Thailand Borders 09: Nong Khai

 “Success is walking from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm...” – Winston Churchill

(The Naga statue by the Mekong River)

Day 09: Monday, 18 Nov 2024
Route: Mukdahan - Nong Khai
Distance: 299 km (4:52)
Hotel: Iyara Hotel, Nong Khai

We had the usual breakfast set of bread and half boiled eggs with hot Nescafe. By 8.00 am we checked out, collected our B500 deposit then drove out of Mukdahan and headed towards Udon Thani.

(Half boiled eggs and bread for breakfast)

(Checked-out and collected our deposit)

Stopped for comfort and coffee break at PTT Thong Khop. Took the main highways to Udon Thani bypassing Sakhon Nakhon. This time we missed visiting the Third Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge connecting Nakhon Phanom in Thailand and Thakek in Laos. InsyaAllah, we will visit this border during some other trips.

(Driving out of Mukdahan)

(Driving through several small towns)

(PTT stop for snacks and provisions)

(Butter toast, red bean bun and Thai coffee)

Arrived in Udon Thani around 1.45 pm and headed direct to a Muslim restaurant located next to Masjid Quattul Islam, the central mosque of Udon Thani. We used to visit this mosque during our biking days kembara. We had beef and chicken fried rice for lunch.

(Signages leading to Udon Thani)

(Arriving in Udon Thani town)

(We had visited this halal eatery during our previous kembara)

(The dishes are still tasty)

The Kuwatil Islam Mosque is one of the main mosque in Mueang Udon Thani district. The prayer hall is quite spacious and the ladies prayer hall is located on the upper floor. The mosque is quite popular for Muslim travelers especially the Malaysian bikers.

(Udon Thani Central Mosque, Masjid Kuwatil Islam)

(Located in the center of town)

(Good facilities and spacious prayer halls)

After solat jamak at the mosque, we continued our journey towards Nong Khai. Arrived at Nong Khai Thailand/Laos border around 4.00 pm. The border between Thailand and Laos at Nong Khai is accessible by crossing the First Thai–Laos Friendship Bridge, which connects the city of Nong Khai in Thailand with Vientiane in Laos. We have used this border crossing quite a few times before.

(Heading towards the Thai/Laos border)

(A fellow biker at the junction)

(Nong Khai Boundary Post)

(The Nong Khai Immigration and Custom check-point)

Later we headed to Nong Khai Walking Street and to Sadet Indo-China Market located about 4 km from the border. The Walking Street only opens on weekends. The market was about to close this time of the day. But the water front was lively with food stalls selling Thai and Laos delicacies. It is a great place to eat and relax by the riverside while watching the sunset.

(Nong Khai Walking street)

(The night market only opens on weekends)

Visited the Naga Statue by the Mekong River. Nong Khai adopted the Naga, a serpent with multiple heads as its symbol. The Naga has its origins in Hindu myth. In India, the heads are usually the same as a cobra's, but in Southeast Asia the heads usually look more like dragons, due to Chinese influences. Depictions of Naga totally dominating the towns street scene of Nong Khai.

(The twin Naga against the sunset)

(A nearby Buddhist temple)

(Food stalls along the Mekong river)

(Cultural projects for tourism of Nong Khai)

(One of the many floating restaurants on Mekong river)

(Tuk-tuk for rental)

Visited Darul Mustakin Mosque of Nong Khai located about 10 km from the city. It was already dark when we arrived at the mosque. The mosque was lighted up but nobody was around. We took some pictures from outside the compound.

(There is a small railway crossing on the way to the mosque)

(A beautiful mosque with ample parking space)

By 6.30 pm we checked in Iyara Hotel for RM63/night. It was already dark when we arrived and it was quite difficult to find the hotel as it is located behind a busy shopping mall. We took another route and managed to get to the hotel via a narrow and dark alley. We had bread and hot Nescafe for dinner in the room.

(Fiyara Hotel, Udon Thani)

(Our lodging for the night)