Discovering Ubon Ratchathani City

Ubon Ratchathani is one of the four largest cities in Thailand's northeastern region of Isan. Home to several universities, an excellent food and drink scene, and the world-famous annual Candle Festival, it sits on the banks of the Mun River and is a place I always enjoy returning to.

Thung Sri Mueang

Getting to Know Ubon

Back in 2018, I flew from Bangkok to Ubon Ratchathani Airport to start a tour of Isan by public transport. While I was only in the city for a couple of hours, I was immediately taken by its size and how long it took by tuk-tuk to reach the railway station from the airport. 

When Taew and I moved to Sisaket a few weeks before we got married, I had the opportunity to revisit Ubon and see what I could find before going to watch some local football. The first thing I noted was that I could either arrive by train or minivan, which is what I did this time.

The bus station is in the north of the city, across the ring road. An electric bus service runs regularly down 63 Chayangkul Road, also known as Route 24, the main thoroughfare, down to Thung Sri Mueang, a huge park and square, and then on to the airport. The fare was 15 THB (£0.35).

I jumped out at the park and wandered around taking photos of the soaring gold pillar, the temple and other attractive features before making my way through the narrow streets of the old town towards the river.

It was obvious that the city was still recovering from the pandemic, with several businesses marked on Google Maps no longer there. I eventually found a basic restaurant with a yard, so I could grab something to eat and enjoy a beer.

After the game, I headed to a craft beer bar that was the sort of place I would expect to find in the capital rather than a provincial city. But with that came high prices, certainly to most locals. Therefore, it was virtually empty, something I'd experience on further visits before it eventually called it a day three years later.

Wat Phra That Nong Bua

Visits with Family and Friends

As detailed in “Discovering Food, Drink & Nightlife in Ubon”, further solo visits, and those with family and friends, revealed several excellent bars and restaurants. One of the features I enjoy about Ubon is that the old town is walkable, and you never quite know what you will find.

The locals are also extremely welcoming and helpful. For instance, when we took our friends Ben and Noi, they wanted to take back some moo yor, the local savoury sausage. Not sure where to find a specialist shop, a motorbike taxi took Taew to the right place, which we bookmarked and often buy from.

One place that's always on our list when showing guests around is the magnificent Wat Phra That Nong Bua, one of the finest temples I have visited in Thailand. Something that always grabs our attention is the open shed where work continues on the wax sculpture that will be mounted on a lorry for the next Candle Festival.

Each July, at the start of Buddhist Lent, the festivities begin for three days. We have been to the daytime event a couple of times, as described in “Experiencing the Ubon Ratchathani Candle Festival”, to enjoy the dancing and parade where temples and communities are represented and put on a fine show.

Every visit seems to reveal somewhere new. When we had additional time, we ended up at the impressive Wat Sa Prasan Suk, a temple just north of the airport. Khu Duea Beach, featured in “Discovering Food, Drink & Nightlife in Ubon”, on the banks of the Mun, is somewhere suited to relaxation.

The capital city of each province has a National Museum. Ubon’s is a fine wooden building, just south of Thung Sri Mueang on 318 Khuanthani Road. Its exhibits trace the history of the province, costing foreigners 120 THB and 20 THB for Thais.

National Museum Ubon Ratchathani

A Solo Day Out

After several visits for football, I had the chance to arrive far earlier than usual and make a video about Ubon for my YouTube Channel. I chose a glorious day, perhaps a little too hot for too much walking around.

I began filming beside the Mun River and enjoyed a cold beer with a majestic view, before the short climb for a first look at Wat Tai Phrachao Yai Ong Tue, yet another amazing temple, where work was ongoing on their sculpture for the parade. I saw something similar in progress at the more basic Tung Sri Muang Temple.

Across in the park, groups were hiding from the sun and using some of the shelters. Youngsters were having fun in the skate park, while others nodded off in the well-kept gardens. Finally, after previous unsuccessful attempts, I came across something that creates an unexpected link between Ubon and several Western countries.

The Monument of Goodness was built by Prisoners of War in World War II to honour the generosity and goodness of the people of Ubon Ratchathani after many of them were sent there from the Death Railway in Kanchanaburi. It is a basic monument, but I’m glad I visited, highlighting an unexpected historical connection.

A tuk-tuk ride took me to the best temple in town before I cut through to Nong Bua Public Park. If the temperatures were cooler, I would certainly walk around the lake and maybe use the free fitness equipment on the small island. It looked like somewhere that the locals could be proud of and use regularly.

My YouTube Video of Ubon Ratchathani

Following My Hobbies

Since April 2025, some trips to Ubon with my friend John have included an early round of golf before going to watch football. A round of golf at Suppasit Prasong/Wing 21 welcomes visitors to the military facility, costs around 400 THB for 9 holes, including the caddy fee.

The city formerly had a Thai League top football club, Ubon United, that was dissolved due to financial trouble. Since then, Ubon Eastern have taken up residency at the excellent UMT Stadium, while Ubon FC play at the UBRU Stadium, with both sides competing in Thai League 3.

Ubon staged the Seniors World Cup in June 2026, as eight nations battled for honours. England, whose squad featured many former professional footballers, won the competition, with all participants praising Ubon as a host city. Many were genuinely surprised by it.

On the Bank of the Mun River

My Closing Thoughts

Ubon Ratchathani is a wonderful city to visit, whether for a day or a longer stay. It combines history, culture, beautiful temples, relaxing riverside scenery, and one of the best food and drink scenes in Isan. 

Every visit has shown me something new, and it remains one of the Thai cities I most enjoy returning to.