City Pillar Shrine
The City Pillar Shrine, the ritual focal point of every city's founding in Thailand. Locals visit with flowers, incense sticks and gold leaf; the site is accordingly bustling and not a museum piece.
Thailand
Udon Thani
CityCulture
Udon Thani, a major city in northern Isan, serves as an ideal starting point for exploring the UNESCO World Heritage Site Ban Chiang Archaeological Site and itself offers a lively market scene and relaxed parks.
by Felix Gillen
Udon Thani, a major city in northern Isan, serves as an ideal starting point for exploring the UNESCO World Heritage Site Ban Chiang Archaeological Site and itself offers a lively market scene and relaxed parks.
Sights in Udon Thani
Discover the most important sights and attractions
Kromluang Prachak Sinlapakhom Monument
Monument to Prince Prachak Sinlapakhom, who in the late 19th century established northern Isan's administration and is considered the city's founder. The square is central, serving as a landmark and place of veneration.
Thai-Chinese Cultural Center
Chinese-style complex with a garden courtyard, hall, and exhibition rooms, commemorating Chinese immigration to Isan. It highlights a segment of the city's population that is otherwise rarely seen in the streetscape.
Wat Pothisompon
Royal temple in the city center with a gilded chedi towering over the complex. A mid-level viewing platform offers views over the temple grounds and a section of the city. A working temple, cover shoulders and knees.
Nong Prajak Park
A park around a lake in the city's west, with lakeside paths, bridges, and sports areas. In the early morning and after sunset, it's the city's liveliest spot; at other times it's empty due to the heat.
Essen & Trinken
Vietnamese restaurant in Udon Thani and one of the city's most famous addresses. The highlight is Nam Nueang: grilled pork rolls that you roll yourself at the table with rice paper, herbs, lettuce, and sauce. Vietnamese cuisine has been part of daily life in northern Isan since immigration in the 20th century. The restaurant is large and usually busy.
Essen und Trinken
Udon kocht Isan-Küche und hat zusätzlich eine ausgeprägte vietnamesische Tradition, die auf die Zuwanderung des 20. Jahrhunderts zurückgeht. Dazu kommen internationale Lokale, ein Erbe der Jahre des Luftwaffenstützpunkts. Die Abendmärkte im Zentrum sind der einfachste Einstieg.
Nam Nueang
Vietnamesische Schweinefleischröllchen vom Spieß, die du selbst mit Reispapier, Kräutern, grüner Banane und Sauce einwickelst. In Udon so verbreitet, dass es als Lokalgericht gilt — die Portionen kommen als Baukasten auf den Tisch.
Larb und Nam Tok
Fleischsalate mit gerösteten Reiskörnern, Minze und Limette. Larb aus gehacktem, Nam Tok aus gegrilltem Fleisch, beide lauwarm und mit Klebreis. In Udon gibt es Lokale, die sich ausschließlich darauf spezialisieren.
Som Tum
Papayasalat mit Limette, Fischsauce und Chili; die Isan-Variante mit fermentierter Fischsauce Pla Ra ist salziger und kräftiger. Standardmäßig scharf, mild musst du ausdrücklich bestellen.
Klebreis
Im Bambuskörbchen gedampft und mit der Hand gegessen — im Isan Hauptnahrungsmittel, nicht Beilage. Er gehört zu Grillfleisch, Dips und Salaten immer dazu.
Kai Yang und Sai Krok Isan
Mariniertes Grillhähnchen und kurze, fermentierte Reiswürste vom Holzkohlerost, dazu Kohl, Ingwer und rohe Chilis. Die häufigste Kombination an den Abendmärkten.
Abendmärkte im Zentrum
Rund um den Markt Tung Si Mueang und die Bahnhofsgegend bauen abends Garküchen auf: Grillspieße, Papayasalat, Nudeln, Rotis und Säfte. Günstig, schnell und ohne Karte — bestellt wird, was in der Auslage liegt.
Culture and History
The area has been settled since the Bronze Age. At Ban Chiang, about 50 kilometres to the east, graves containing painted pottery, tools, and early bronze objects were discovered. Since 1992, the site has been a UNESCO World Heritage site. The pottery with red spiral patterns is now a landmark of the province.The city itself is young. Prince Prachak Sinlapakhom founded it in 1893 as an administrative centre for northern Isan, partly in response to French pressure on the Mekong. His monument stands in the centre.During the Vietnam War, a large US Air Force base was located near Udon Thani from the 1960s to the mid-1970s. This changed the economy and streetscape, a story told by the city museum.Isan is spoken, and sticky rice with papaya salad, Larb, and grilled meat are eaten. Thanks to Vietnamese immigration, Nam Nueang, a pork sausage to wrap yourself in rice paper, is almost a local dish in Udon.
Local adventures
The city is sprawling and car-centric. You can walk around Nong-Prajak-Park and the markets; otherwise, use numbered Songthaews, motorcycle taxis, tuk-tuks, or ride-hailing apps.The train line from Bangkok to Nong Khai stops here, and the airport has several daily flights from Bangkok. Buses and minibuses run to Nong Khai and across the Friendship Bridge to Vientiane.The Red Lotus Lake near Kumphawapi is about 45 kilometers to the south. Boats depart early in the morning as the blossoms close later in the day. Tours are available in the city.Ban Chiang is about 50 kilometers to the east. You'll be more flexible with your own vehicle or a driver than with Songthaews. For the museum and excavation pit, allow two to three hours.For current safety and health advice, including road traffic information, refer to the Federal Foreign Office.
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