I looked at photos and videos of this place and it looks ok but doesnt seem like there's much to do there.

 

What do visitors do there?

 

Is there a better spot in Loei province to visit?

I was thereabout 2 years ago, and you are correct. The main street has well-preserved old wooden buildings, many of which are now functioning as gift shops. There is a nice wooden walkway along the river.

We made the mistake of arriving late in the evening and had a hard time finding rooms. The next morning we realized why. The streets were packed with Thai tourists. From the sheer number of them, they had to have come from far away; most from Bangkok I suppose. The cool weather and the mist rising off of the river seemed to be the big attraction.

To summarize, worth a visit if you are not too far away, but I wouldn't travel more than a few hours to see it.

The western part of Loei is more scenic, and has Phu Reua and Phu Kradeung if you like mountains.

Agree with Allane - also had a problem trying to find a good restaurant

There's a resort complex just north of the city (1/2 KM?) on the river where you can rent cabins. Beautiful view there.