Ubon Ratchathani
Thailand's sunrise city on the Mun River — Candle Festival artistry and Mekong border country
Listing data updated
About Ubon Ratchathani
Ubon Ratchathani is Thailand's sunrise city (the country's easternmost province catches first light before anywhere else) and the cultural capital of lower Isan, spread along the Mun River just before it meets the Mekong. Its signature moment is July's Candle Festival, when Khao Phansa (the start of Buddhist Lent) turns the city into a parade of massive, intricately carved beeswax sculptures that teams of artisans spend months preparing. It's one of Thailand's great festivals and its least internationally known.
The city itself rewards a temple day: Wat Thung Si Mueang's stilted scripture library, the glass-mosaic lotus of Wat Phra That Nong Bua, and Wat Sirindhorn Wariram, the "glow temple" whose murals fluoresce after dark, on the road east. That road is the real draw: it ends at Khong Chiam, where the muddy Mun meets the blue-brown Mekong in a visible two-color seam, with Laos on the far bank. This is border Isan, sticky rice, river fish, and sunrise over the Mekong, about as far from tourist Thailand as the rail network reaches.
Visitor Information
Best time to visit
November – February (plus July for the Candle Festival)
Avoid: April (peak heat)
Avg. temperature
19°C – 35°C(66°F – 95°F)
Crowds
Peak: Candle Festival (July, Khao Phansa)
Getting there
Direct flights from Bangkok take about 1 hour. The overnight sleeper train from Krung Thep Aphiwat arrives in 8–10 hours and ends here: Ubon is the eastern railhead. Buses from Mo Chit take 8–9 hours.
Getting around
- •Grab and songthaews in the city
- •Rental car or driver for the Mekong loop (Khong Chiam, ~75 km east)
- •Bicycles along the Mun riverfront
Where to stay in Ubon Ratchathani
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Things to Do in Ubon Ratchathani
Ubon Ratchathani offers 137 curated places to explore across 8 categories. Choose from 31 hotels and resorts for your stay. Discover 33 restaurants and dining spots. Visit 22 temples and cultural landmarks. Explore 1 beaches and islands. Book from 10 activities and tours.
Browse by category below or scroll down to see top-rated picks in each category. Every listing includes Google ratings from verified visitors, price ranges, and direct booking links where available.
Pick where to stay in Ubon Ratchathani
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Hotels & Resorts
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Sunee Grand Hotel
A big modern hotel wired into a shopping complex, with a rooftop pool for beating the Ubon heat.
B2 Ubon Premier Hotel
Budget chain rooms on the ring road, clean and simple, best if you've got your own wheels.
V Hotel Ubon
A well-regarded hotel on Chaeng Sanit Road offering comfortable accommodation in the heart of Ubon Ratchathani.
Tohsang Heritage Khongjiam Resort
Serene riverside resort in Khong Chiam offering Thai massage, river-view dining, and mountain scenery.
Restaurants & Food
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Chomjan Bar & Restaurant
A long-hours local eating-and-drinking spot across the river in Warin Chamrap, busiest after dark.
Indochine
Mekong-region cooking on Sappasit Road, open from breakfast through to an early dinner, seven days.
TETSU テツ
A budget-friendly Japanese eatery in Ubon Ratchathani open daily, drawing loyal crowds with consistently praised food.
Ubon Ocha
A budget-friendly local eatery in Ubon Ratchathani open daily for breakfast and lunch.
Temples & Culture
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Wat Sirindhorn Wararam Phu Phrao
Come after dark, when the fluorescent murals light up and the whole place turns into something else entirely.
Wat Phra That Nong Bua
A white chedi modeled on Bodh Gaya's Mahabodhi Temple, best seen in the first hour after sunrise.
Wat Maha Wanaram Phra Aram Luang
A working royal temple where Luang Pho Yai still draws a steady stream of worshippers, not a photo stop.
Tung Sri Muang Temple
A revered Buddhist temple in central Ubon Ratchathani, set within a serene public park setting.
Beaches
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Khu Duea Beach
A riverside hangout where Ubon locals go to eat, sit and watch the light drop.
Markets & Shopping
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Central Ubon
Air-conditioned refuge on the ring road, with a cinema, a supermarket and a food court that does Isaan well.
Big C Supercenter Ubon Ratchathani
Air-con, carts and everything you forgot to pack, from sunscreen to a cheap plate of rice.
Thung Sri Muang Night Market
Isan street food and everyday shopping, every evening from half four, right in the middle of town.
New Don Klang Market
A large everyday shopping center in Ubon Ratchathani, open daily from morning to evening.
Activities & Tours
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Thung Sri Mueang
Come at dusk, when the lawns fill up and the night market fires up next door.
Pha Taem National Park
Come for sunrise, when the light hits the cliffs above the Mekong and Laos sits right there across the water.
Pattaya Noi Ubon Ratchathani
A lake day out in Sirindhorn with banana boats, water slides, and floating shacks to eat in afterwards.
Ubon Ratchathani Zoo
A big, walkable-if-you-must zoo where the golf cart or bus is the smart move with kids in tow.
Nightlife & Bars
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LunarLane
A well-regarded bar on Palochai Road in Ubon Ratchathani, open every evening from 5pm.
U-BAR UBON
A popular mid-range bar on Thepyothi Road, open nightly until 2am in the heart of Ubon Ratchathani.
Wrong Way Cafe
A laid-back neighborhood bar on Phadaeng Road serving up cold drinks and good vibes every day from 4pm.
Mixx66 Escap Of Music
A lively music bar in Ubon Ratchathani open nightly until 5am, drawing locals and visitors alike.
Wellness & Spas
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UbonVej Thai Traditional Massage
A well-regarded traditional Thai massage studio in central Ubon Ratchathani, open daily until 10pm.
Garden House Thai Massage
A well-regarded Thai massage parlor in central Ubon Ratchathani, open daily from morning to evening.
YUSUNSEN Wellness and Spa
A highly regarded wellness spa in Ubon Ratchathani, open daily until 10pm for massage and relaxation.
Tianhom Massage for Health
A well-regarded health massage clinic in Ubon Ratchathani, open daily until 11pm.
Getting to Ubon Ratchathani and Onward
Direct flights from Bangkok take about 1 hour. The overnight sleeper train from Krung Thep Aphiwat arrives in 8–10 hours and ends here: Ubon is the eastern railhead. Buses from Mo Chit take 8–9 hours.
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Frequently Asked Questions about Ubon Ratchathani
How do you get to Ubon Ratchathani?
Fly (about an hour from Bangkok, several airlines daily, usually the cheapest Isan route) or take the overnight sleeper train, which terminates here after 8–10 hours. The station is actually in Warin Chamrap across the Mun River, ten minutes from the center. Buses take 8–9 hours. Ubon also works as the endpoint of a rail loop through Korat, Buriram, and Surin.
When is the Candle Festival?
Around Asahna Bucha and Khao Phansa, the July full moon, with the grand procession on the main morning and the carved candles displayed around Thung Si Mueang field for days on either side. Dates shift with the lunar calendar, so check the current year. Book rooms well ahead. It's the one week Ubon's hotels genuinely fill.
Is Khong Chiam worth the trip from Ubon?
Yes, and it's the best half-day in the province. The 75 km drive east passes Wat Sirindhorn Wariram (come back through at dusk for the glow murals), and Khong Chiam itself offers the two-color river confluence, riverside fish restaurants, and Thailand's first sunrise from Pha Taem country. Without your own wheels, I'd hire a driver for the loop (~฿1,500). Public transport out there is thin.
How many days does Ubon need?
Two sits right: one for the city's temples and the Mun riverfront night market, one for the Mekong loop east to Khong Chiam. Festival week deserves an extra day for the processions. Ambitious travelers add Pha Taem's cliff paintings and Sam Phan Bok's rock canyon (dry season only), but those push past the day-trip radius and reward an overnight in Khong Chiam.
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