Hello everyone! Today, we will take everyone to experience the charm of Udon Thani through a special 1-day trip that includes nature, history, culture, and delicious food. Are you ready? Let’s get started!
Phu Phra Bat Historical Park
We started our day early with a visit to Phu Phra Bat Historical Park, full of strangely shaped rocks and traces of prehistoric humans. Walking through the ancient sites here is like traveling back in time. Most of the sandstone formations are created by natural erosion processes. They are more than 100 million years old and are registered as the 8th World Heritage Site and the 5th Cultural World Heritage Site in Thailand. It is also the 2nd World Heritage Site in Udon Thani. After Ban Chiang archaeological site, which was registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1992, there is a tourist service center that will provide advice on various tourist attractions in the park and collect entrance fees. There are also vehicles to provide services for tourists traveling to Ho Nang Usa. Tourists can choose to walk in or take a vehicle, whichever is more convenient for them. We chose to walk for about 500-600 meters. When I first saw Nang Usa Tower, I was very surprised that these rocks looked like someone had stacked them on top of each other. How could people in those days stack such large rocks on top of each other? Or were these large rocks naturally formed? The atmosphere here is very nice and peaceful. Amidst the sound of birds singing and the cool breeze, I felt the beauty of nature and the way of life of the people in the past.
Ban Tiew
After that, we continued to Ban Tiew Community, Mae Boonchuay Fried Banana Community Enterprise, not far from Phu Phrabat. When we arrived, we were warmly welcomed by the mothers of the community enterprise group. As soon as we arrived at the shop, the owner’s brought bananas for us to try. We gave them so many that we didn’t know which one to try first. the owner’s main product is fried bananas. They have a salty taste and are sprinkled with a little salt, giving the feeling of eating crispy potato chips. And then there is the honey flavor. This is the highlight. But be careful because the owner’s honey is very sweet. Eat it in moderation. Another flavor is the broken banana. That one is also delicious. It’s a sweet taste that comes from the bananas. It’s not coated with sugar. The owner’s bananas are not oily at all. They are not rough or chewy. They are thin and crispy. The owner’s dried bananas are also amazing. There is also a banana drying factory next door. The process is safe, so you can be sure. The price that the owner sells is very cheap. Everything is only 130 baht per kilogram. But if you buy at the shop, you can tell them how much you want. Just 50 baht or half a kilogram is fine. We were convinced. We took home half a kilo of honey-dried bananas and broken bananas. There are also woven products made from sedge, such as rice baskets and sticky rice steamers. If you visit Phu Phrabat, don’t forget to stop by and buy some fried bananas from the Mae Boon Chuay Banana Fritters Community Enterprise. It’s easy to spot because Mae’s shop has a large bunch of bananas in front of it.
Wat Pa Phu Kon
Then we traveled to Wat Pa Phu Kon, located in the national forest reserve, Na Yung District, Udon Thani Province, near the border of Udon Thani, Loei and Nong Khai Provinces. The temple is located in the middle of the forest on the mountaintop, surrounded by abundant nature. The tranquility here helps to make the mind feel light. The bright blue Ubosot contrasts beautifully with the sky.
The highlight of the temple is the Thai-style chapel in the Rattanakosin period, decorated with pictures of the life of the Buddha, the Ten Lives of the Buddha and the Itipiso chant on white marble. It was built to celebrate the 84th birthday of His Majesty King Rama IX. Inside, there is also the Phra Phuttha Saiyasana Lokanathasada Mahamuni, made of white marble from Italy, 20 meters long, with intricate and beautiful details. https://www.sanook.com/dictionary/dict/dict-th-th-royal-institute/search/ปริน/ and the Phra Pathom Rattana Buraphachan Maha Chedi, which enshrines the relics of the Lord Buddha and marble statues of great monks. It is a beautiful statue and very much worth visiting.
CHAMPAKS KITCHEN
It’s noon! Time to enjoy the food at CHAMPAKS KITCHEN. The food is delicious and the price is reasonable. I like Grandma’s recipe for fried rice with shrimp paste. The papaya salad with fermented fish is very spicy and delicious. The fried chicken is served hot and fragrant. The atmosphere at the restaurant is also very good. There is parking available. The service at the restaurant is lovely and friendly.
Pha Tak Suea
After we were full, we traveled to Pha Tak Suea viewpoint, located in Pha Tang sub-district, Sangkhom district, Nong Khai province, which has a very beautiful view. We could see the Mekong River stretching as far as the eye could see and clearly saw the way of life of the Thai-Lao people. The beauty of nature here made me feel like I had more life energy. This is a clear glass skywalk that is strong and stable, 4 centimeters thick, and can support a weight of about 2,500 kilograms or about 20 people. There is also a cliff called Tak Suea, where you can take pictures and enjoy the view as well.
Nakha Market
Nakha Fabric Market, the most complete in Isan, where we later stopped for shopping at Nakha Market. Here, there are many hand-woven fabrics and local souvenirs to choose from, from various types of fabric such as silk, cotton, khit fabric, produced and dyed with natural colors, designed and sewn by the villagers with unique patterns. There are many fabric products to choose from, rent clothes, pants, ready-made outfits, shawls, wraps, or even meter fabrics for sale. There are more than 100 shops, which are a strong group of producers in the community. It is considered a shopping source. The largest complete fabric market in the Northeast, we also bought some beautiful sarongs to bring back as souvenirs for our mothers.
Nong Prajak Public Park
End the day by walking at Nong Prajak, a lake surrounded by a public park. The island in the middle of the water has been turned into a garden with many kinds of flowers and plants. There is a bridge connecting the islands, a fountain, a clock tower, and a playground for people to relax and exercise. Currently, there is a
yellow rubber duck floating in the middle of the water, which has become another landmark of Udon Thani that tourists like to take pictures of. The atmosphere at night here is full of lights and the freshness of nature. There are also bicycles for rent to ride around the park. Riding with friends is so much fun. The atmosphere is great. It is the last point that helps complete this trip perfectly.
How was it? I hope everyone was inspired to travel and experience the charm of Udon Thani like we were. I guarantee that this trip will be another unforgettable and impressive memory!