That Phanom is a little of a one-attraction town, but it's a nice enough place to spend a day or so. If you're just passing through Nakhon Phanom province on your way somewhere else and have a night to kill, you might be better spending it in That Phanom rather than Nakhon Phanom city, which is just an hour or less away.
The old streets of That Phanom, looking towards the arch and That Phanom spire
The main attraction in That Phanom is the tall spire known as Phra That Phanom, which is the center of a temple just a short walk from the Mekong riverfront. Between the temple and the river is a traffic circle with a sort of triumphal arch in it, and between this and the river are some old, mostly run-down, shop-houses that can be worth a stroll.
A mural from Wat Hua Wiang
A road runs along the river. On one side, on the banks of the Mekong, are several restaurants serving fresh-water fish from the river, and there's also a stretch of promenade. The inland side of the road is lined with a few hotels and guest-houses. At the north end of the riverfront area is the small temple of Wat Hua Wiang, which has an ordination hall decorated with some unusual murals.
Other places of possible interest include the city's main market, just southeast of the That Phanom temple, and a night market with lots of food which is set up every evening along the road running up the east side of the long lakes which stretch north of the temple. You'll find deep-fried frogs and other local 'delicacies'.
That Phanom is small enough that you'll have no problem getting around it on foot, but if you should need them, there are many tuk-tuks that can take you where you want to go.
That Phanom is a little more than 50 kilometers south of Nakhon Phanom, along the banks of the Mekong River. From Nakhon Phanom airport, a private transfer by car will run you 1,500 Baht. A much cheaper option would be to go to the bus station in Nakhon Phanom town and get a bus. Regular buses leave frequently and cost around 80 Baht. An even cheaper option is a songtaew.
There aren't very many hotels in That Phanom. Within the city there a just a few locally run hotels, most of them decidedly tourist class. Of the lot, the That Phanom River View Hotel is the newest (as of July 2012) and still in the best shape. Use the search box below to find the best deals on That Phanom by comparing rates from dozens of booking sites at once.
July 2012
My room at the That Phanom River View hotel in That Phanom The That Phanom River View hotel seems to be the top end of That Phanom's meager hotel offerings. The small three-floor hotel was clearly less than a couple years old when I stayed there. The hotel is right on the river-front road, with numerous restaurants right across the street on the banks of the river, and it's just a short walk from the city's main attraction, the That Phanom temple.
Wat Hua Wiang Rangsi sits right on the riverside at the north end of That Phanom city. The little temple probably wouldn't rate a mention if it wasn't for the unusual murals decorating the walls of the ordination within the small compound.
The altar and some of the murals of the main chapel The age of the temple is unknown, but the present ordination hall (ubosot) was built from 1917 to 1921.
Phra That Phanom is a tall spire - a style of pagoda (chedi) common to Northeastern Thailand and Laos. The tower sits inside a large temple formally called Wat Phra That Phanom Woramahawiharn. The tower is thought to have been constructed some time in the eighth to tenth centuries, but like many temples it has been renovated many times since it was first built. The last major reconstruction happened after the spire was blown over by high winds in 1975.
The old streets of That Phanom, looking towards the arch and That Phanom spire
