It's coming up to Thai school holidays in October so considering taking the family on another driving tour. Thinking of going via Sakaew to Ubon, stopping off on the way.

Any recommendations/advice on:

1. Where to stay on the way if we stop over in say 2 places? We'd probably want to get past Sakaew on the first stopover.

2. What attractions on the way should we stop and see? We like historical ruins, national parks, waterfalls, farms, etc. We've been to Phanom Rung several times, anight in Sakaew and the border market but those are the only place we've been to in that whole area.

On arrival in Ubon:

1. Where would you recommend for a family to stay?

2. What to see in Ubon?

3. Where to eat evenings (we're your typical thai/farlang family)?

4. What daytrip attractions to visit from Ubon?

Thanks

1. Without a doubt, Sunee Grand Hotel. Waterpark, swimming pool, movie theatre, arcades, shopping, variety of restaurants, all in one place. The Nevada hotel has a better pool for kids that can't swim yet though.

2. I've written about a lot of national parks at www.thethaireport.com.

3. Central Plaza has a variety of restaurants.

PM me if you have any more specific questions.

I can help with the hotel bit BB as I stay in Ubon hotels once a month (I organise the local Hash House Harriers) and deliberately try a lot of them out. See attached for some raw data on popular Ubon hotels. There are a lot I have not covered - Ubon benefits from a lot of choice and the prices are pretty good. 500 baht gets you a good size (25 sq. m.) modern mansion 6 foot bed room, 850 baht gets you a slightly more stylish upgrade boutique hotel version and even the top range luxury 5* is only 1,600

What size is the family and do you need one family room, connecting rooms or just adjacent rooms. Is a swimming pool a requirement? Do you want to be in Ubon city or do you prefer to be slightly outside? Is a TV showing english language programmes a priority? Do you want breakfast on-site or are you happy looking outside for that?

I don't have a lot of knowledge of family rooms as I am usually staying alone or occasionally with my wife - you would get that by checking on booking.com or agoda.com. The boutique hotel I stayed at earlier this month was in a quiet area not far from the centre of town (whatever that is - when it comes to Ubon things are a bit stretched out) had 800 baht rooms, inclusive breakfast and interconnecting doors. Brand new, so spotless and probably discounted because of that. Find it as 'Bliss Hotel' in the attached spreadsheet.

My 'standard' recommendations for someone looking for a 6 foot double bed room of reasonable size - ie taking no account of whether there are larger family rooms and whether or not there is a pool are:

Budget/good value at 500 baht but with only coffee, donuts and bananas in the lobby for breakfast: Phadaeng Mansion (Chatsuree Mansion similar but nothing to eat)

Intermediate - boutique mid-range hotel 650 to 850 baht: T3 House; Outside Inn; Doubletree Zara*; Bliss Hotel (unless you want English language channels). All of these have breakfast, but T3s is a bit basic. Brand new Eco Inn and Hopp Inn are probably going to fall into this class, but I have not tried them yet

[None of the above intermediate or budget hotels have a pool]

Sub luxury at say 1,250; Rapeepan Ville and standard rooms at Laithong. Excellent breakfasts at both. Laithong has a small pool on an intermediate roof - haven't tried it but it looked a bit exposed when seen form my room

Luxury at 1,600; Sunnee Grand - can't go wrong if this is within your budget. Has a nice pool and water park is accessible as well as a small mall and cinema (probably no english versions though) while still being centrally located.

Peppers Bakery & Restaurant and Rapeepan Ville (they sell their buffet breakfast to walk-ins) do good breakfasts. Peppers is generally an excellent Falang/Thai restaurant.

Can do a restaurant run-down if no-one else steps up to the plate - I see UbonrThai has mentioned some while I was writing this. I'll just mention some names which you can google with thaivisa.com in the search string:

Outside Inn (Mexican)

Spagos (Italian/Pizza)

Y-Loft (bistro plus Thai)

N-Joy bar (Sunday roast)

Moon View (upmarket Thai/Isaan overlooking River Moon)

Various chain Asian and Falang restaurants at Central Plaza and Sunnee Plaza - Fuji/Shabu-Shi/Steak places/MBK/McDs and KFC for the kids

Isaan Gai Yang and Somtam place - see listing for T3 House in the attached

Loads of floating restaurants in a bend of the Moon River are good value and a nice experience but chances are they may be pulled in to the banks for rainy season

Finally - if you can afford to add a add a night's stay in Kong Jiam overlooking the Mekong and close to Pha Thaem you should do it - the only truly 'international quality' tourist area in Ubon province IMO, but the city of Ubon is wonderful if you like browsing venerable old wats and just browsing and the river Mun (Thailand's second river) is fabulous and hugely under-sold if you can access walking its banks slightly out town.

Ubon hotels pdf version at sep15.pdf

*I see that Doubletree Zara is now at 890 baht (was 690 as an opening promo when I stayed). That would probably knock it back a point-out-of-10 in my ranking - whether I would still put it in my recommend list depends on whether the breakfast has been upgraded as anticipated in my spreadsheet 'review comments'

About 2 years ago we went up to Ubon for a few days, we went out to where the river Mun meets the Mekong and stayed at a very good hotel next to the Mekong. That stretch of the river is the is the most easterly point in Thailand and the Pha Taem National Park was only a few miles to the north. That really is worth a visit, the cliffs are something else and there are some spectacular prehistoric stone arrangements.

Also in the area is the Sirindhorn reservoir and there is a Laos border crossing nearby.

sandyf is referring to the Thosang Khong Jiam and it is indeed a fine hotel (have stayed a couple of times). It's about 2,000 baht a night on booking.com though so maybe a bit much for a family visit if two rooms are involved. Yes - Pha Taem is fantastic- more than one of my family/overseas visitors have been blown away by the hidden gem.

If Thosang is too pricey to stay, it's still worth considering having breakfast, lunch or dinner on the terrace there overlooking the Mekong for a special occasion. Very civilised (though you can get good views at the regular and cheaper restaurants in Kong Jiam itself, but minus the classy ambience; do both if you can).

I have not found a good value clean modern value hotel in Kong Jiam yet - they are mostly a bit tired IMO. Used a lot by weekending Thais for several decades. One cheap 600 baht one I booked on the basis of 'oh well it's 25 sq.m so plenty of room for the bucks' turned out to be 13 sq.m and pretty grotty. I then had a session with the owner who agreed the sizing 'must have been a mistake' (guv) and suitably discounted the room for me. I then had a phone-in to Agoda who said that they could do nothing if their owners mis-represented their rooms (!!!). Those rooms are still listed as 25 sq.m 2 years later! I don't use Agoda any longer, but I expect booking.com are equally weasly.

You can do Khong Jiam and Pha Taem as a day trip from Ubon (2 hr drive to Pha Taem) but it would be too long a day for small kids. They would enjoy a paddle/swim and paddle boats/banana boats at 'the beach' on Srindhorn Reservoir where there are some nice relaxing floating restaurants.

sandyf is referring to the Thosang Khong Jiam and it is indeed a fine hotel that I have stayed at a couple of times. It's about 2,000 baht a night on booking.com though so maybe a bit much for a family visit if two rooms are involved. Yes - Pha Taem is fantastic- my family visitors have declared it a hidden gem.

If it's too pricey to stay, it's still worth considering having breakfast, lunch or dinner on the terrace there overlooking the Mekong for a special occasion. Very civilised (though you can get good views at the regular and cheaper restaurants in Kong Jiam itself, but minus the classy ambience; do both f you can).

I have not found a good value clean modern value hotel in Kong Jiam yet - they are mostly a bit tired IMO. Used a lot by weekending Thais for several decades. One cheap 600 baht one I booked on the basis of 'oh well it's 25 sq.m so plenty of room for the bucks' turned out to be 13 sq.m and pretty grotty. I then had a session with the owner who agreed the sizing 'must have been a mistake' (guv) and suitably discounted the room for me. I then had a phone-in to Agoda who said that they could do nothing if their owners mis-represented their rooms (!!!). Those rooms are still listed as 25 sq.m 2 years later! I don't use Agoda any longer, but I expect booking.com are equally weasly.

Here's a web site that lists some of the places to visit - it also has some other things that may interest you.

http://www.weloveubon.com/ubon-nature-attractions.html

The last time we visited Ubon we stayed at Fun Dee mansion which is located right across the main road from McDonalds and very close to Big C and the bus station.

We stayed there for a week while our house was being cleaned/painted before we moved back in. The building was fairly new at that time and was clean. There is a small store directly in front of the motel where you can pick up many items/snacks you may need and you can walk to Big C. The staff were always friendly and helpful.

We payed $11 a night through hotels.com, but Fun Dee only accepted the payment upon our arrival. If I remember correctly, we payed with baht rather than by credit card.

We, sometimes not wanting to go out, had the staff go pick up food for us. With wife ordering that was no problem. I'm not sure I would have had the same luck.

You can find it on Googel Earth at:

15°16’13.75 N 104°50’37.26 E

Fundee is 450 baht a night on booking.com. One of our hash house harriers stayed there a couple of months and said it was great value. Another of the Ubon value mansions. Probably has no breakfast available (the 450 rate is room only)

Thanks to everybody for your comments (I'm feeling a bit guilty now putting you to so much trouble).

So accommodation and restaurants in Ubon sorted, couple of daytrips or overnight from Ubon sorted, but what's a must see on the way from Sakaew to Ubon?

I was reading a road report on a rival forum from which I noted on my phone the following, but what must we see:

Sala Kaeo Ku

Wat ahong silawad

Tha U then Pagoda

Khong Chiam - baan pakmoon riverview

Kantharalak - prasopsook ville hotel

Khao pra wihan area

Have never found anything worth looking at between Phanom Rung and Khun Han (just short of Kantharalak) that is within striking distance of the main drag highway 24 - sure there must be! Surin is a pleasant Isaan City, but if you are going to Ubon you'll get that anyway. Look out for brown signs to a farming/rural life 'museum' or some such somewhere along 24 between Prakonchai and Prasat - never been but always meant to

If you don't mind making a small town that is about 100k short of Ubon one of your overnight stops (and a base for visiting the national park overlooking Kao Phra Wihan) then here's a previous posting:

Post #2 here http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/769595-beer-bottle-temple/

Very nice quiet resort in Khun Han, with nicely set clean pool for the kids with some decent food (run by friendly German-Thai) referred to here:

Post #4: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/847028-monteera-resort-det-udom/?p=9717839&hl=%2Bsantisuk+%2Bresort+%2Bgerman+%2Bdurian

Kao Phra Wihan, the temple itself, is still closed due to childish politics by childish nations who both prefer to 'cut-off-the-nose-to-spite-the-face', but is overlooked from about 1-2km away by a cliff called Pha Mo I Daeng within the still open Kao Phra Wihan National Park. Google it as Khao Phra Wihan (never understood why common transliteration is khao not kao - it's a hill, not rice or white). Certainly worthwhile if you can blag into the NP at 200 baht with your Thai driving license and worth 400 baht if you avail yourself of the walking opportunities. Lovely views over the most attractively sited temple in SE Asia and over the Camby borders, a walk down the side of the cliff to view prehistoric man drawings and lots of gentle walking opportunities

If you are coming up from Sa Kaew (a nice drive compared to the standard highway1, then 2, then 24 from central Thailand) then you don't need to use the heavily-trucked main drag of Highway 24. If you have time to dawdle - adds 25% to time) then roughly follow the Camby border all the way to near Kao Phra Wihan - reservoirs/Isaan Life/always close to border hills.

Kong Jiam is beyond (ie east of) Ubon btw.

Call by BB if you/family want a coffee/chat/swim (have pool). 20k north of Kantharalak/10k north of highway 24 on the Kantharalak to Sisaket road (221). PM for phone no. We maybe on hols too though.

In stead of driving the boring 24, from Lahan Sai go east following the Cambo border. Visit Wat Laan Kuad/Billion bottle temple in Khun Han and Khao Phra Viharn National Park at the East end of 221 / near Kantharalak. Continue along 2248, have lunch/stay the night at a nearby tropical garden farm stay, As a further detour and just after Nam Yuen, catch a glimse of the land walking shrimps at Kaeng Lamduan, see the Huay Luang water fall near the Emerald Triangle, and then head North to Ubon......................

If you want to go over into Laos, the Khone Falls are quite stunning.

https://www.renown-travel.com/laos/pakse/khone-falls.html

Have never found anything worth looking at between Phanom Rung and Khun Han (just short of Kantharalak) that is within striking distance of the main drag highway 24 - sure there must be! Surin is a pleasant Isaan City, but if you are going to Ubon you'll get that anyway. Look out for brown signs to a farming/rural life 'museum' or some such somewhere along 24 between Prakonchai and Prasat - never been but always meant to

If you don't mind making a small town that is about 100k short of Ubon one of your overnight stops (and a base for visiting the national park overlooking Kao Phra Wihan) then here's a previous posting:

Post #2 here http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/769595-beer-bottle-temple/

Very nice quiet resort in Khun Han, with nicely set clean pool for the kids with some decent food (run by friendly German-Thai) referred to here:

Post #4: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/847028-monteera-resort-det-udom/?p=9717839&hl=%2Bsantisuk+%2Bresort+%2Bgerman+%2Bdurian

Kao Phra Wihan, the temple itself, is still closed due to childish politics by childish nations who both prefer to 'cut-off-the-nose-to-spite-the-face', but is overlooked from about 1-2km away by a cliff called Pha Mo I Daeng within the still open Kao Phra Wihan National Park. Google it as Khao Phra Wihan (never understood why common transliteration is khao not kao - it's a hill, not rice or white). Certainly worthwhile if you can blag into the NP at 200 baht with your Thai driving license and worth 400 baht if you avail yourself of the walking opportunities. Lovely views over the most attractively sited temple in SE Asia and over the Camby borders, a walk down the side of the cliff to view prehistoric man drawings and lots of gentle walking opportunities

If you are coming up from Sa Kaew (a nice drive compared to the standard highway1, then 2, then 24 from central Thailand) then you don't need to use the heavily-trucked main drag of Highway 24. If you have time to dawdle - adds 25% to time) then roughly follow the Camby border all the way to near Kao Phra Wihan - reservoirs/Isaan Life/always close to border hills.

Kong Jiam is beyond (ie east of) Ubon btw.

Call by BB if you/family want a coffee/chat/swim (have pool). 20k north of Kantharalak/10k north of highway 24 on the Kantharalak to Sisaket road (221). PM for phone no. We maybe on hols too though.

That's very kind of you. Being a quiet bunch we're unlikely to take up your offer but you never know ;-)

Instead of a hotel check on

www.airbnb.com sometimes much better deals

Since you have a car you can avail yourself of some nice restaurants outside Ubon on the western side. See the attached map (page 1 is the detail and page 2 to locate it by reference to Ubon City.

From north to south:

Central Plaza - from memory: Shabu-Shi buffet (recommended); Sukishi Japanese Grill; MBK Hot Pot restaurant; various other Japanese, Korean and Thai buffet-style places; Santa Fe steak restaurant plus one other; Pizza Hut, McDonalds, KFC

N-Joy Bar: one of 3 or 4 falang bars in Ubon: family freindly and quiet during day and weeekdays. Good bar food. Notable Sunday Roast lamb, pork chicken @ 400 baht (big size)

Moon View Restaurant: more expensive than standard Thai restaurants but worth it for Thai-cheffed food, nice ambience and view. Standard plates @ 200 baht but push the boat out for dry fried with garlic Pla Nim with condiments (300 baht). Fried fish in spices and herbs also excellent

Had Khu Dua Fishing Village and Restaurants. The west and south side of the village is covered with Thai restaurants on the banks and floating. In normal rainy seasons the floating ones are drawn back to the banks. In heavy rainy seasons most of the village is inundated. The north side makes a nice 10 to 30 minute walk (you choose) through the fishing shacks lining the banks. Access to HKD is from the north-bound side of the ring road immediately north of the River Moon Bridge (River 'Mun' is a closer translit)

Isaan Fish Restaurant: on north-bound side of Ring Road 200m south of River Moon Bridge; look for lots of parked cars. Excellent value and extremely popular large garden style retaurant. Thom Yam Phla (Isaan style - no coconut milk, but very fragrant) and Laarb Pla (cooked fish - no risk of parasites) are musts. Menu is not extensive (mostly Pla Nim) but you'll eat well for a family of 4 for sub 500 baht inc water/softies

Nice views over Mun .... if you are lucky can sit and watch long-boat racing teams practice or even race from this wat. The back road into Ubon or up to N-Joy form the Ring Road, marked in green, is interesting, but has some potholes so watch out.

Interesting Village: sorry name not remembered. Fishing form the south bank plus pottery (practical potware - BBQs etc, not natty tourist) good for a brief walk around. Accessed form the southbound side of Ring Road or warin, as marked in green. The road leading along the river south side into Warin is a very scenic approach to Ubon

Lots of pleasant Thai restaurants around Huai Wang Nong reservoir north west of the City Centre. Lots around Big C at the top end of Tha Chayangkul, a few in Sunnee Plaza on Chayangkul and boutiquey evening bar/restaurants in the area along Tha Thama Withi immediately north of Huai Non Bua reservoir (the section west of the interesting Laos style Wat Nong Bua). Fujii is in Tesco Lotus on Chayangkul.

Falang food at Spago, Peppers and Outside Inn - google "thaivisa.com ubon [spago/etc] - should come up with details

Things to see and eating off Ubon West Ring Road.docx

Errata - in post#5 I said that a certain Khong Chiam resort was still listed as 25sq.m. when it is in fact 13 sq.m. (including shower room). To be fair that was a mistake - it's listed now as 20 sq.m! It's still only 13 I'll warrant (checked it with a tape when I was annoyed at its shortcomings). Must be counting the steps up and little sit upon verandah .... and the concrete path leading up to it

I believe "Prasat Ta Muen Thom" is worth a visit, if you like ruins half as much as I do. It's right on the Cambodian border. Google maps actually shows it in Cambodia, but the area under Thai control (with a strong Thai military presence).

At least in 3013, you could still freely drive to this area. In Surin province, about 5 km east of Buriram province, right on rt. 2407.

It's not a large area, but it's unique in that it's built on bedrock, and not much restoration was done to it. See attached pics.

We do like khmer ruins, I've been to alot of them in Thailand and I've just put this one on my must see list.

I've stayed in Ubon a few times too, and agree that the national parks are fantastic. It's great to be away from "normal" Thailand... so much so that I really can't stay in BKK or any of the tourist/beach resorts for more than a few days at a time now.

As already posted, where the Mun and Mekong rivers meet at Khong Chiam, it's lovely. The two different coloured waters run into each other, and it's very picturesque.

Pha Taem National Park early morning, before sunrise, is a must. You can sit right on the edge of the cliffs, and watch the sun appear from behind the mountains in Laos.



After that, take a drive up to Sam Pan Bok (3000 holes), or "Thailand's Grand Canyon".

You can take a small boat for a ride along the Mekong, stopping off a few times to wander around the scenery, if your guide is any good!

The best thing in the area though...?

You can drive for miles upon miles without seeing another vehicle on the road most of the day!

Oh, and as someone else said, Siridhorn Lake is lovely too!

Sabai Dee Man.

I spent a week in July based just outside Ubon. Stayed in a golf resort at the junction of the Sisaket road and the western ring road. 1000bt per night inc good breakfast. Very big rooms with large balcony on the first floor. Big pool and really nice grounds. Very friendly and wouldn't hesitate to return.

Loved the city (which generally I don't enjoy cities) but the Jewel is the area east to the Mekong as described above. We rushed around to see as much as possible but I can't wait to go back and take it all in at a slower pace.

Agree with other comments, there's not a lot to see heading east across the 24.

I'll add Baan Suan Ubon Golf Resort to my hotel inspector's list Atrippick!

Not many pools around in Ubon hotels, so worth knowing for those with a liking for swimming or families of the same. You'll need a car - it's about 7k out of town and there's no songthaew out there (inveterate public transport users would find a way as there are loads of buses that pass by on their way into Ubon). I'll take my water quality test kit!

For anyone else wanting to try it out, it's on the inbound side of the Sisaket to Ubon divided highway (dual carriageway) - so that's on the north side. About 300 metres short of the traffic lights where the Sisaket Road meets Ubon Ring Road opposite that big ugly Furniture showroom (TSF?) edifice.

Google and book it "baan suan ubon golf resort" or booking.com (currently @ 950baht)

Anyone else in Thailand or outside looking for a longer holiday break that is outside the usual?

Consider a 7-day (minimum; 10 day much better) break taking in:

Ubon Ratchatani

Khong Jiam/Pha Taem/Srindhorn

Southern Laos - Champasak and Koh Pan Don (4,000 islands in the Mekong plus waterfalls - mesmerising place)

It's a knock-out itinerary. I came across a Nordic coach tour on their last day of doing it a few months ago (very very unusual to see in Ubon province) - they were wowed. If I wanted the money/time-use my wife would be setting up a tour company already!

Another one for the adventurous back-packer type. Fly into Ubon, then Southern Laos, then into Vietnam for Ho Chi Minh City and the Mekong Delta, back up through Cambodia, taking in Kampot (and/or Snooky), Phnom Penh and Siem Reap (Angkor Wat). Back to Ubon for fly out or fly out of SR. 2 weeks absolute min (cut Kampot/Snooky). 3-4 weeks ideal.

Thanks Steve I couldn't remember the name. Baan Suan golf resort was a good find

Not sure if it's been mentioned above but Phanom Rung (Buriram) is worth a visit:

OP said he'd been already, hence no prior mention.

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Don't worry - useful to have the pictorial reminder for others reading the thread. Nice pics.

Not sure if it's been mentioned above but Phanom Rung (Buriram) is worth a visit:

Thanks for that.

The very first time I came to Thailand was to a friends wedding. We went straight to Buriram as soon as I arrived and we visited this site just after the wedding.

I wouldn't have known the name of it but recognise it from your pics. As it happens, if the marriage had survived it would have been his anniversary a few days ago.

Sandyf

He must be one of those with stories to tell I keep hearing about. I suppose no relationship is without the possibility of failure.

Also I was going to mention another small hotel near Kantaralak. It's actually in my wife's village but very good value in my opinion. 500bt I think

www.siambaan.com

Some good info on here, glad I posted.