How to
Get Here

First and foremost don't mix up the North-East of Thailand with the North. Our North-East has a different language, landscape & culture. We're Isan.

While the North is dominated by the city of Chiang Mai, here the plains of Isan are known for their engaging people, their different cuisine and the mighty Maekong. This is the area of Thailand where the least number of tourists visit, making it less spoilt and more natural than other areas.

As you can see from the World Map, Nong Khai is right on the edge of Thailand...on the other side of the border, about 16 km upstream as the crow flies, is Vientiane... and the border is made by the Maekong River. To find Mut Mee: Click Here for a map of Nong Khai Town.

By Train:

From Bangkok there are four trains a day; at 06.42, 19.25, 20.00 and 20.45. The best train is at 20.00 and takes 10 hours, the others take about 30 minutes to an hour longer.
There are very good sleeping cars on these trains which cost about 480 Baht (12 US $). You even get clean starched sheets and a pillow!

By Air:

 There are many flights a day from Bangkok Domestic Airport at Don Muang (part of the International Airport) to Udon Thani and return to Bangkok. At present Thai, Air Asia, and Nok Air are extremely cheap. Tickets for all carriers can be booked online, while prices are variable depending on when you book.

On arrival at Udon Thani Airport there is a "Limousine" minibus service from the Airport which meets every Thai Airways flight and comes directly to Mut Mee in Nong Khai. Tickets can be purchased in the foyer of Udon Thani Airport and cost 200 Baht (6 US $). The trip from the Airport to Mut Mee takes approximately 50 minutes. Alternatively one can hire a taxi from the airport to Nong Khai which costs around 700 Baht.

By Bus:

There are buses from all directions to Nong Khai. Overnight "VIP" bus services leave from Bangkok in the evening and take about ten hours to get here. From Chiang Mai there is an overnight bus service which arrives in Udon Thani in the morning...from Udon Thani to Nong Khai takes approximately one hour.

There are regular bus services along the Maekong River on highway 211 from the west, via Loei, Chiang Khan, Pak Chom, and then (as shown on map below) Sang Khom, Sri Chiang Mai and Tha Bo. Also, there are regular services along the riverbank from the East via Bung Khan and then (as shown on map) Phon Phisai to Nong Khai.

As can be seen from the map Udon Thani is very close (54 km) and there are regular services every twenty or thirty minutes during the daytime.
Please check out our page for information on obtaining a thai visa.
From Laos:

From Vientiane, take a taxi, bus, or (if you don't mind having your spine jolted for 16 km) tuk tuk to the Friendship Bridge. Go through immigration then buy a ticket for the bus to take you over the bridge. If you are traveling on any European Union or North American passport you will be given 30 days automatic entry to Thailand without a visa. If you do already have a visa to Thailand (obtainable from the Thai Embassy in Vientiane) you will be given 60 days.

After passing through Thai Immigration and Customs, you get back on the bus and travel the 150 metres to the bus station, south of the border. At the station there are many tuk tuks that will bring you straight to Mut Mee (40 Baht, 1US $).

For those wishing to skip the dust and heat of Vientiane, it is very easy to get down from Vang Vieng (140 Km north of Vientiane) to Vientiane and on to Nong Khai in one day.
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