat.
Nong Khai - Mekong, Thailand
The Mekong's water level fluctuates considerably (up to 20 m (66 ft) in the course of a year); during the rainy season it floods the fields, while during the dry season islands appear in the river bed.
