Nakhon Phanom

Lying adjacent to the valley of the majestic Mekong River, opposite Muang Ta Kaek of Laos, Nakhon Phanom is a northeastern province of Thailand. It is about 734 km to the northeast of Bangkok, covers an area of 5,512 square kilometers and consists of twelve districts, including Mueang Nakhon Phnom, Pla Pak, Ban Phaeng, Renu Nakhon, Pla Pak, Na Kae, Tha Uthen, Si Songkhram, Na Thom, Na Wa, Wang Yang, Phon Sawan.

Almost the province’s area is plain with forest covering in the northern part and more flat southern part. Nakhon Phanom has its name meaning “city of mountains”. It used to be inhabited by Lao people and dominated by Lan Xang Kingdom a long time ago. It was a prominent base during the Vietnam War and was famed as “the heartland of insurgency”.

Despite being a small town, Nakhon Phanom stands out for its centuries-old temples and diversed traditional Issan culture. This is where the Northeast’s most sacred ancient religious monument, Phra That Phanorn which is venerated by both Laotians and Thais is situated. It now has been restored to its glory since being partially collapsed. There are also numerous other cultural and historical sites as Wat Okat Si Bua Ban temple, Wat Si Thep Pradittharam temple, St. Anna’s Church Nong Saeng pagoda, Phrathat Tha Uthen stupa, Phra Bang Buddha image, etc. Furthermore, Nakhon Phanom has abundant natural beauty with a tons of attractions, some of the most popular ones are Nam Tok Tat Kham Forest Park; Si Khotrabun Golden Beach, one of the most beautiful river beaches; Phu Langka National Park with tropial forest and a number of wildlife; Nam Tok Tat Pho waterfall, etc, all of them offer a lot of picturesque natural landscapes for tourists to see.

For those who want to understand more about this land’s culture can come to visit it in festival seasons. Fire Boats Festival is held annually in October with annual fire boat festival and interesting activities along the river road; That Phanom Festival takes place in each February attracting a number of people; Illuminated Boat Procession with traditional Loi Krathong ceremony is held in October or November with many exciting activities to offer.