It is home to Wat Nong Bua Chedi and a huge candle-wax sculpture in Thung Si Muang Park. Yet its main attractions are a relaxed, unhurried atmosphere and glimpses of the Thailand of yesteryear.
People wishing to visit what locals have shortened to Ubon have three choices. Flights from Bangkok’s Don Muang Airport take around 50 minutes and are operated by a few different budget airlines.
Trains from Bangkok’s Hualamphong Station to Ubon take up to 11 hours and call at stations in places such as Surin and Nakhon Ratchasima en route. The overnight train is best as it offers travellers the option of booking sleeping berths. There is also an Express service on this route with twin-berth, first-class cabins.
Regular air-conditioned buses between Bangkok’s Morchit Station and Ubon take around eight hours. There are frequent departures throughout the day with the first at 06:30 and the last at 23:00. The bus is a useful option for those travelling onwards into Laos.
Buses on the international route for Chong Mek and Pakse depart from Ubon’s main bus station. The distance is about 100kms, but journey times are dictated by how long it takes passengers to clear immigration and how many need visas on arrival for Laos.
Travel options to Ubon Ratchathani and southern Laos
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Ubon Ratchathani is a pleasant town in the Isarn region of Thailand and the gateway to southern Laos. The town was a base for US bombers in the Vietnam War and little has changed in the meantime.