Sight-seeing at Ubul Ratana Dam in Khon Kaen

Traveling in Thailand

By building the Ubul Ratana Dam in 1966 the Ubul Ratana Lake was created and nowadays it is surrounded by a beautiful country side with small mountains and of course a National Park (Phu Kao & Phu Phan Kham National Park) with a beautiful viewpoint from the Wat Phra Bat Phu Phan Kham.

So when friends of mine did visit me in 2011 while I was living in Khon Kaen I took them out for a tour along the west-side of Ubolrat Lake (as it is called locally) to visit Wat Phra Bat Phu Phan Kham and have lunch at Bang Sean 2. We first followed route 12 in direction of Chumpae (going from KK to the west) and after about 27km you make an U-turn (that is the first u-turn after that lovely "Coffee shop" with a huge windmill and you drive a km back to take a left-turn to Ubolrat lake. You follow the road until a T-junction and take a left turn and after 100m you enter an next T-junction and you take a right turn. After that you just follow the main road thru a village and you will end up at the road going right along the west-side of the lake. Noticed that the water-level is still very high and at some points almost on the road. Also saw that many rice-fields and some small houses are still flooded. The road is in good condition and the scenery view is really beautiful with mountains on your right hand and rice-fields around you, while on the left the huge Ubolrat lake rises in your view.

We followed the road all the way to the village "Ubolrattana", you are leaving the lake-side and take a short steep road up and take a left turn and follow the road until you are at a T-section where you take a left in direction of "Ubolrat Dam". But just 500m before the entrance gate to "Ubolrat dam" you take a left to "Wat Phra Bat Phu Phan Kham". Just follow the road passing a school and a bit further up the road passing a temple. Just 200m after that temple you are standing on the foot of a small hill where a stairway of 1049 steps goes up to a huge 14meters high white Buddha overlooking the valley of Khon Kaen.

Well we did not walk but drove 50m further where a road leads left to the top where is parking for cars. On top of the hill under the huge Buddha is a temple and from the hill you have beautiful view over the lake.

After our visit to the temple & Buddha statue we did ride back again to the lake-side to have lunch at one of the restaurant right at the lake-side, just before "Bang Sean 2" . And on the east-side of the lake is "Pattaya 2". See Ubol_Ratana_Dam and WatPhraPhuPhanKham

🌎 2109, Ubolratana, Khon Kaen 40250, Thailand

Popular posts from this blog

Traveling in Uttaradit province in North Thailand

Image
Last year I did make a posting about counting all the provinces I had been in Thailand. And I saw I have been to (stayed in) 48 provinces out of the 76. So in the coming months I will travel via my postings from the most southern province I have been to the most northern province, with some photos and information about each province. This is part 32 of the 47 (out of the 77) provinces where I have at least stayed overnight once. Uttaradit province in North Thailand borders in the North-East with Laos, in the east of Phitsanulok province and in the south with Sukhothai. And in the north Uttaradit province borders with Phrae and Nan province. Of course the capital town is Uttaradit town along the Nan River and along the railroad between Bangkok and Chiang Mai. Uttaradit province is where the mountains of North Thailand begin but it is not really a tourist destination. Although there are beautiful National Parks, lakes and waterfalls. Uttaradit town is an old town where you can still fi…
Keep reading

A few days Bang Saray

Image
We did stay a few days at the beach along the Eastern Seaboard of Thailand. An area not really famous for authentic Thailand or beautiful beaches. Actually more famous for Pattaya's nightlife, crowded tourism and industrial estates. But luckily there are still many small villages & beaches that are not eaten alive by modernization. The village of Bang Saray (also written as Bang Sare or Bang Sa-re) is such a place. Only 15 km south of Pattaya but a world of difference. There are a few simple hotels and a few western restaurants & bars, but for the rest it is still a Thai fishing village with a few local markets, temples and 2 active fishing piers. OK the beach may not be a "tropical white sandy beach with crystal clear water" but it is just a lovely rural Thai fishing village where in the afternoon school kids still go to the beach to meet each other. And where fishing boats lay ashore waiting for the night to fall to go fishing again. And at the fishing piers l…
Keep reading

The mighty Mekong River at the Golden Triangle

Image
My beloved Mekong River again, this time seen at the infamous Golden Triangle. Looking north over the Mekong River in direction of China (only 250km). On the left side you see Burma (now called Myanmar) and on the right side you Laos. This is the point where the Mekong River becomes the border between Laos and Thailand for the first time. The photo under is a Buddha image welcoming the Mekong River as border from Thailand. A same kind of Buddha image can be found near Chiang Khan in Loei province where the Mekong River becomes a border between Laos and Thailand for the second time.

Keep reading

Traveling in Tak province in North Thailand

Image
Last year I did make a posting about counting all the provinces I had been in Thailand. And I saw I have been to (stayed in) 48 provinces out of the 76. So in the coming months I will travel via my postings from the most southern province I have been to the most northern province, with some photos and information about each province. This is part 30 of the 47 (out of the 77) provinces where I have at least stayed overnight once. Tak province borders on the west with Myanmar and on the east with Sukhothai, while north you will find Mae Hong Son and Chiang Mai. And on the south you will find Kanchanaburi province. A province of the beaten tourist track but an important place in the  West-East Corridor of North Thailand.

Begin 2000's I came here a few time to stay overnight while traveling to Chiang Mai and while motorbike riding I did make it also a few times a destination to stay overnight. Tak town is not really a tourist destination but if you have to stay anywhere in that area …
Keep reading

Traveling in Nakhon Phanom province in North-East Thailand

Image
Last year I did make a posting about counting all the provinces I had been in Thailand. And I saw I have been to (stayed in) 48 provinces out of the 76. So in the coming months I will travel via my postings from the most southern province I have been to the most northern province, with some photos and information about each province. This is part 27 of the 47 (out of the 77) provinces where I have at least stayed overnight once. Most people will know Nakhon Phanom as the gateway to explore the limestone mountains of Tha Khek in Laos. But Nakhon Phanom is a nice town to stay along the mighty Mekong River. Of course Nakhon Phanom was originally the trading town with Laos & Vietnam. And Nakhon Phanom gained economical status during the Vietnam War when the US Airforce did build & use the airport in Nakhon Phanom. Personally for me it was in 2012 that I was for the first time in Nakhon Phanom town, as part of a trip following the Mekong River from Nong Khai to Ubon Ratchathani. I…
Keep reading

Traveling in Bueng Kan province in North-East Thailand

Image
Last year I did make a posting about counting all the provinces I had been in Thailand. And I saw I have been to (stayed in) 48 provinces out of the 76. So in the coming months I will travel via my postings from the most southern province I have been to the most northern province, with some photos and information about each province.  This is part 33 of the 47 (out of the 77) provinces where I have at least stayed overnight once. Bueang Kan province is the most north-eastern province of Thailand and borders along the Mekong River and Laos. And it is one of Thailands newest provinces, creates in 2011 as the 76ste province of Thailand. The capital town is of course Bueang Kan, located right along the Mekong River. The name of this province & town is sometimes in English also written as Bung Khan. The town thanks its existence to the Mekong River and border to Laos. On the east-side of town is first the local ferry crossing (Thai & Lao only) and a few km more east is the Interna…
Keep reading

Traveling in Lampang province in North Thailand

Image
Last year I did make a posting about counting all the provinces I had been in Thailand. And I saw I have been to (stayed in) 48 provinces out of the 76. So in the coming months I will travel via my postings from the most southern province I have been to the most northern province, with some photos and information about each province. This is part 28 of the 47 (out of the 77) provinces where I have at least stayed overnight once. Lampang province is just before Chiang Mai province and is located in between the mountains of North Thailand. Lampang town along the Wang River is a small provincial city that is home to many old Lanna style temples, small streets with old wooden houses. A bit like Chiang Mai must have been 30 years ago. For Thai people Lampang is famous for its ceramic factories. I think that 70% of the ceramic sold in Thailand comes from Lampang. Lampang town is one of my favourite places in North Thailand and it was around 1995 that I came for the first time in Lampang. I…
Keep reading

Facebook and other social media

Image
To Facebook or not to Facebook is sometimes the question. Since 2009 I started my travel blog, just for the sheer love of traveling. Not an commercial enterprise. And a few years back I made this Facebook page to promote my travel blog, because when you are making a travel blog anyway it would be nice if your work & effort could help people who want to travel in Thailand. But It starts to be the other way around, I am making a Facebook page and somewhere there is also a travel blog. And I realised that is not what I had intended. So somewhere this month I will be pulling the plug of this facebook page. But when you like to read my travel postings on a daily base it is best to subscribe to my travel blog (see top of this page). Very easy, just a click away. No spam, no commercials, no lost of privacy. Just max. 1 email per day with a intro & link to the latest postings of my travel blog. Yes very old fashion. Although not active this travel blog has also accounts on Instagram a…
Keep reading

If I can not hide myself then I hope my colour scares you

Image
While walking at Wang Sila Leang in Pua I (actually my wife) saw this creature sitting on a tree. Why such a strong colour? I was told that if they notice that they can not hide by adapting to the background colour then they will show a colour that hopefully scares you. What a beautiful creature of nature! For more information about the beautiful Nan province in North Thailand see Destination Travel Guide Nan, Thailand. I have a small serie of photos of animals in Thailand, have a look at Animals.
Keep reading

A noodle shop as tourist attraction near Sila Phet

Image
Traveling around in Thailand there is always somewhere a place to eat, also in Nan province. This new noodle shop is along route 1170 between Tha Wang Pha and Sila Phet. And it is not just a noodle shop, it is a tourist attraction Thai style. Instead of a normal cup the noodle is served in a huge bamboo cup with huge chop-sticks. The bamboo cup is made from gigant bamboo trees that grow in Nan province. And instead of sitting in a shophouse you sit here in a huge open-air sala in the rice-fields, with walking paths thru the rice-fields. A perfect place to make selfies! For more information have a look at Phaiyak Noodle Restaurant. For more information about the beautiful Nan province in North Thailand see Destination Travel Guide Nan, Thailand.


Keep reading