With the largest expat population in northeast Thailand, Udon Thani has a palpable international presence. An array of restaurants, pubs, and accommodations cater to a variety of Western tastes and desires, but dig a little deeper and the richness of the local culture is easily uncovered. Wander around Nong Prajak Park and its natural lake in the early evening as friendly locals exercise in the health park or munch on street cuisine, then turn back time and get a glimpse of life as it was thousands of years ago in the village of Ban Chiang, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. With its 100,000+ population, Udon is not only a pleasant place to visit, but also a genuinely intriguing Thai city.
Udon Thani lies between Khon Kaen and Nong Khai, along the railroad line and Friendship Highway. Navigating the city can prove tricky, so carry a map. A number of hotels and bars are clustered in the southeast corner of town near the Charoensri Shopping Complex, the train and bus stations, and the night market. Prajak Road and Posri Road run to the west from this area to the other side of town, near Nong Prajak Reservoir in the northwest. Each road sports a traffic circle where it diagonally intersects Udondutsadee Road, the main north-south artery. The airport and bus terminal #2 are on the far side of the reservoir, west of the town center on Ring Road, which circles the town. The university is just south of the shopping complex, on the other side of Posri Rd. The largest night market is located just outside of the train station entrance at the east end of Prajak Rd. Thai Isaan Market is on Sai Uthit Rd. Rangsima Market sets up on Udondutsadee Rd.
There’s no backpacker scene here, but due to a growing economy, a number of new hotels have recently been built, widening the range of accommodations from aging and cheap to modern and expensive.
Ban Huay Market, at the north end of Udondutsadee Rd., where a network of vendor-lined sois surrounds a huge covered area with tons of delicious goodies. In a city heavily influenced by Western culture, the following affordable restaurants, which serve traditional Thai dishes, are a special find.
Udorn Sunshine Fragrant Orchid Farm. About 2km northwest of town, the small Udorn Sunshine Fragrant Orchid Farm is a veritable botanical talent show. The recently deceased Mr. Pradit Kampermpool devoted a decade of his life to developing the first orchid perfume, aptly named “Miss Udorn Sunshine,” which is naturally available for purchase (300-1000฿ per bottle). Before seeing the orchid, visitors are treated to a rather uninspiring video explaining the farm and its botanical wonders. Next, guests are led to the orchid enclosure, where the orchid itself can only be smelled in the mornings before 2pm; afterwards, it appears to be a pretty, yet rather normal flower. The next enclosure over, where Desmodium gyrant makes its home, is even more fascinating. These unremarkable-looking plants perk up and shimmy to the vibes of music or human voice. Thanks to Mr. Kampermpool’s years spent cross-breeding, the plants respond almost instantaneously, as opposed to their more lethargic wild counterparts. These plants are reputed to have psychological healing powers related to meditation: by focusing on the plants, patients are relieved of worry. Some make a strong tea out of the plant’s leaves which many claim can prevent and cure stomach cancer or intestinal problems. (To get to the farm, take Posri Rd. past the reservoir and bear right on Phoniyom Rd. After the 1st stoplight, take the turnoff for the farm, 100m ahead on the left. Farm is another 100m on your right. Songthaew #16 and #5 pass by the turnoff. 127 Nongsamrong Rd. ☎042 242 475; www.udon_sunshine.com. Open daily 8am-5pm.)
Udon Thani Provincial Museum. This museum, easily accessed via Posri Rd., was built in 111 days and opened on January 18th, 2004, to commemorate the 111th anniversary of Udon province. Covers topics including geology, archaeology, and ethnology. The museum does an impressive job of summarizing thousands of years of Udon’s past. (Open M-F 8am-4:30pm, Sa-Su 8am-4pm. Free.)
Nong Prajak Reservoir. This beautiful reservoir, in the northwest section of town, is full of benches, pavilions, and footbridges. Join mothers, children, and sweethearts feeding the catfish, or work up a sweat with the joggers who circle the paths every evening for some exercise. The best part of this area is the night massage vendors that arrive daily around 5pm and offer superb hour-long Thai foot massages. (1hr. Thai massage 120฿, 1hr. foot massage 100฿, 30min. foot massage 60฿. Open 5am-8pm)
The theater at the top of the Charoensri Shopping Complex screens Thai films (70฿). Bowling on the same floor. (60-90฿, plus 30฿ shoe rental. Open 11am-12:30am.) Udon’s nightlife is surprisingly hopping. To get to Mambo, 572 Pracharaksa Rd., in the Napalai Hotel, head west toward the reservoir on Srisuk Rd., turn left where Pracharaksa Rd. branches off Srisuk, and walk 1km. Alternatively, a tuk-tuk from downtown should cost 70-80฿. Bathe yourself in fluorescent blue light and the pounding beats of the local DJs and rock bands. (☎042 346 547. Mixed drinks 100-150฿, Heineken and Singha 80฿. 20+. Open nightly 9pm-2am.) Across the road from Mambo is Western Pub, 420 Pracharaksa Rd., where the staff, the band, and much of the clientele are dressed in head-to-toe Western digs, complete with cowboy hats and plaid shirts. Order a BBQ steak (100฿) and a bottle of Jack Daniels (1400฿). Live Western music all night. (Open nightly 7pm-1am.)
Orange songthaew leave from Posri Rd. for Ban Chiang, (1hr.; M-F 4 per day 6:30am-5pm, infrequent Sat and Sun., leave when full, 50฿). On Sai Uthit Rd., walk past the bus station on your left and make a right onto Posri Rd. You’ll see the songthaew on the right side of the road, opposite a small supermarket. In the case that none are going, take a bus from the nearby bus station headed to Sakhon Nakhon, (every 40min. 6am-5:20pm.) Buses drop off at the turnoff in Pulu (50฿). From here, take a tuk-tuk the remaining 6km, (60฿ per person, 100฿ per vehicle). Buses and songthaew return to Udon from the museum entrance every hr. until 2pm, (80-130฿). If you miss these, hire a tuk-tuk to the main road; there are frequent buses from Sakhon Nakhon to Udon. Alternatively, rent a motorcycle in town (see above) and drive yourself, following the clearly marked English signs. Look closely for the turnoff, just past a mysterious set of traffic lights in Pulu.
Ban Chiang, 54km east of Udon Thani, is one of Southeast Asia’s most significant archaeological discoveries and was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1992. The story of its discovery begins in 1966, when Stephen Young, then a junior at Harvard College and son of the ambassador to Thailand tripped over a large root while doing research for his senior Anthropology thesis in Ban Chiang. Catching himself, he found the rim of a partially unearthed pot staring him in the face. Upon closer scrutiny, he found that the area was littered with half-buried pottery. By the time excavation began in the mid-1970s, many valuable artifacts had been sold to collectors in trading centers worldwide.
The skeletons and numerous bronze artifacts found here have shed light on the lives of the inhabitants of the area from 3000-1000 BC. They also indicate that the civilization possessed knowledge of metallurgy much earlier than originally estimated, casting doubt on the theory that the practice came to Thailand from China. The national museum documents the unearthing of Ban Chiang. Information in English (including some of Stephen Young’s original notes and a copy of his thesis) can also be viewed at the national museum. The second-floor exhibits have comprehensive captions in English. (☎042 208 340. Open daily 8am-4pm. 30฿.) In contrast to the museum, the dig site, at Wat Phosi Nai, is anticlimactic. Still, it displays a well-preserved burial site with intact artifacts. (Exit left from the museum; the excavation site is 600m down on the right. Admission included in the price of museum ticket.)
Ban Chiang’s local homestay program provides a glimpse of authentic village life. You can stay with a local family and share in three meals and daily activities like the early morning alms-giving ceremony (300฿ per day). Call Anoy ( } 083 145 8026), in advance to arrange for pickup from Udon airport or city and transfer to Ban Chiang.
 |
 |
 |
 |
For 52 years, we have published the world’s favorite budget travel guides, written entirely by students and updated every year. With pen and notebook in hand and a few changes of underwear stuffed in our backpacks, we spend months roaming the globe in search of travel bargains.
Facebook
Twitter
You Tube
Foursquare
Newsletter
RSS Feed
Overview