Thailand (Lonely Planet, 13th Edition) - China Williams [438]
The temple is along Rte 210, just across the Nong Bualamphu Province line. Buses from Loei (ordinary/2nd class 25/40B, 11/four hours, every 20 minutes) to Nong Bualamphu will drop you 2.5km away, where, if you’re lucky enough to find one, a túk-túk or motor-cycle taxi will shuttle you to the temple for about 25B.
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NAKHON PHANOM PROVINCE
Lao and Vietnamese influences are strong in Nakhon Phanom, a province bordered by the Mekong and dotted with beautiful and revered temples. Though just about every person you see marching buffalo or tending their rice fields is ethnically Thai, many wear conical Vietnamese-style straw hats. It’s not a region bristling with can’t-miss attractions, but there are plenty of fine river views and some interesting diversions available; and the colossal Wat Phra That Phanom is an enchanting talisman of Isan culture.
Construction of the third Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge is under way 15km north of the capital, and it could open by 2011, but it’s unlikely to alter the city’s sleepy character much.
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NAKHON PHANOM
pop 31,700
Nakhon Phanom means ‘City of Mountains’, but the undulating sugarloaf peaks all lie across the river in Laos, so you’ll be admiring rather than climbing them. But the views are beautiful, especially during a hazy sunrise. Nothing else is quite as appealing as the distant row of hills, though there’s plenty more to see and do for those who’ve come all the way out here. Most Thai visit-ors make some time to shop for silver at the places near the pier.
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Information
Bangkok Bank (Tesco-Lotus, Th Nittayo; 10am-8pm) Banks are clustered around the junction of Th Nittayo and Th Aphiban Bancha, but this one can do foreign exchange (cash only) after hours.
Crab Technology (Th Si Thep; internet per hr 15B; 8am-10pm)
Immigration office (0 4251 1235; Th Sunthon Wijit; 8.30am-noon & 1-4.30pm Mon-Fri) For visa extensions.
North By North-East Tours (0 4251 3572; www.north-by-northeast.com; 746/1 Th Sunthon Wijit; 9am-5pm Mon-Sat) Leads cultural and eco tours in Isan and across the river in Laos. It can also help arrange volunteer placements in the area.
Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT; 0 4251 3490; Th Sunthon Wijit; 8.30am-4.30pm) Covers Nakhon Phanom, Sakon Nakhon and Mukdahan Provinces.
Sights & Activities
TEMPLES
Nakhon Phanom’s temples have a distinctive style. This was once an important town in the Lan Xang Empire, and after that Thai kings sent their best artisans to create new buildings. Later, a vivid Vietnamese and French influence crossed the Mekong and jumped into the mix.
One good example is Wat Maha That (Th Sunthon Wijit; daylight hr). Its 24m-tall, gold-and-white Phra That Nakhon chedi resembles the second chedi built at That Phanom.
Wat Okat Si Bua Ban (Th Sunthon Wijit; daylight hr) pre-dates the town and also has a touch of Chinese influence. The wí·hhn houses Phra Taew and Phra Tiam, two sacred wooden Buddha images. The amazing mural, one of our favourites in Thailand (it’s like a Thai Where’s Waldo; try to find the backpackers) shows the story of Phra Taew and Phra Tiam floating across the Mekong from Laos.
The interior murals of the bòht at Wat Si Thep (Th Si Thep; daylight hr) show the jataka along the upper portion, and kings of the Chakri dynasty along the lower part. On the back of the bòht is a colourful triptych done in modern style. The abbot’s residence, built in 1921, won a preservation award.
BAN NA CHOK
The Vietnamese community in Ban Na Chok, about 3km west of town, has restored Uncle Ho’s House (admission free; daylight hr), the simple wooden house where Ho Chi Minh lived (1928–9) while planning his resistance movement. There are a few more Ho Chi Minh displays, some labelled in English, a bit to the northwest at the Friendship Village (08 0315 4630; admission free; 8am-4pm) community centre.