Nakhon Phanom Thailand – Top Tourist Attractions Not to Miss
The two most popular and worth seeing tourist attractions of Nakhon Phanom are located in the nearby towns of That Phamon and Renu Nakhon. There are several low-key sights in the city itself but do not expect too much. The best time to see the city, feel the local atmosphere and mingle with the locals is definitely during the Illuminated Boats Procession which takes place at the end of Buddhist Lent – normally around October.
That Phanom and Renu Nakhon
That Phanom and Renu Nakhon are the two most visited religious sites in the province. Despite being an easy day trip from Nakhon Phanom, for those that have an extra day it’s highly advisable to stay overnight in That Phanom, a small and relatively unknown town to western tourism which is a perfect place to immerge yourself in Isaan culture, food and hospitality. For detailed information please refer to the dedicated article.
Illuminated Boat Procession
This is one of the most spectacular festival in Thailand and if you have the chance to be here on the right day it’s an unforgettable experience. It’s held every year on the full moon night of the month following the end of the Buddhist Lend, which is a 3 months period that Lord Buddha is believed to spend in Heaven before coming back to Earth. It might happen anytime between mid-October and mid-November (in 2017 it will be November 5th). To celebrate the return of the Buddha a full week of cultural performances, boat races, music, entertainment and lots of food will take place, but the highlight of the whole festival happens only once on the night of the full moon, when a series of illuminated boats that have been prepared during the previous months by local people and monks from different temples will cruise the Mekong River bringing sadness and bad thoughts away with them and providing good luck to everyone who’s taking part of the ceremony; so if you need good luck, make sure you don’t miss it!
Provincial Governor’s Official Residence Museum
Built in 1915 and used for decades as a provincial governor’s residence, this beautiful riverfront building has been restored and turned into a museum in 2006. It’s a perfect example of early XX century’s French-Indochinese architecture and among the rest it displays a permanent pictures exhibition that illustrates Nakhon Panhom history, including the time when His Majesty the King visited the town in 1955 and slept in one of the room of the building. The museum is located in Soonthornvijit Rd (by the river) and it’s open from Wednesday to Sunday (9:00am – 5:30pm).
Si Khotrabun Golden Beach
An easy ten minutes bicycle ride going south on the riverfront, Si Khotrabun is considered to be the best river beach in Northern Thailand. Unfortunately it is visible only during the dry season and it’s at his best from February to May. It’s a popular weekend picnic destinations for Thais but the rest of the week it’s almost deserted. If you don’t mind to wake up early, ride your bicycle there before sunset, sit down on the beach when it’s still dark and wait for the sun to come out behind the mountains and shine on the Mekong River. A strong coffee and a good camera is everything you need for an unforgettable and private experience.
Mekong Underwater World
Mekong Underwater World is a modern aquarium dedicated to various freshwater species coming from the three main rivers of Nakhom Panhom province: Mekong River, Kam River and Songkhram River. The aquarium is hosting several endangered and rare species and their mission is to breed, preserve and display them for educational purposes. An underwater tunnel give the visitors the chance of a close encounter with all the fishes. Mekong Underwater World is open every day from 9:00am to 5:00pm (Saturday and Sunday from 10:00am to 6:00pm) and the entrance fee is THB30. It is located 5 km south of the bus station close to Nong Yat Reservoir. It’s an easy bicycle ride from the city center or you can take a tuk tuk for THB60.
