Nong Khai is on the Mekong River in NE Thailand, primarily visited as it is home to a border crossing with Laos. Yet Nong Khai is also a beautiful place to visit.
Upon arriving in the town we rode about trying to find a nice guesthouse. We came across Mut Mee guesthouse which has a really nice chilled out garden with basic but nice rooms. We got one of the cheapies at 250 baht (nz$12).
There are lots of hammocks scattered about the garden (see pic below), where we could read and relax after all the cycling. It was here that I made the decision to stay for 3 nights, rather than the 2 originally planned.
The first afternoon we arrived we met this wonderful man while buying icecreams at the 7-eleven. The man, Don, approached us after overhearing our question of how to make international calls. Don is a Thai man who has been living in Sydney for the last few decades and has recently moved back to Thailand. After a little chat, he invited us to visit his home the following morning. Usually we say thanks for the offer and somehow dont end up doing it, but there was something different about Don that we wanted to spend more time with him.
So the next morning we bought a few cakes and pastries and went to Don's house for morning tea. His house is amazing with lots of traditional Thai designs and use of wood, with a very stylish yet traditional back garden (see pic below). Don and his wife Lynn were great to chat with and then he showed us the 'must-eat' spots of town. It was definately a morning to remember, and we hope to keep in touch with Don in future visits to Thailand.
Nong Khai also is home to the expansive sculpture park. The artist is influenced by Buddhist and Hindu deities, and has heaps of sculptures, the largest reaching 25m high. Well worth the visit.
That is another great thing about Thailand is that these tourist attractions are so well priced at 10 baht (less the 50 nz cents). Vietnamese attractions, in comparison, are largely overpriced, usually with double-pricing for foreigners and locals. One of the reasons we were glad to leave Vietnam for neighbouring SE Asia countries.
2 comments:
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Hey! This blog site is fabulous for oldies like us keeping track of your adventures. You guys will be sooooo fit for cycling when we meet you in Italy. The French Alps will be a doddle. The bikes and set up look great, you will need all your gears in the hills of Laos. The pace of cycling through the countryside is a great way to see a place.
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