Most people just pass through the narrow border province of Nong Khai on their way to Vientiane in Laos. There isn't a lot to see in Nong Khai, but it is a pleasant enough place to spend a couple of days. The Mekong riverside area is well developed, with a pleasant broad walkway, there are a few interesting old buildings, as well as quite a few restaurants.
Nong Khai does not have an airport, but it's only about an hour away from Udon Thani airport. Nong Khai is also the end of the Northeastern Line of the Thai state railway. There is a train service across the Friendship Bridge into Laos, but the service only runs from the Laotian side of the bridge to Nong Khai. Coming from or going to Bangkok requires a change of trains in Nong Khai to reach Laos.
There isn't a huge selection of hotels in Nong Khai. Within the city there a just a few locally run hotels, most of them decidedly tourist class. A couple of good central choices are listed below. To see everything that's available, and find the best deals, use the search box below to compare rates from dozens of booking sites. There are quite a few guesthouses in the city. For a list of suggestions, see my friends at Travelfish.
Map of Nong Khai City Nong Khai is, as you'd expect, spread out along the river. The main part of the city, that you'll want to explore, is within two or three blocks of the Mekong. The main area of town is a kilometer or two from the Friendship Bridge.
One of many riverside pavilions along the Mekong in Nong Khai A considerable amount of the riverside area in central Nong Khai has been developed into a sort of promenade, with nicely paved walkways, numerous open air pavilions to sit in, and a few well maintained docks for river cruises. The developed area runs for around a kilometer.
For most of its length, Tha Sadet Market backs onto the walkway.
The adopted symbol of Nong Khai is the naga, a serpent with multiple heads. It has its orgins in Hindu myth. In India, the heads are usually the same as a cobra's, but in Southeast Asia the heads usually look more like dragons, no doubt due to Chinese influences. The association with Nong Khai comes from an annual phenomenon of the area. Each year around October, balls of fire or light are seen rising from the Mekong River.
The big Buddha perched on top of Wat Lam Kuan on the river in Nong Khai There are a number of small temples around Nong Khai city. The one you're most likely to notice is Wat Lam Kuan, due to the giant golden Buddha statue perched on the roof of one of the chapels. You can see the Buddha from a distance, and it's only a short walk from the end of the riverside market area.
Like all of Thailand, Nong Khai has three seasons: the "cool" season from November to February, the "hot" season from March to May, and the "rainy" season from June to October. The cool season is the traditional time to visit, but it's also when sights will be the most crowded, and hotel rates the highest. Conventional wisdom has it that the rainy season is the worst time to come, but this is not necessarily true.
