Ubon Thani - Nong Khai(Fireballs) - Nakhon Phanom - Bus Questions

[healthcaretaker]

Hi,

I will land in Ubon Thani airport at noon on Day 1 and need to be in Nong Khai on Day 2 for the Naga Fireballs and need to be in Nakhon Phanom on Day 3 for the Illuminated Boats Possession, leaving for BKK on Day 4 afternoon. I have some questions and hope some can help:

a) I read that there are mini-vans that go direct from Ubon Thani airport to Nong Khai. If I skip Ubon Thani city and arrive early afternoon at Nong Khai, I need to wait till the next night for the fireballs, will it be too boring and not enough to do ? Shall I spend the 1st day in Ubon Thai and go to Nong Khai the next morning ? Is there much to see for the tourists in Ubon Thani ?

From Nong Khai to Nakhon Phanom, I intend to take the bus on Day 3. The distance is 255 km but how long will the bus journey takes ? How will the bus goes ? Must I return to Ubon Thani for a connection or the bus goes direct from NK to NP ? From the map, the main road showed it pass UT.

c) Is the Nong Khai Naga Fireballs affair a 1 night event on the full moon night or a few nights around the full moon night ?

d) Are there any places to visit in Nakhon Phanom for half a day in the morning ?

e) I there any bus from Nakhon Phanom town centre to the airport ? I heard it is 16 kms away.

Thank you in advance.

[riepan963]

Both of these events are extremely popular amongst Thai people and some foreigners. I suggest if you have not already booked your flight to do that TODAY as planes and other transport will all be full. For NKP expect to pay up to 3 times the usual hotel room rates --- if you can find one for that week. As the town will be packed with tourists, side-stalls and events, you will not find time to look at much else given your time constraint.

There are direct buses from Nong Khai which may take 5 (?) hours or more. One road follows the river and does not go through Udon Thani -- a beautiful if long run. Taxis/airport mini-bus are available for NKP airport but I don't know the cost.

There are other postings abut the bridge trip to Thakek but will you really have time?

[sirchai]

I will land in Ubon Thani airport at noon on Day 1

Udon Thani, or Ubon Ratchathani.........

[jacnl2000]

@noon@day1 ... an obscure reference that only culture enthousiasts understand ...

[healthcaretaker]

Both of these events are extremely popular amongst Thai people and some foreigners. I suggest if you have not already booked your flight to do that TODAY as planes and other transport will all be full. For NKP expect to pay up to 3 times the usual hotel room rates --- if you can find one for that week. As the town will be packed with tourists, side-stalls and events, you will not find time to look at much else given your time constraint.

There are direct buses from Nong Khai which may take 5 (?) hours or more. One road follows the river and does not go through Udon Thani -- a beautiful if long run. Taxis/airport mini-bus are available for NKP airport but I don't know the cost.

There are other postings abut the bridge trip to Thakek but will you really have time?

Thanks,

I have booked airtickets for both BKK to Ubon Thani and also BKK to Nakhon Phanom but return to BKK from NP.

Are there any guesthouses or budget hotels in these 2 places that I can book online ?

Do you know the bus times ?

[healthcaretaker]

I will land in Ubon Thani airport at noon on Day 1

Udon Thani, or Ubon Ratchathani.........

Udon Thani.

[riepan963]

Both of these events are extremely popular amongst Thai people and some foreigners. I suggest if you have not already booked your flight to do that TODAY as planes and other transport will all be full. For NKP expect to pay up to 3 times the usual hotel room rates --- if you can find one for that week. As the town will be packed with tourists, side-stalls and events, you will not find time to look at much else given your time constraint.

There are direct buses from Nong Khai which may take 5 (?) hours or more. One road follows the river and does not go through Udon Thani -- a beautiful if long run. Taxis/airport mini-bus are available for NKP airport but I don't know the cost.

There are other postings abut the bridge trip to Thakek but will you really have time?

Thanks,

I have booked airtickets for both BKK to Ubon Thani and also BKK to Nakhon Phanom but return to BKK from NP.

Are there any guesthouses or budget hotels in these 2 places that I can book online ?

Do you know the bus times ?

I think you should actually first concentrate on your original booking. SIRCHAI has asked if it is UDON or UBON you have booked as they are 400kms apart. As I said, MOST hotels in NKP will be fully booked by now & guest houses will also charge three times the normal price for most of the week's festival --- dunno how many appear online but I would suspect not many. More hotels are under construction so I cannot give you details. If you look on this forum from a few months back, I suggested a new hotel in the centre of town www.777hometel.com and are even on facebook. I suspect they will also charge premium prices for that period. Try Tripadvisor, Agoda, ot TAT for more hotel listings. Sri Thep Hotel sometimes hold rooms back BUT still pricey -- also try Viewkong, Riverview, Windsor (town centre and pokey). I have never taken the bus from NongKhai to NKP but I suspect you can also find out the times online.

[healthcaretaker]

Both of these events are extremely popular amongst Thai people and some foreigners. I suggest if you have not already booked your flight to do that TODAY as planes and other transport will all be full. For NKP expect to pay up to 3 times the usual hotel room rates --- if you can find one for that week. As the town will be packed with tourists, side-stalls and events, you will not find time to look at much else given your time constraint.

There are direct buses from Nong Khai which may take 5 (?) hours or more. One road follows the river and does not go through Udon Thani -- a beautiful if long run. Taxis/airport mini-bus are available for NKP airport but I don't know the cost.

There are other postings abut the bridge trip to Thakek but will you really have time?

Thanks,

I have booked airtickets for both BKK to Ubon Thani and also BKK to Nakhon Phanom but return to BKK from NP.

Are there any guesthouses or budget hotels in these 2 places that I can book online ?

Do you know the bus times ?

I think you should actually first concentrate on your original booking. SIRCHAI has asked if it is UDON or UBON you have booked as they are 400kms apart. As I said, MOST hotels in NKP will be fully booked by now & guest houses will also charge three times the normal price for most of the week's festival --- dunno how many appear online but I would suspect not many. More hotels are under construction so I cannot give you details. If you look on this forum from a few months back, I suggested a new hotel in the centre of town www.777hometel.com and are even on facebook. I suspect they will also charge premium prices for that period. Try Tripadvisor, Agoda, ot TAT for more hotel listings. Sri Thep Hotel sometimes hold rooms back BUT still pricey -- also try Viewkong, Riverview, Windsor (town centre and pokey). I have never taken the bus from NongKhai to NKP but I suspect you can also find out the times online.

Thanks again,

Do you know if these 2 events are just 1-night-event or last more than 1 night ?

[rogerdee123]

How about a report on the Naga Fireballs? Were there many this year?