Nakhon Phanom is Simply Stunning 🇹🇭 Journey Along The Mekong

Nakhon Phanom is Simply Stunning 🇹🇭 Journey Along The Mekong

Behind me here is the mighty Mekong. And for more 
than 800 km, it forms the natural border between Thailand and Laos. And for the next few weeks, 
this beautiful stretch of water is going to be our guide as we explore this beautiful 
and underrated part of Southeast Asia. Along the way, I’ll be stopping in small villages, 
exploring hidden corners of different provinces, and discovering stories of culture, history, 
food, and the incredible people who call this part of Thailand their home. So come and jump on my 
motorcycle and join me on this journey along the  Mekong Okay, it’s another beautiful morning 
on the banks of the Mekong. I spent the night at this roadside motel. Nothing special. So, let’s 
just check out, get on the bike, and get a move   on. Okie dokie. Welcome back. It’s time to leave 
the beautiful province of Buen Kan. My goodness, did we have some fun and some adventures here in 
the previous episode. It is a bright blue sky, sunny day, and I’m just leaving my little 
hotel JB place. 590 Baht. Let’s figure out where we’re going to Well, let’s just see 
what happens. As per usual, all I do is I   drive along. I keep my eyes peeled and if I see 
something cool, we stop and we try to learn. So, let’s have another adventure together as we 
journey along the Mekong once more. Vamos, [Music] the more I drive along the Mekong, the more I am 
falling in love with this region of Thailand. And yesterday, I drove past a beautiful lake and 
I saw a few boats going out on what looked like little boat trips. So, my mission was to head 
that way and see what we can find. Hopefully something interesting. I found something fun. 
So, this is one of the many actually entrances to this big open space, this lake. And there 
are multiple places to get boats and you can go on little boat trips. Some can be an hour and 
some are just 5 minutes. And from what I gather, we’re just going to go to a temple or to some 
kind of national park. I’m not quite sure,   but it’s such a beautiful day. This 
water looks so blue and inviting. I just wanted to go for a little ride. 
Thank you. I just thought we could   start our morning with a nice boat ride 
here in Buncan on this gorgeous lake. Okay, we are in business. [Music] Isn’t it just so typical to be in Thailand in 
the middle of nowhere and for everywhere we go, there’s something fun to do or 
experience. It’s unbelievable.   Honestly, traveling Thailand, it’s relentless. what seems like a lake in the middle of 
nowhere is actually a really important   place for Thai people and for the people of 
Laos as well. And so what we’re about to see, learn, and experience will open our eyes to a 
very interesting part of local culture here. And I only paid 50 Bart for this boat 
ride. I mean, what a start to the day. Okay, that was quick. We’re here. Wherever here 
is, I’m not quite sure. I didn’t do too much research. I just I just use my intuition 
because it’s so beautiful out here. Okay. All right. Okay. He’s He’s leaving me. I thought 
he was going to give me a lift back. All right. I hope they accept QR code because I don’t have much 
cash. I have no idea if this is a temple. Okay, it seems to be 200 BAT for a foreigner. So, if 
they don’t take a QR code, I’m screwed. Okay, so I got the Thai price because it’s 30 BAT. And I said 
to them, you know, what is this place? What is there to do? And they said, oh, it’s a important 
temple for Thai people. And then they asked me for 200 Bart entrance. Now, 200 B to look at a 
temple is ridiculous. So, I just said to them, um, is it really 200 B to go into a temple? 
And they looked at each other and I felt like they were like, you know what, let’s just give 
him the tie price. So, they just told me 30 B,   which I don’t mind paying because this is cool, 
but it’s 200 B to look at a temple. Really? I’ve not seen that before. Look at the crystal 
glasses. Almost like champagne flutes, aren’t they? But they’re filled to the brim with red and 
blue Fanta. Actually, before I got on the boat, they had baskets for sale with incense, red fizzy 
pop, and a bottle of water. If you don’t know, a lot of the spirits and the gods um here in 
Thailand really like red sweet drinks. That’s the legend. Anyway, so Fanta actually produce a 
red drink that Thai people buy just to give to the uh to the spirits. There seems to be a lot of 
Thai people here um paying merit and praying and paying respects to some statues under a tree. 
I’m not going to vlog over there and disturb them, but I’ll just get a couple of shots for you so 
you can see. I don’t know what else there is   to do. I think I think that this is it. I think 
it’s just a fun little boat trip and a temple. So yeah, according to local belief, a 
powerful Naga spirit once lived beneath this lake. And they see this spirit 
as a protector of not just the region,   but its people. And since 
it helps control the waters, it also brings in fertility and prosperity 
to the people and the land nearby. [Music] So that’s why this place gets many 
visitors, especially from Isan and   neighboring Laos. We all come here by boat 
and the locals here pray, make offerings, and even ask for lucky numbers in the week’s 
lottery. After spending some time on the island, I got back on the boat and we headed to another 
sacred source of water not too far away. Here you could actually disembark and put on some 
wellies and walk around and make some extra prayers and extra offerings to this very sacred 
section of the lake. But for me, I just wanted to stay on board and observe from a distance. This is 
unique. So, they’re hitting the gong. They’re wing in the muddy water, leaving a prayer, leaving an 
offering, leaving some incense. If you’re in the area, definitely take a little boat trip. It’s 
fun, it’s cheap, and yeah, I just thought it was an interesting side to Isan culture and some of 
the history here. And on such a beautiful morning as this, how could you not take a little trip 
out on a boat? But it’s time to get back on to Zelda and start making our way back to the Meong 
and towards our bounty, which is Nakon Panom. [Music] [Music] this region of Isan and Thailand as well as on the 
tachek side of Laos, you get these very specific types of stupas. These temples are very unique 
to this region. They’re a little bit different   to any other part of the country. It’s the shape 
really. It’s more of a of a spike, right? And it’s supposed to symbolize the direction upwards 
towards enlightenment. And they always get covered in these beautiful gold statues and ornaments and 
decorations. This isn’t actually the biggest one or the most famous, but I was just driving through 
some random village and I saw it and I was like,   “Wow, that looks incredible.” And I’m really 
glad to have just stopped. There’s nobody here whatsoever. Just taking a nice picture of 
Zelda and this in the background. Incredible. Yeah, I think I saw three or four of these 
beautiful white and gold spiky temples, we’ll call them, along the banks of the Mong. And 
with the distant mountains of the Tachek Loop in the distance over in Laos, I mean, what a stunning 
backdrop this is. Now, for the rest of the day, I followed the Meong all the way to Nakon Panom. 
And so I didn’t reach our destination until late in the afternoon. And it was safe to say 
I was hot, I was sweaty, and I was tired. [Music] Okie dokie. It was a long drive, but we’re 
here in Nakon Panom. And I’ve just been driving along the prominard on the water’s 
edge, and I’ve forgotten how beautiful it   is. And I’ve forgotten how Vietnamese everything 
feels, but I’ll touch on that later. This is the famous one. We’ve seen a bunch of these along 
the way. Maybe four or five that I didn’t even   get a chance to take a picture of, but so many 
along the this stretch of water. But this is the uh this is the main one. And uh it’s quite 
pretty. But look, that was a long drive. So, I’m just going to have a little sniff for a 
place to stay. hopefully with a view of the beautiful mountains in the distance and obviously 
the Meong. But I don’t want to spend the fortune. Let’s see what we can find and then we can enjoy 
the afternoon and soak up this beautiful town and start to learn a little bit about its 
connection with the Vietnamese thing. I’ll explain more because I need to learn a little bit 
or remind myself why why is it so Vietnamese here? Okie dokie. I found a place. But before I check 
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our adventure today on the Meong. Let’s check in and I’ll show you around this beautiful place. 
Okay, welcome to my hotel room. I am a creature of habit. I stayed in this exact same room almost 
3 years ago and uh I just couldn’t be bothered to drive around and I couldn’t be bothered to get 
my phone out. I just trusted my good memories of Nakon Panomon. Nice double bed and lots of natural 
light and a great view obviously of the Meong and a nice big balcony actually and that breeze is 
incredible. The last time I was in Nakon Panom, it was in the middle of December and it was 
freezing. There was such a cold wind blowing in. You had to have your hat and you had to 
have your scarf and you had to have gloves and   a jacket on. It was freezing cold. I I know it’s 
hard to believe, but it was so cold. But anyway, this is going to be home for the next few days. 
I’m going to take a little bit of a break from   the bike. I’m pretty exhausted. It’s been a few 
long weeks of constant travel. Constant travel, town to town, province to province, following 
the Meong. So, I’m going to unpack and relax and   I’ll go for a nice stroll in the afternoon. we’ll 
get to know Nakon Panam a lot better and start to figure out, you know, what’s the significance 
with Vietnam? Why is it so Vietnamese here? After I got settled, I went out exploring the 
streets of Nakon Panom. And the more I wandered around, the more I started to notice the subtle 
connections to Vietnam. It was everywhere in the town from the food being sold to the faces in 
the streets and even the language written and spoken by a few of the locals. It made me curious 
and I did a bit of digging around and it turns out that there’s a small unassuming wooden 
house not far from the Meong River that will help me explain this deep connection between 
Thailand and Vietnam. So, if you don’t mind, please just entertain me for a brief moment. 
This quiet little house once played a very important role in modern Vietnamese history. In 
the 1920s, this house was the home of Ho Chi Min, the future leader of Vietnam. And he actually 
lived here in exile. And the cool thing is you can actually go in and see where he used 
to live and learn about his life when he   lived here in Nakon Pan. He came to Nakon 
Panon to hide from the French colonial authorities while secretly organizing Vietnamese 
independence movements across Southeast Asia. The locals said that he lived here very humbly, 
teaching, gardening, and quietly inspiring a small community of Vietnamese immigrants all along 
the Mong. The house itself is reconstructed to match its original condition from the wooden 
walls to the thatch roofs and all the simple   furniturees inside. Standing here with Laos just 
across the river and Vietnam not far beyond, it makes sense that this border town became 
such a crossroads of cultures, foods,   and helped me really understand the connection 
and why Nakon Panom just feels Vietnamese. My favorite part is the gardens and they’ve done 
a really good job as a sort of paying respect to Ho Chi Min because he spent a lot of time 
planting all of these vegetables and fruits. Even here there’s a sign this Karamoa tree was 
grown by President Ho Chi Min. So even all of these were handplanted by him and they’ve grown 
into adulthood and all the flowers are in bloom. You can see lots of fruit trees, pomelos, 
guavas, and they’re all just taken care of. Oh, there’s a big jackf fruit tree here 
as well. It’s interesting to know. Even though this is a beautiful, peaceful 
little wooden house with quaint gardens,   inside the quiet beginnings 
of a revolution were brewing. The following morning, there was a 
beautiful sunrise and I got to enjoy   it from the balcony and the comfort 
of my little riverside guest house. The mornings along the Meong are so beautiful. 
So, if you are in this region, get up early,   get your walking shoes on, and go outside. 
[Music] Morning. I do love a morning walk on the Mong to get the blood pumping, stretch and 
move and just watch the sunrise. But there’s something interesting behind me. This is quite an 
interesting technique that you see in Southeast   Asia. So that gentleman there has a bamboo 
pole that’s curved and then it branches off into four sections and then there’s a net. 
What you do is you place it into the water. You let it sink to the bottom and then you just 
wait and then you slowly rise it up hoping that there are a few fish just swimming and then the 
net takes them out of the water. But uh it’s just   a peaceful way to start your morning. If you’re 
ever traveling on the mong, always wake up early. That’s the hub of activity. And you know, you 
hear the monks singing, you watch the sunrise, and it’s all very calm and still before 7:00, 
ideally, if it’s not raining. After my walk, I had to make it back quickly because I was going to 
be thankfully joined by two very special people. I was going to have some guests for a day or two to 
keep me company and to help me enjoy more of the foods that Non Penon is famous for. Okay. Okay. 
Been here 1 minute already center of attention. Look who it is. It’s only Gary the roaming 
cook and Finley. Hello Junior. So yeah, I uh sent Gary a photo yesterday. I was like, 
“Look at this. So beautiful. It’s so great   to be back in Nakon Panom.” And I was almost 
offended that he’d gone to Nakon Panom without me. So me and Finny just jumped on the flight. 
didn’t tell him. And um here we are. Ambushed   him at the coffee shop. So I get a little 
bit of company for the next day and a half, which is nice. So what we’re going to do is we’re 
just going to catch up, eat a lot of food, and uh Finley’s taken a couple of days off school, 
bless him, to come and hang out. So yeah,   in order to get around Nakon Panon, we needed a 
ride. Luckily, Finley has just learned to ride a bicycle. Really? So, that was that issue 
sorted. Right, it’s time for breakfast, but we’re not having any ordinary breakfast. 
Nakon Panom has so much delicious food. I can’t wait to show you. So, we couldn’t just 
settle for one breakfast spot. No, no, no. We were going to have three breakfastes back 
to back and share all the food accordingly. It’s time for breakfast in this beautiful wooden house. 
They do really, really delicious local food here, but I have no idea how to order the menu. Luckily, 
Finley speaks and reads Thai. [Music] I think he’s gonna order for us. Now, I’m not going to go into 
huge detail because Gary, he’s the food guy. Okay, I’ll link his channel and his video from our 
full day of eating in the description below. So, if any of this food looks too good 
to miss, don’t worry. Gary’s video linked   below has all the information. We loved the 
first breakfast here in this gorgeous wooden house. Rice congi with a side of pork 
toasted banani. The perfect pairing of a traditional Thai and Vietnamese cuisine. 
[Music] Next up, just next door really, was this beautiful noodle joint. And it just 
looked absolutely delicious. We had to try some. Bye. [Music] And finally, it was time for breakfast 
number three. A spread of truly unique Vietnamese style pancakes and dumplings. Honestly, these 
three breakfastes we all loved, but this one was the best. [Music] After breakfast, it was time to 
explore around Nakon Panom. Finley has never been here. Gary hasn’t been here in ages. And we just 
love the energy around here. It was good to cycle around, burn off some of those calories. But 
Finley, he was more interested in breakdancing   away the extra calories he’d taken on having three 
breakfastes. I mean, why not Finley do you? Yeah. Nakon Panom is certainly worth a visit. That’s an 
understatement because honestly it might look a bit isolated from the rest of the country. But a 
quick flight from Bangkok to the nearby airport, you will have access to these views, this 
incredible architecture. The people here are   so friendly and there’s just an atmosphere around 
the river that you just can’t find anywhere else in Thailand. With the backdrop of the mountains 
and the Meong just flowing majestically past you with flashes of gold and flickers of art, Nacon 
Panom is the perfect foodie escape from the manic city of Bangkok or the overpop populated 
tourist spots down on the islands. Sadly, because the queen recently passed, everyone wears 
black and all of the celebrations are turned down. [Music] During this trip on the Meong, I’m trying my best 
to show off the other parts of Thailand. And if you truly want to be in the heart of this country, 
closest to its culture and connecting to not just Laos, but nearby Vietnam, Akon Panom is the only 
place to be. Right, after all that exploring, it’s time for some more food. Luckily, there’s 
a food truck home to some delicious banani where the bread is cooked over coals and the fillings 
are bursting with flavor. We had such a delicious lunch here. As you can imagine, absolutely 
delicious. But as the afternoon rolled in, it was time to go on a cruise down the Mong. And 
you guessed it, there would be more food involved. So all along the main front near the beautiful 
golden Naga statue, you can go on sunset boat trips. They leave at 530 and there’s different 
prices depending on the boat tour. This one here we like the look of. It’s only 150 B and 
they have beers and drinks and food available. Don’t [Music] with [Applause] [Music]
this way [Music] Foreign [Music] [Music]   Boy, [Applause] [Music] Give me a right. [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] Well, that was a lovely, lovely little 
boat ride. Delicious food, great company,   amazing views, and just so nice to sail along 
the Mong and get a little bit more connected to the water. Finley and Gary absolutely 
loved it. We’re going to explore a little   bit. There’s a little festival here. There’s 
a little bit of an action live music vibe and we’re going to find dessert and just Yeah. 
Just enjoy the rest of the evening. Philly,   have you had a good time? Yes. What was 
the best part? [Music] not going to school. Um, mobility scooter. The best part 
was the mobility scooter. Okay. Well, we’ll have to have a go on that 
cuz I don’t know what that’s like. [Music]
[Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat up [Music] here. Heat. Heat. [Music] [Laughter] Okay, ladies and gentlemen, I’m going to call 
it here because it has been so much fun getting   to Nakon Panom, exploring it, learning about its 
history, and then enjoying it through its cuisine. Thanks to Gary and Finley for coming to visit 
me from Bangkok. I really appreciated a little   bit of company on the road. Thank you again 
to Aero for sponsoring this video. Get that $3 off your first eim using the link in the 
description below. Nakon Panom is one of those beautiful towns that you must come to if you want 
to experience a different site of Thailand. It’s a town full of beautiful architecture, food, 
people. It’s the kind of place where you would see a monk sitting meditating whilst looking 
out over the Me Kong and admiring the views. You can see the beautiful Tac Hec mountains in 
the distance. In fact, I will link a video in the description below. If you don’t want to 
watch the next episode of the Meong series,   you need to mix it up a little bit. I’ve got 
a two-part series where I do the Tachek Loop, a beautiful motorbike tour over four or five 
days in those mountains. I’m going to enjoy one last beautiful sunset here in Nakon 
Panon. I’ll share some footage of it with   you as we fade away and get ready for the next 
installment of our journey along the Mong, which you can watch right now if you click here or just 
hang around for a nice few shots of the sunset. [Music]

Let’s explore Nahkon Phanom – Thailand 🇹🇭 Download Airalo free today, and use my code PADDY3 for $3 USD OFF your Discover+ data plan: https://try.airalo.com/PaddyDoyle

📺 Watch Gary’s Video from our Street Food Adventure – https://youtu.be/xBcbK6ZZpXk?si=ej5829v21eVa-6_A
Subscribe to @theroamingcook

📺 Watch my experience riding the Thakhek Loop over in Laos 🇱🇦 – https://youtu.be/gsbs3O6cXgE?si=pMMUKwTN1kRdSxJa

After travelling south along the Mekong River from Bueng Kan, I arrive in the peaceful province of Nakhon Phanom, a place where Thailand and Vietnam’s histories intertwine. The journey itself follows quiet rural roads, lush riverside scenery, and small villages that reflect life at a slower, more meaningful pace. It’s a stretch of the Mekong that few traveller’s ever reach, but one that reveals an authentic glimpse of Thai–Lao culture blending seamlessly along the riverbanks.

Over two days here, I dive into Nakhon Phanom’s fascinating past and vibrant local food scene. My first stop is the Holy Water Source (แหล่งน้ำศักดิ์สิทธิ์), a serene natural spring where locals collect water believed to bring good fortune. From there, I wander through the heart of the town, exploring riverside streets lined with colonial-style buildings, colourful temples, and the gentle rhythm of life that still revolves around the Mekong. As day turns to night, the food scene comes alive — from steaming bowls of Vietnamese-influenced noodle soup to local Isaan favourites served at open-air stalls overlooking the river.

One of the most meaningful moments of the trip takes place at Hồ Chí Minh’s House, a humble wooden home where the Vietnamese revolutionary once lived in exile. Standing there, it becomes clear why this border town carries such deep cultural and historical ties to Vietnam. I spend my nights at a small riverside hotel, reflecting on how Nakhon Phanom captures the essence of the Mekong — calm, connected, and quietly beautiful. It’s a destination that proves Thailand’s northeast holds some of the country’s most surprising stories.

🗺️ – Locations Featured:
📍 Holy Water Source – https://maps.app.goo.gl/RHWDh8xMqyjaCrfw5
📍 Nakhon Phanom – https://maps.app.goo.gl/SAs6hJStx8RtZngR6
📍 Hotel – https://maps.app.goo.gl/BBsaZm16xXcnk5d6A
📍 Hồ Chí Minh’s House – https://maps.app.goo.gl/NCZ15bb4pxr76ioRA

Chapters:
0:00 – The Mekong
0:49 – Leaving Bueng Kan
1:55 – Fascinating Lake Temple
7:47 – Ride to Nakhon Phanom
10:44 – Airalo
12:28 – Checking In
13:50 – Vietnamese Connection
16:36 – Beautiful Morning
18:02 – Special Guests
19:10 – Street Food Adventure
23:00 – Mekong Cruise
28:40 – Saying Goodbye

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