Candle Festival in Ubon 2017

[habanero]

I would like to attend the Candle Festival this year in Ubon Ratchathani.  I am looking forward to seeing the parade and the floats.  I am not familiar with where the parade is, or on what road.  Can someone recommend a hotel or area close to the parade route? I would like to be able to walk from my hotel to the parade area. The closer the better.

Thank you, for any information or recommendations. 

[onionluke]

Padaeng Mansion on Padaeng road is 5 minutes walk from Tung Si Ubon and is cheap and cheerful at 500 that a night. 

[SantiSuk]

Recommendations, all within 1km of Thung Si Mueang Park (candle park) which is the focus of the festival:

 

Cheap & cheerful - Pandinthong Apartments (not really apartments) 400 baht a night if booked directly*. On Phadaeng Road behind "Wrong Way" (=largest of the falang bar/restaurants)

 

Excellent value budget - Phadaeng Mansion 500 baht a night if booked directly*. Personally I regard it as better than "cheap and cheerful" . It's 100 metres down the Phadaeng Road from Wrong Way. Chatsuree Mansion on Chongkonnithan Rd (chatsuree.com) is less well known to falang and equally good at the same price (my have gone up to 550baht). If you don't mind older style then Sri Isaan is similar priced and I find it quite likeable in the old China Town next to the river and it's like half a click from the action (other internet reviewers think old style = dirty - I disagree)

 

Good value/more boutiquey than the aforementioned - T3 House 650 baht

 

4 star or luxury - nothing walkable to the candle action, unless you count 2km in the heat as walkable in which case I recommend the premium rooms at Laithong at about 1,300 baht (I dislike Sunnee Plaza, which is Ubon's closest to 5 star - and 4km away)

There is virtually nothing in the 650 to 1200 baht class that are within 1km of the action.

 

Other hotels to consider within 1km and normally priced in the 500 to 800 baht class, which I would not necessarily recommend on quality or value grounds (but you may be in the business of finding acceptable/affordable rather than recommended):

Yuu Hotel (have not tried it under its new name / (management?)

Tokyo Hotel (not on the booking agents websites - nothing special at the price but acceptable)

Eco Inn (have not tried - looks overpriced at 800 baht for what it seems to be)

Ubon Hotel (not tried it)

The Ratchatani Hotel (dirty - I'd stay there if it were the last close choice though)

 

Hotels may already be fully booked (prices will almost certainly be at a premium above the regular prices I quote and which you can check out on Agoda/Booking.com (except Chatsuree) and you may need to stay less central in which case revert or see my spreadsheet on another Isaan thread about apartments that I just commented on today.

 

 

*bookable thru Agoda and/or Booking.com but 50 baht a night dearer

[habanero]

1 hour ago, SantiSuk said:

Recommendations, all within 1km of Thung Si Mueang Park (candle park) which is the focus of the festival:

 

Cheap & cheerful - Pandinthong Apartments (not really apartments) 400 baht a night if booked directly*. On Phadaeng Road behind "Wrong Way" (=largest of the falang bar/restaurants)

 

Excellent value budget - Phadaeng Mansion 500 baht a night if booked directly*. Personally I regard it as better than "cheap and cheerful" . It's 100 metres down the Phadaeng Road from Wrong Way. Chatsuree Mansion on Chongkonnithan Rd (chatsuree.com) is less well known to falang and equally good at the same price (my have gone up to 550baht). If you don't mind older style then Sri Isaan is similar priced and I find it quite likeable in the old China Town next to the river and it's like half a click from the action (other internet reviewers think old style = dirty - I disagree)

 

Good value/more boutiquey than the aforementioned - T3 House 650 baht

 

4 star or luxury - nothing walkable to the candle action, unless you count 2km in the heat as walkable in which case I recommend the premium rooms at Laithong at about 1,300 baht (I dislike Sunnee Plaza, which is Ubon's closest to 5 star - and 4km away)

There is virtually nothing in the 650 to 1200 baht class that are within 1km of the action.

 

Other hotels to consider within 1km and normally priced in the 500 to 800 baht class, which I would not necessarily recommend on quality or value grounds (but you may be in the business of finding acceptable/affordable rather than recommended):

Yuu Hotel (have not tried it under its new name / (management?)

Tokyo Hotel (not on the booking agents websites - nothing special at the price but acceptable)

Eco Inn (have not tried - looks overpriced at 800 baht for what it seems to be)

Ubon Hotel (not tried it)

The Ratchatani Hotel (dirty - I'd stay there if it were the last close choice though)

 

Hotels may already be fully booked (prices will almost certainly be at a premium above the regular prices I quote and which you can check out on Agoda/Booking.com (except Chatsuree) and you may need to stay less central in which case revert or see my spreadsheet on another Isaan thread about apartments that I just commented on today.

 

 

*bookable thru Agoda and/or Booking.com but 50 baht a night dearer

Thank you very much.  I could not ask for anything more.

[Bill Miller]

Great information. Thanks folks.
I cannot make it this year, having blown the travel budget on Taiwan, Hong Kong, etc., but will keep this with my bucket list addenda.

[The manic]

Excellent useful thread. From my experience in following the Rocket Festivals these last three months when all the hotels are booked try finding a 'Resort' a kind of basic motel Thai Style. Often not on the Internet they have free rooms and can help with transport. Grab a local, in local government, Tuk Tuk driver or someone involved with administating the event. This what I have been doing in places where  'every room is booked' during the Rockets key festival season. I plan on attending this Candle Festival. CU there! 

[The manic]

Have we got date confirmation yet? 

[Andrew Dwyer]

I went last year and thoroughly enjoyed it ( stayed with friends at their parents so cannot comment on Hotels).
According to this blog:

http://www.thaifestivalblogs.com/ubon-ratchathani-candle-festival/

it is on 19-20 July.

[The manic]

As it is based on a Lunar cycle is may be on a different date from last yeat. As has been mooted on another thread on TV according to a Thai newspaper it's around the 8th or 9th.

[KhunBENQ]

On 20.6.2017 at 3:55 PM, The manic said:

As it is based on a Lunar cycle is may be on a different date from last yeat. As has been mooted on another thread on TV according to a Thai newspaper it's around the 8th or 9th.

Maybe it's me writing this on an older thread.

 

And it seems quite simple: I just understood that the candle festival always takes place on the two Bhuddist holidays:

Asahna Bucha Day followed by Khao Pansa (misc scripts exist).

 

And that is definitely July 8 and 9 this year.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asalha_Puja

Quote

on the full moon of the eighth lunar month

 

I think it should be known that heavy traffic is expected (four day long weekend).

[jayceenik]

TGF tells me that affordable rooms in Ubon during the Candle Festival especially not far from the main attractions will be booked solid in no time as it is a popular festival.

We live just outside Ubon and she adds that even finding a parking place for our car those days will be impossible and we'll have to go by taxi.

[The manic]

On 6/21/2017 at 8:39 PM, KhunBENQ said:

Maybe it's me writing this on an older thread.

 

And it seems quite simple: I just understood that the candle festival always takes place on the two Bhuddist holidays:

Asahna Bucha Day followed by Khao Pansa (misc scripts exist).

 

And that is definitely July 8 and 9 this year.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asalha_Puja

 

I think it should be known that heavy traffic is expected (four day long weekend).

Yes I am inclined to this date rather than the oft quoted 20/21.  Thanks for your imput.

[KhunBENQ]

On 21.6.2017 at 8:39 PM, KhunBENQ said:

I think it should be known that heavy traffic is expected (four day long weekend).

Minor correction: just read that Tuesday 11th will NOT be a (substitute) holiday.

So "only" a three day long weekend (8, 9, 10).

 

[SantiSuk]

Posters in town were saying 8-10th a month ago (actually, might have said 6-10th - I think there may be warm up stuff). I remember cos I had to make sure our monthly hash house harrier activities in Ubon would take place a week earlier to avoid the crowds and fully booked hotels. 

Edited June 23, 2017 by SantiSuk

[The manic]

Brilliant info I will go 7-11