Mekong Explorer Tour

Day 1 – Suan Hin Pha Ngam
Our first day takes us through lovely Loei province up to where the Mekong River flows out of Laos. We begin in Khon Kaen at Wat Chai Si Buddhist temple, where the ubosot is covered with bizarre historic Isan-style paintings, and then stop for photos of dramatic Pha Nok Khao cliff before rolling into Suan Hin Pha Ngam (“Beautiful Rock Garden”), also known as Thailand’s Kunming due to its resemblance to Kunming Stone Forest in China. After a short trek through the heart of this surreal landscape we’ll continue north, stopping to see monkeys, a cooperative cotton weaving group, and masks from the interesting Phi Khon Nam festival. We’ll then meet the Mekong River at the historic and beautifully situated town of Chiang Khan.

Overnight in Chiang Khan

Day 2 – Chiang Khan & Sangkhom
In the cool season, early risers have the opportunity to drive up Phu Tok mountain to see the river valley below blanketed in fog at sunrise. After breakfast we’ll stroll Chiang Khan’s historic streets, still full of traditional timber shop houses, and take a gander at the locally famous Kaeng Khut Khu rapids before starting to trace the Mekong River heading east. We’ll visit an unusual shrine and a Lao herb market before taking a boat ride at a particularly scenic spot on the Mekong River full of small rocky islets. After a visit to lovely Namtok Than Thip waterfall we’ll reach the relaxing town of Sangkhom.

Overnight in Sangkhom

Day 3 – Nong Khai
We will begin the day taking in the awesome mountain-top views of the Mekong Valley from Wat Pa Tak Suea, perched on a cliff high above Sangkhom. And in the rainy season or beginning of the cool season, we’ll also stop to see another lovely waterfall. We’ll then stop in a village to see people hand-rolling spring roll wrappers and visit a topiary park before rolling into the low-key city of Nong Khai where we’ll stroll the Indojin Market, filled with bric-a-brac from Thailand, China, and other countries. After lunch we’ll explore the city by bike (or you can choose to go by van) visiting several unique sites, the highlight of which for most people is Wat Pho Chai Buddhist temple with its incredible murals.

Overnight in Nong Khai

Day 4 – Sala Kaew Ku & Bueng Kan
Sala Kaew Ku, the day’s first stop, is a wonderfully bizarre religious center filled with immense and strange concrete sculptures blending Buddhist and Hindu iconography. We’ll then continue down along the Mekong River, often on small country roads, visiting a pottery village and a temple honoring naga (magical serpents). Finally, the red boulders at Ban Ahong are a very scenic stop shortly before we arrive in Bueng Kan city.

Overnight in Bueng Kan

Day 5 – Wat Phu Tok & Ban Kham Pia
We’ll begin the day in a village seeing how thatch roofs are made before climbing and exploring the labyrinth of walkways at Wat Phu Tok, a temple built on a mountain plateau with wooden platforms leading along the cliffs. Then, based on your preference, we’ll either trek up to a soaring clifftop viewpoint in the Phu Wua Wildlife Reserve or spend a few hours strolling around a typical agricultural village seeing local life up close – or do a little of both. We’ll arrive in Bung Khla, our overnight stop, early enough to fully enjoy the incredible views of the mountain-lined Mekong River here.

Overnight in Bung Khla

Day 6 – Tha Uthen & Nakhon Phanom
Heading south, we’ll stop to see some amazing wood carving and dinosaur footprints before taking a break to enjoy lunch with the peaceful scenery of the Two-Coloured River, where the greenish Songkhram River joins the muddy brown Mekong. Further downriver we’ll see the soaring 66-meter (217 feet) tall Phra That Tha Uthen stupa and ogle the impressive variety of local foods for sale in the Tha Uthen market. Sticking to country roads hugging the Mekong, we’ll see hats made from bamboo husks and walk over a rickety bamboo bridge to a small island (accessible at the end of the dry season only). It’s then down to Nakhon Phanom, a very laid-back capital city with beautiful mountain views. There we’ll visit a fabric weaving group, go to the local museum to see examples of the “fire boats” that grace the river at the end of the Buddhist lent, and enjoy some marvelous modern temple murals.

Overnight in Nakhon Phanom

Day 7 – That Phanom
Probably the highlight of time spent in Nakhon Phanom is watching the sun rise behind the mountains across the Mekong River in Laos, which you can choose to watch from your hotel room or along the riverside promenade. On the way down to little That Phanom, home to the holiest temple in Isan, we’ll stop to visit a replica of the house Ho Chi Minh lived in during his time here and a basket weaving village, where, if you wish, you can get advice from a local spirit medium. In That Phanom town we’ll see a Buddhist temple with historic murals and stroll down a well-preserved block of French-Indochina style buildings to a large symbolic arch, similar to Patuxai in Vientiane, before arriving at the famous Phra That Phanom, a gleaming white 53-meter (174 feet) stupa, topped with a 16-kilogram (35 pounds) jewel-encrusted gold parasol.

Overnight in That Phanom

Day 8 – Mukdahan & Khemmarat
As we follow the river south to Mukdahan, we’ll make a quick stop at Kaeng Kabao, a dry-season-only stretch of rapids and islets on the Mekong River before visiting the contemporary Our Lady of the Martyrs of Thailand church, built to commemorate seven Thai Catholics executed in 1940 by the police for refusing to renounce their faith. Then we’ll sample a variety of traditional snacks made on-site by a women’s cooperative. Next up are two old temples with well-preserved historic buildings that will delight even casual art lovers and we’ll say hello to some local monkeys in a small patch of forest. In Mukdahan city, we’ll climb Ho Kaeo Mukdahan, a 65 meter-tall (213 foot) tower built to mark the king’s 50th year on the throne. It has a good museum and great views. Phu Pha Thoep National Park’s main attraction is a field full of mushroom-shaped rock pillars. We’ll stop for the night in Khemmarat; a small sleepy town, that is the only urban center around these parts.

Overnight in Khemmarat

Day 9 – Pha Taem National Park & Khong Jiam
Today is a day of scenic beauty featuring two of the loveliest natural wonders on the whole of the Mekong River. Though exactly what we visit depends on the season. But no matter when we travel, there will be some stunning things to see. We’ll first take in a lovely valley view at Song Khon and then ride a boat down the river to explore the incredible Sam Pan Boke, a mind-boggling stretch of the Mekong River where the rocky shore is pocked with thousands of large holes. Tell most Thais you are visiting here and they will turn jealous. In the rainy season, and the months following it, we will swap Sam Pan Boke with some spectacular waterfalls, most notably Nam Tok Saeng Chan, which passes through a hole in a cliff. At the southern end of Pha Taem National Park we’ll visit a long, dramatic cliff with brilliant river views from above and several sets of 3000-year-old rock paintings below, as well as some bizarre rock formations. Beyond the park we’ll visit a beautiful and interesting cave shrine with its own rainy-season waterfall. Finally, we’ll take in another wonderful view of the Mekong before arriving at the little town of Khong Jiam, perched at another spot known as the Two-Colour River because of the merger of the differently shaded Mekong and Mun rivers.

Overnight in Khong Jiam

Day 10 – Two-Colour River and Ubon Ratchathani
In the morning we’ll hop in a boat to go see the confluence of the Two-Colour River up close and take in the lovely surrounding scenery. Then we’ll say good bye to the Mekong and head west, stopping at a roadside workshop where gongs, drums, and bells are made by hand. In Ubon Ratchathani city we’ll see some historic paintings and architecture at Wat Tung Sri Muang temple, visit a small museum of Buddhist art, sample some locally made snacks, and try to see some of the giant carved candles the city is famous for.

If our itinerary doesn’t fit your exact needs and desires, please let us know. With advance notice we can usually modify things.