Thailand (Lonely Planet, 13th Edition) - China Williams [404]
Ban Pa-Ao
Northwest of Ubon on Hwy 23, Ban Pa-Ao is a silk-weaving village, but it’s best known for producing brass and bronze items using the lost-wax casting method. It’s the only place in Thailand where the entire process is still done by hand. You can watch workers creating bells, bowls and other items at Soon Thorng Leuang Ban Pa-Ao (8am-5pm) cooperative on the far side of the village. There’s also a silk-weaving co-op on the way into town.
Ban Pa-Ao’s homestay (08 1076 1249; per person incl 2 meals 300B) program offers the chance to try your hand at both of the town’s trades, though little English is spoken.
Ban Pa-Ao is 3.5km off the highway. Buses to/from Yasothon pass the turn-off, and a motorcycle taxi from the highway should cost 20B.
Phibun Mangsahan
Visitors often stop in the dusty town of Phibun Mangsahan to see a set of rapids called Kaeng Sapheu, just downstream of the Mun River bridge. The rocky islets make ‘Python Rapids’ rise between February and May, but the shady park here makes a pleasant stop year-round. It’s got a Chinese temple, several simple restaurants – most serving tòrt nng gòp (deep-fried frog skins) – and a long line of souvenir shops. Many fishermen work here and they’ll take you on short boat trips (200B per hour) in little long-tails to visit island temples. Ask at ‘aw’ restaurant if you’d rather ride a bigger boat (500B per hour or 2000B for the day), which can hold 20 people.
Phibun Mangsahan has an immigration office (0 4544 1108; 8.30am-4.30pm Mon-Fri), where visa extensions are available. It’s 1km south of the bridge on the way to Chong Mek.
The villages just over the bridge, as you drive east to Khong Jiam along Rte 2222, are famed for forging iron and bronze gongs, both for temples and classical Thai-music ensembles. You can watch the gong makers hammering the flat metal discs and tempering them in rustic fires at many roadside workshops. Small gongs start at around 500B and the 2m monsters fetch as much as 200,000B. People make drums and cymbals around here too.
SLEEPING & EATING
In the centre of town, midway between the bus stop and the bridge, Phiboonkit Hotel (0 4520 4872; 65/1-3 Th Phiboon; r 200-350B; ) is your usual, slightly chaotic, budget hotel.
Tom Reung Ruang (no roman-script sign; 135 Th Luang; breakfast & lunch), a ramshackle shop right at the bridge, is famous for sah·lah·ow (Chinese buns) and nng jip (small pork-filled wraps). Thais visiting Pha Taem National Park and Khong Jiam usually stop here to stock up on these items (5B each), and countless shops in town and on the highway have piggy-backed on their success.
GETTING THERE & AWAY
Phibun’s bus park is behind the market. There are ordinary buses (35B, 1½ hours) every 20 minutes to Ubon’s bus station, and srng·ta·ou (35B, 1½ hours) every half-hour to Talat Ban Du (Ban Du Market) near the city centre. There are also srng·ta·ou to Chong Mek (35B, one hour) every 20 minutes.
Kaeng Tana National Park
Five kilometres before Khong Jiam you can cross the Pak Mun dam to little Kaeng Tana National Park (0 4540 6887; admission 100B). After circling thickly forested Don Tana (Tana Island), linked to the mainland by a small suspension bridge, the Mun River roils through its beautiful namesake rapids, which lie underwater during the rainy season. The 1.5km clifftop trail to Lan Pha Phueng viewpoint is serene and there are canoes for hire (per hour 100B). Five kilometres south of the visitor centre (8am-4.30pm) is Nam Tok Tad Ton, a wide waterfall just a 300m walk from the road. There’s a campsite (per person with own tent 30B, 3-/8-person tent hire 150/225B) and four bungalows (0 2562 0760; www.dnp.go.th/parkreserve; 5/10 people 1000/2000B). The simple restaurant opens during the day only.
By road, the park is 14km from Khong Jiam. There’s no public transport, but boats in town will take you upriver and drop you at the park for 800B, if the water levels permit. They’ll even wait a few hours for you to stroll around before bringing you back.
Khong Jiam
Khong Jiam sits on a picturesque