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Nong Khai

Nong Khai is a small town that feels squashed between the river and the Highway. Most people pass through here on their way to Laos but if you have a couple of days to spare then find a nice guesthouse and check out the sights. There are to loads of places to eat and many expats to chat with in case you just got back from Laos and have been deprived of English for a while. There are the obligatory day and night markets.

The Sculpture Park: This place is truly bizarre. Lao holy man, Luang Phu Boonlua Surirat, first started making sculptures on the Lao side of the river, but in the late 70's, due to rising fears of a communist crackdown, he fled across the river to Nong Khai. He founded Sala Kaeo Kou temple where his untrained disciples followed his directions and built numerous rather large statues. He also had a thing for snakes which you will see in the sculptures. It gets even weirder. He was jailed for 1 year for insulting the king. He died 1 year later and his body is in the main building, mummified and under glass. Oh, and feed the fish before you leave.

Boat Trip: Hire a boat for a couple of hours and cruise along the river. I saw an organized cruise while I was out on the river but I don't know where it leaves from. Ask at your hotel.

Tha Sadet Market: There are enough knickknacks here to satisfy any shopper. There is a lot of neat and useful stuff from the surrounding areas, including nearby countries but there is also lots of junk. It is easy to find just look in the centre of town beside the river.

Wats: There are a number of Wats in and around town that are quite interesting. So if you see one that looks interesting, drop in for a look. Wat Tung Sawang is small and has beautifully sculpted odd Buddhist deities, each in their own pagodas. Wat Pho Chai is the home of one three identical Lao Buddha images. Of course, the one with the solid gold head fell into the Mekong River a couple of centuries ago.

The Wet Lands: The Wet Lands area is 20 km east of Nong Khai. It is a low marshy area with meandering creeks and inlets. There are some large bamboo fishing machines that are fascinating. Rent a bike (pedal or motor), pack a lunch and take a ride out here.

The Flower Lands: Just to the west of Nong Khai, past the Friendship Bridge is an area of small narrow and long low lakes where flower cultivating is big business. I didn't have the time to see them but some friends did. They also rented some fishing gear at a lake beside the flower lakes and caught their supper.

The Historical Park: 60 km southwest on Nong Khai, near Ban Phu is another strange place filled with huge mushroom shaped rocks. There are sheltered outcrops with cave paintings dating back thousands of years. There is also an enshrined footprint of Buddha.

Wat Phu Tok: This is a long full day trip from Nong Khai. Take an organized tour as it is isolated and hard to get to. Wat Phu Tok is a hilltop retreat. One monk created this stairway to heaven in a personal spiritual journey. There are seven levels symbolizing the seven traditional steps towards enlightenment. The top, at 200 metres, is the seventh level, and has a wonderful view of Isaan. Farangs (foreigners) are no longer allowed to stay here after one couple broke the rules.

Anou Savari: This festival at the end of February or beginning of March celebrates the end of the Hau rebellion. In the mid 1880's rebellious elements to Chinese rule from the Yunnan area spilled over and south into Thailand, raiding as far south as Korat. In the late 1880's, Thailand with help from China and Laos pushed the invaders back. The festival is a week long street fair with the usual food, drink and performances.

Rocket Festival: From April to July in the countryside surrounding Nong Khai, many towns have a rocket festival. In Nong Khai, the festival is on Visakha Puja day (Buddha's birthday) in May. These festivals were traditionally used to try to seed the clouds and get them to rain thus ending the dry season and bringing the monsoon season. Now, they are mostly for entertainment. Now these rockets are not little model ones, they are big homemade ones that you would be arrested for having at home. I saw one that needed 6 guys to carry. Talk about crazy, everyone gets all liquored up and plays with fire and exploding rockets, oh yeah...and gambling. Definitely a great festival to attend...what a blast.

Rowing Festivals: These numerous festivals take place from September to the final week long event in mid October. Each temple has a Dragon boat and a crew and they race at the festivals. The finals bring out a huge crowd.

Loi Krathong: While not an official holiday this is not to be missed. On the evening of the 12th lunar month (late Oct to mid Nov) Thais celebrate the end of the rainy season by setting afloat banana leaf rafts filled with incense, coins, a nail clipping and candles. They are thanking the goddess of water and casting away their troubles from the past year. It is quite an amazing sight to see thousands of little glowing rafts floating along the water.

Fireballs: On the last night of Buddhist Lent strange pinkisk ruby fiery lights rise into the sky from the Mekong River. This Naga Festival celebrates the end of Buddhist Lent, Usually in October, on the 15th day of the waxing moon of the 11th lunar month. There are dozens of food stalls and stages for the nightly musical groups.