You will read about such places in travel guide books and brochures. A travel agent will have a list of places that will make your visit the best ever. If you go to San Francisco it might be Fishermans Wharf. If you visit London you must experience Eye on London. If you travel to China the Forbidden City or the Great Wall are mandatory.

When you travel to Ubon Ratchathani it is  no exception. There are places you really must go see for yourself. I have compiled a list, which is in no way comprehensive, based on my experience, input from the locals and feedback from visitors.

1. Ubon Ratchathani National Museum – Displays of artwork, crafts and historical items reflecting life and culture in this area. It is located at the south end of Tung Sri Muang park.
2. Pha Taem National Park – This is located over yonder in Khong Jiam district. Make sure you take your walking shoes to hike down the edge of a cliff to view pre-historic drawings on the face. The route is at least 3 kilometers.
3. Huai Luang Waterfall – One of the best waterfalls I have seen in Thailand.  You will find this spectacle in the southeast region of the province. It is well worth all the steps you have to ascend when you are leaving.
4. 2 Color River – This is in Khong Jiam where the Mekong and Mun rivers meet. One is brown and one is green, or is it blue and green. I guess you will have to go see for yourself. You can also walk along the river, go watch the sunrise  or enjoy a nice lunch on one of the floating restaurants.
5. Sam Pan Bok – It will give you the impression you have stepped onto the lunar surface or at least on to a sci-fi movie set. A most interesting creation of nature. Best time to go is January to June.
6. Sedhapura by Tohsang – Go here and pamper yourself. You deserve it. A luxury pool villa on the banks of the Mekong in Khong Jiam.
7. Tung Sri Muang – Here you can take in some history, exercise, relax or socialize. It is best to go in the evening to catch all the locals meeting up. Afterward you can walk a short distance to the night market and get some dinner from the wide variety of street vendor offerings.
8. Wat Sa Prasan Suk – Just on the outskirts of Ubon city you can enjoy the peace and tranquility as well as some unique architecture. I have visited many times and make it a point to take guests there and never tire of visiting.
9. Gaeng Saphue - East of Ubon city around 45 Kilometers. There is a park on Mun River.  It is a great place for an afternoon picnic. Vendors will be hawking food which you can order and then relax on a provided mat and enjoy your lunch. After the monsoon waters have receded cataracts are revealed and make for some fun either watching or playing.
10. Had Kudua – A complex of restaurants on the  Mun River just out of town. The seating is provided on floating bamboo patios. It is enjoyable during the hot or cold season. It is not the food that makes this place special its the experience. Most of the  menus are basically the same in quality, quantity and price so the only decision to make is where do you prefer to enjoy the moment.

When you visit Ubon Ratchathani consider adding the suggestions above to your itinerary. If not all 10, at least pick a few that interest you the most and go have fun during your travels in Ubon.

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10 Ubon Ratchathani Must Visit Places

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Ubon is a star in its own right. It has a long and colored history and its own unique culture and cuisine. When reading travel and tourism articles in magazines or blogs my adopted home is mostly overlooked.  It is definitely a sleeper, not just for tourism but also as a great place to live.

The omission by promoters could just be what makes this a great place to be as a tourist, visitor or resident. There is a charm to Ubon that makes it a quite different experience than Bangkok, Phuket, Samui or Chiang Mai. But you would have to be here to find out for yourself.

Now, I will share with you 10 good reasons to choose Ubon Ratchathani for a short visit as a visitor or tourist or for a long term stay.

1. Accessibility – If you check out a map of Thailand you will Ubon Ratchathani located as far East as you can go and stay in the country. If you go any farther east you will find yourself floating southward in the Mekong and quite possibly end up in the South China Sea.

However, not to worry. There are many ways to get to Ubon despite its GPS coordinates. We are serviced by daily flights to and from Bangkok by 3 different airlines and you can choose Suvarnaphumi or Don Muang.

Trains run several times day and night. The selection includes sleeper, express and budget. Their is a wide choice of bus lines, routes and classes if you prefer coming and going by road.

It is easy to get here.

2. Immigration – One of the issues we need to deal with whether we are an expat living abroad or a tourist is getting and extending a visa. Ye Ole Visa is our virtual lifeline to a continued stay.

The Immigration office that services Ubon Ratchathani is located in Phibun Mangsahan district approximately 40 kilometers east of the city. As long as you have all your ducks in order and don’t make demands or attempt to deceive your dealings with them should go  smoothly.

I have been doing business with them for 10 years. In that time I have never had any major issues. They have always provide good service, support and information.

3. Lifestyle – Many factors influence the way of life in the city and the province. Buddhism, there is a higher density of Thai Buddhist temples here then anywhere else in Thailand. The agricultural economy makes for a hard work mentality but also play and partying. This formula makes for a simple but fun, easy going life.

4. Food – The tagline for Isaan cuisine appears to be, “let nothing go to waste”. Isaan chefs find a way to use everything and make it palatable as well. Along  with the Isaan and Thai dishes you will also find many Vietnamese and Chinese. It is quite an adventure to travel around town in the evening and just find a shop or street vendor and sample their wares. You must try it.

5. People – The people of Ubon Ratchathani are the grassroots of Thailand. Not only do they make their own province go round but you will find them serving you in Bangkok, Phuket, Samui and most heavily traveled tourist spots.

You will find the locals generous and friendly. If you attend any function you will be presented with a lively and memorable experience.

6. Culture – Even if you are familiar with Thai culture what you  experience here is truly distinctive. It is Thai culture but it is also Laotian culture with emphasis on the Lao. The combination is the foundation of the Isaan culture of Ubon.

7. Cost of Living – Whether you are a tourist, visitor or resident you will discover that things are mostly cheaper here. It is true with most things you have on your budget list, accommodations, dining, entertainment, and purchases. This is one of the perks we benefit from here. You can rent a nice furnished house here for less than a small condo in Bangkok.

8. Enough – It is true that compare to your hometown or major cities around the world you might few Ubon as lacking quite a bit. But I have found most of what I need to enjoy a good and comfortable life here. If you really need something that you can’t find you can take care of it with a quick trip to Bangkok. Also with the Internet it is easy to order things from Amazon or other places.

Just a personal note, I have learned that  many things I thought I needed to get by are now not even missed.  So Ubon doesn’t have everything but it has enough.

9. Peace of Mind – With all the joys, excitement and variety in big cities there is also the dark side. You experience overcrowding, noise and air pollution, high prices, crime long long commutes.  It is easy to realize it causes a great deal of stress.

Ubon is not Shangri-la but it does provide quality of life and a high degree of peace of mind. You can get across town in 20 minutes. You can go out at night and feel safe. The residents are mostly local so it is their home, they can help and also offer some local pride.

10. Location – What does the location offer you? Ubon is bordered to the east by Mekong River. Along with its history it creates many visitation worthy sites. The geography in the south also makes for interesting places to visit. You can easily travel to Laos from here through Chong Mek or a short tip up to Mukdahan.

But wait… There’s more… As a bonus I am offering an additional reason We Love Ubon Ratchathani

11. (Bonus)  Candle Festivall – If you only come to Ubon once, or once a year you must come during  the full moon in the month of July. That is the time of the most famous Candle Festival that is held in conjunction with the Buddhist Lent. This is the time to experience the extraordinary craftsmanship of the candle sculpture artisans. You can experience the parade that showcases not only these candles but also the people of Ubon.

Take part in the celebration activities and observe religious and cultural traditions and ceremonies. It is quite a spectacle and certainly worth experiencing at least once in your life.

I hope these 10 11 reasons why we love Ubon has inspired you to add visiting or living in Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand to your bucket list.

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10 Reasons Why We Love Ubon Ratchathani

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I can still vividly remember arriving at the then Ubon Ratchathani International Aiport. At that time there was a daily flight to Da Nang, Viet Nam but has long since been scraped.

The hotel I stayed at my first few nights here was Nevada Grand Hotel. Now it is Ubon International Hotel.  Another thing that has changed since I was first introduced to this first lady of Isaan.

I am not sure who has changed the most in the past decade, me or The Lotus City. I know I am a different man from the one who arrived here in a transition period not knowing if this chapter in my life would be short or long.

As it turned out it has been a very long chapter that is not yet completed. In my life I have lived in many places and for the duration of stay Ubon now ranks number 2.

• The place I have lived the longest is my hometown of Redding, California, USA
• Taking second place at 10 years is Ubon Ratchathani
• A close third is Berlin, Germany. At the time I was living there it was known as West Berlin, West Germany. I was there that cold and foggy night of November 9, 1989 when Humpdee Dumpdee sat on the wall but this time it was the Wall that came tumbling down.

When Ubon was still new to me there was no Tesco Lotus or Big-C. There was a Tops Market on the ground floor of Robinsons. There was only a single bridge going across the Mun River between the city and Warin. Sunee Grand Hotel was a deserted hospital.

I remember driving the streets and there was seldom any traffic congestion. Ubon Ratchathani University was still an infant and I felt like I was entering a ghost town when I visited. Rajabhat was not yet a university and across the street from the main entrance you could get a good lunch at Fern Hut long before SK was around.

Nevada Complex actually offered English soundtrack movies about every 2 months. It was a challenge to find a place to check email and most of them were so slow an hourglass was used to time connections.

There were 3 flights a day between Bangkok and Ubon with the fares costing only 800TB.  Only Thai Airways International was servicing the heart and soul of Isaan. There was no Nok Air and nobody here had ever heard of Air Asia.

During my first 7 months here I was teaching English at Northeastern Polytechnic and only made one other farang. I am sure there were others here but I just never ran into them. If I was an Ugly Duckling I didn’t notice.

At the time I first came to live here 911 to me, was the number to call in case of emergency while in the US. times have changed.  A tsunami was something that happened in Japan, Hawaii or a movie not a Boxing Day tragedy.

Over that past decade I have made so many deposits to my experience vault and fortunately most of them are on a positive note.

I have a lot of memories of this Isaan Lady known and Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand and on or about the 10th day of the 10th month of the 10th year it has been a nearly perfect 10 for  me.

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Ubon Ratchathani Thailand – 10 Years On

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photo credit: simminch

We are really quite fortunate living here in Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand. We never have to experience anything too extreme when it comes to weather and natural disasters.

The photo above is of the Montana Hotel in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. A sad sight and seeing the name makes me realize how safe we have it in Ubon. Our Montana Hotel is still standing.

We might have a few things to complain about here. Things like the traffic, the heat and humidity, the heavy rain or the lack of something we want from our past lives in other places. These things are all just inconveniences compare to what happens in other parts of the world.

We don’t have to live in fear of tsunamis, volcanoes, hurricanes, bitter deathly cold, a war zone, or earthquakes. So you see we do have a lot to be grateful for where we live.

In Haiti, others have not been so fortunate. The after affects of an earthquake has killed and torn lives apart. When seeing the devastation and reading the sad stories it moves the heart to want to help in some way.

Maybe there is no way you can go there and pitch in with your time and energy to render aide but you can give of your money. Many charitable organizations are raising funds, such as Red Cross and Unicef. If you have a Twitter account there is a thread or two dedicated to helping Haiti.

If you are able and willing it would be a great humanitarian gesture to donate something to help those less fortunate.  If nothing else say a prayer in the manner that is your belief for the survivors, victims and those there helping.

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Ubon Ratchathani Can Help Haiti

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The girl is Tai Oratai, a local Ubon girl made good. She is more than just a pretty face though. As you listen and watch you will see she is also blessed with talent.

The song and music are Isaan born and bred. The music, lyrics and delivery give you a sense of what Ubon and Isaan are all about.

The location of the video is at a place known as Sam Pan Bok a Thai name meaning Three Thousand Holes. I didn’t count them when I visited, just took their word for it.

Sit back and enjoy one of the reasons, We Love Ubon.

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Beautiful Girl, Song, Scenes From Ubon Ratchathani

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A photograph from 1968 shows Tung Sri Muang, City Field, as not much more than a large grassy bare area. It is difficult to find historical archives so I must just imagine it was basically there for provincial ceremonies and functions, religious ceremonies and functions, and festivals. Looking at the photograph I was reminded of the many parade fields I stood and marched upon for change of command and other military ceremonies during my days in uniform.

Today Tung Sri Muang looks much different than it did even back in 1968. It has evolved and expanded its character and the services it provides.

Joss House at the end of red brick road

Entering through the north gate you confront a wide red brick road that leads directly to Joss House. Maybe this should be the first place visited to pray for luck and good fortune. You will have crossed the moat that surrounds the city park and inside that a red brick jogging or walking path that mirrors the moat.

Pumping Cement Station

Looking around at 11:00 the park is mostly deserted. The visitors I see are lovers catching some semi-private time on benches beneath shade trees, talking and just being close. A few motivated individuals are pumping cement, building muscle with the weights provided by Tung Sri Muang. Others are catching a late morning nap stretched out on one of the many benches.

Lone morning jogger at Tung Sri Muang

A lone jogger is braving the sun and unseasonably warm temperatures to get an aerobic workout. Another was testing out one of the many circuit training sets scattered around the park.

Circuit Training Station

At this time of day it might be lonely but as the sun begins dipping into the western horizon to bring a new day to other places, the locals begin migrating to Tung Sri Muang. Many come to participate in community exercise. In the evening you will find the park crowded with people doing aerobics, jogging, playing basketball, making the rounds of circuit training, pumping cement, or maybe just walking and talking with a friend.

Station 8 Sign - Circuit Training

It maybe be labeled as exercise but observing the scene I think you will agree it is more a social event. A place to catch up on gossip, the latest news and secrets, share stories of the day and enjoy company. As the masses begin departing sweaty and spent many make their way to one of the many food vendors around the perimeter of the park to pick up some dinner.

Monument of Merit

I began walking around the field with my trusty JVC cam trying to capture the essence of Tung Sri Muang past and present. In the far northeast corner there stands a concrete platform. It is mostly used in the evenings by an aerobics instructor and speakers to guide the crowd moving their bodies to the rhythm of the music.

But this same place is home to a monument of historical importance in the history of Ubon Ratchathani. During WWII Japanese soldiers “occupied” portions of Thailand. Many were involved in the major project of  constructing a railway to Burma. Ubon Ratchathani played a role in this project however minor it might have been.

Allied prisoners of war, mostly Australian, British, New Zealand and French, were brought to Ubon for the purpose of forced labor. The plight and treatment of the POW’s didn’t go unnoticed by the locals. A feeling of sympathy towards fellow humans caused many Ubonites to risk death or injury to supply aide to others.

After the war ended and the allies returned home they did not forget the charity and kindness the received from the people of Ubon Ratchathani. They got together and raised funds to commission a monument to commemorate those who risked so much to help them.

Monument of Merit dedication plate

This monument, named, “Monument of Merit“, resides on that platform in the northeast corner of Tung Sri Muang Ubon Ratchathani. This day sadly, I had to clean the dirt and bird calling cards from the surface of the plaque to read it. It was translated from Thai with errors but the gist and message is clear, gratitude and appreciation for those from Ubon who helped them survive. For me, I wish there was more information and stories about those for whom the monument stands.

Engraving identifying Monument of Merit

Moving away from the monument I passed a university student doing her homework and a young couple on a bench, the male stretched out with his head on her lap. Then there is another monument much better taken care of commemorating one of the founding fathers of Ubon. Here at the feet and around the statue lay garlands to pay homage.

Part of Ubon history

Next, a relatively new fixture in the park, is an open air lanai populated with a family of exercise machines. They seemed to be resting before the nightly visitors arrive to give them their daily workouts.

Fitness Lanai

Crossing the red brick road to the large grassy area, I looked to the south at the Joss House and noticed Ubon Hotel staring back at me. In its time Ubon Hotel towered as the tallest structure in Ubon. It has surrendered this status to other Ubon giants today.

Ubon Hotel

In the cnter of the grassy field stands the Provincial Shrine. It is, of course, a large wax sculpture candle creation to signify Ubon’s strong connection to the annual Candle Festival help each year in celebration of Khao Punsaa or Buddhist Lent. It has become an unofficial logo or icon of Ubon.

Big Ubon icon Candle

Walking along the jogging path I noticed the exercise machines of the many stations of the Circuit Training Program. Lost in observation I was startled by the sound of some young voices, “hello, hello.” A group of students who were out on a field trip for Science Day were taking a break in the park and wanted to practise their English with the lone farang walking around the place.

Students on break in the park

The conversation was short lived as their English was extremely limited. They were surprised that this farang could speak to them in Thai. It was a pleasant interlude and one of the nice experiences to be enjoyed when out and about amongst the locals.

Joss House Interior

After a brief visit to Joss House I made my way back to the northern gate to head out somewhere to grab some lunch. I entered the southern gate and to my right are basketball courts and bleachers. Now, in the hot morning sun, the courts were deserted. In a few hours time groups of young Thai male Michael Jordan wannabes will be there showing their skills and talents. The quiet will be replaced with jump shots, lay ups, free throws, dribbles, passes, hand checks and body checks.

Tung Sri Muang Basketball Courts

As I made my way passed the cement weight training station I heard and another hello and noticed it came from a Caucasian gentleman this time, I guess I wasn’t the only farang in the park.  He turned out to be a fellow American from Virginia. He was in Ubon with his wife, an Ubon native, visiting her family. Though he is from Virginia he lives and works as a teaching in Japan.

My intention had been to take some action to cease the noise erupting  from my stomach but it turned out I had a pleasant 45 minute conversation with my new friend. Though I have visited Tung Sri Muang many times during my tenure in Ubon I left on this day, as with every visit, feeling I had learned something new and added another memory to my library.

Tung Sri Muang Ubon Ratchathani holds on to it’s past and continues to provide the people of Ubon a sacred place in the center of town to host ceremonies and festivals. It had also added design and a place to get and keep fit. It is also a place for socializing, meeting old friends and making new friends. This might just be the social center of Ubon whether its impromptu or by design.

Go make a friend at and of Tung Sri Muang of Ubon Ratchathani Thailand today.

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Tung Sri Muang of Ubon Ratchathani Thailand

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My first exposure to Ubon Ratchathani was back in 1999. I was sent here while still active duty soldier to participate in joint training with the Royal Thai Army and Air Force. I got the impression I was in a quiet country town filled with working class people. My first time here the stay only lasted about a week. But I did enjoy myself.

Next visit to Ubon was October 2000. I was out of the military and after a year in the states I decided to spend some time in Thailand. I found a job teaching English here and made it my home. That was 9 years ago and I am still living here.

During the past nine years of living here and with contacts from my website and this blog I have heard a wide variety of reasons for ending up in or passing through Ubon Ratchathani. Often times through mutual agreement the couple will set up a new life together and make Ubon their home.

Other couples in love met elsewhere outside of Ubon and come back here to visit. The foreign half of the relationship is brought back to meet and visit the family and community. The new love gets to participate in traditions and ceremonies and gets an introduction and glimpse into rural village life.

There are also couples who chose to live in the homeland of the foreign half of the partnership. They make trips to Ubon to spend time with family and see how the province has changed. It is not uncommon after retirement for these couples to come live here.

Return To Memories

During the 60′s and early 70′s, Ubon Ratchathani provided bases for soldiers and airmen supporting forces in Viet Nam. Though they were in the military they had a unique opportunity to experience Thai culture and lifestyle.

Many of the soldiers and airmen who were from U.S, UK and Australia made lifelong friends here in Ubon Ratchathani. Not all but some, remembering that special chapter in their life, return to catch up with old friends and see the changes that have occured in the 30 years or so since they left.

I have also come in contact with a few that actually came back her to live either year round or for 6 months a year.

Love

There are a number of foreign residents of Ubon Ratchathani, both male and female, who by some means met and fell in love with a local Ubon resident. Through mutual agreement they decide to come set up a new life together here.  The ones I have come in contact with are happy and content with their lives.

Some come here only for visits. The couple met working or traveling outside of the province. They come here so the foreign half of the partnership can meet the family and get a glimpse of rural village life. Usually they will be required to participate in ceremonies and traditions such as the extended family buffet meal.

Another group who come to Ubon due to love are Thai/caucasian couples who decided to live in the western homeland. They travel back home to visit with family, catch up on the latest news and get a dose of Thai culture.

Teach English

I fell into this category originally. I have known and know many expats who come to Ubon specifically to teach at one of the local schools. Some come here by chance, as in it is the place they could find work and were offered a position.

Others chose to come here. They might be tired of life in Bangkok or Chon Buri and want a slower, quieter lifestyle. Also, the cost of living is a lot less in Ubon than in those other areas.

Volunteers or Exchange Students

This is quiet common. Schools out in the rural areas are often quite poor. They look for volunteers to come and teach their students English.

Many of the volunteers will either live at the school or stay with a local family who has volunteered to be their sponsor. It works out for all. The volunteer gets to make a contribution while at the same time getting a unique life experience.

The  school gets a good learning experience for their students and an English tutor for the teaches. The village also gets to see how other people outside of Thailand live and think.

Foreign exchange programs place mostly young people not only in schools as students but also positions to live and work in a rural Thai setting. Most travelers I have met in this category are loving it. One reason is the locals treat them like minor celebrities and they find themselves special guests at many parties and other social gatherings.

Thai Buddhism

I have seen reports that Ubon Ratchathani has the highest density of Thai Buddhist Temples in all of Thailand. That might be the reason so many foreigner come here to explore Buddhism on many levels.

Many come to spend time learning. Wat Pa Nana Chat which ws established to educate non-Thai speaking people who want to study Buddhism or possibly become a monk.

Others come here to explore the many temples with their range of stories and architecture.

Muay Thai

Ubon Ratchathani has several highly reputable Muay Thai training facilities, as well as several more that offer a more personalized one on one training. The former offers dormitories and other amenities where as the latter offers the student to live with the trainer and family.

There are always foreigners here participating in Muay Thai training in one level or another.

Miscellaneous

Some people travel to Ubon Ratchathani once a year to participate in the Candle Festival celebration and activities. Others come here to observe first hand life in rural Thailand. Still others come here to natural attractions along the Mekhong.

I have met one man who came here to conduct research and another man from Germany who was using Ubon as a pit stop on his way to Laos.

As you can see there are many reseasons the compel people to travel to Ubon Rarchathani, Thailand. What is your reason?

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Why People Travel to Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand

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