Udon Thani is the Thai gateway to Laos, northern Vietnam and southern China. It’s home to impressive temples and a fascinating local museum, while being near a Neolithic archaeological site and famous silk-weaving village.
Things to do in Udon Thani
Gain insight into the local history at the Muang Udon Thani Museum, housed in a mustard-coloured former girls school overlooking a lake. After browsing its archaeological, geological and folk history exhibits, photograph the giant yellow rubber ducky floating in the lake.
Make a day trip to the Heritage-listed archaeological site at Ban Chiang, where graves dating from the Neolithic to Iron Age have been uncovered. Beautiful red-painted pottery and bronze burial artefacts have been excavated from the site, with many now displayed in the Ban Chiang Museum.
If you’re interested in purchasing hand-woven silk or traditional cotton garments, visit the small village of Ban Na Kha. It’s clustered with workshops and street-side stalls running through the heart of the village and is home to the magnificent temple of Wat Na Kha Taewee.
A short drive from Udon Thani takes you to Phu Phrabat National Park, renowned for its striking rock formations, prehistoric rock paintings and 7th-century Dvaravati shrines. Don’t miss seeing Wat Phra Putthabaht Bua Bok, where the Lao-style chedi houses a sandstone Buddha footprint.
Getting around Udon Thani
Udon Thani International Airport is a 15-minute drive away or you can reach Udon Thani by an eight-hour bus from Bangkok. Tuk-tuks, songthaews and three-wheeled bicycle taxis offer transport around Udon Thani.