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Major city · Thailand

Ubon Ratchathaniอุบลราชธานี

Give Ubon 2 nights as a Mekong and Khmer-ruins base, or 1 night if you are only breaking the Bangkok–Pakse journey.

Weather
see forecast
Currency
THB
Best months
Nov–Feb
avoid Mar–May (hot and smoky), Sep–Oct (wettest)
Airport
UBP
Nights
2
Not field-verifiedbasic guide
Print / PDF guide
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
Rules in force · 6Drug trafficking can carry the death penalty in Singapore…
  • Southeast Asia ↗Drug trafficking can carry the death penalty in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Brunei and Myanmar; never carry a bag or parcel for anyone.
  • Southeast Asia ↗Carry a passport valid for at least six months from entry with two blank pages; airlines refuse boarding on less.
  • Thailand ↗Check entry rules and any arrival card on the official Thai government sites for your passport; visa-exempt stays and pre-arrival forms change.
  • Thailand ↗Do not criticise or mock the monarchy: insulting the royal family is a criminal offence.
  • Thailand ↗Temples and palaces: shoulders and knees covered, shoes off before entering halls.
  • Thailand ↗E-cigarettes and vapes are illegal to import or use; do not pack them.

Ubon is a low-rise Mun River city in southern Isaan, 582 km from Bangkok, and the practical gateway to the Lao border at Chong Mek and to Pha Taem's cliff paintings. The city itself is a half-day of temples, a museum and a night market; the province is where the days go. Most travellers pass through on the way to Pakse or use it as a two-night stop for the national parks.

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Ubon Ratchathani, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • CoffeeCoffee or iced drink฿40–80 (≈ US$2–3)
  • Street or quick mealNoodle soup or som tam plate฿50–120 (≈ US$2–4)
  • Beerdraught in a bar / can at a 7-Eleven฿70–120 (≈ US$3–4)฿35–60 (≈ US$2)
  • Taxi, about 5 kmTuk-tuk across the centre฿20–40 (≈ US$1–2)
  • SIM or eSIM, a weekeSIM or data SIM, about a week฿250–500 (≈ US$8–16)
  • Museum or sight ticketNational park entry, foreign adult฿200 (≈ US$7)
  • Budget bedHostel or guesthouse bed, a night, per person฿250 (≈ US$8)
  • Mid-range bedDouble room, mid hotel, a night, per room฿1,200 (≈ US$40)
  • High-end bedDouble room, mid hotel, a night, per room฿2,800 (≈ US$90)

A day, not counting the bed: Budget ฿900 (≈ US$30) · Mid ฿1,800 (≈ US$60) · High ฿3,500 (≈ US$110)

Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Pha Taem prehistoric cliff paintingsMun River and Mekong confluence at Khong ChiamCandle Festival in JulyChong Mek border crossing to Laos
Airports
UBP Ubon Ratchathani Airport (About 4 km north of the centre; fixed-price taxi coupon from the arrivals counter, ฿100)

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Ubon Ratchathani: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

32°C

17°C

1 rd

Feb

34°C

20°C

2 rd

Mar

36°C

23°C

4 rd

Apr

36°C

25°C

8 rd

May

34°C

25°C

15 rd

Jun

33°C

25°C

17 rd

Jul

32°C

24°C

18 rd

Aug

31°C

24°C

20 rd

Sep

31°C

24°C

19 rd

Oct

32°C

23°C

12 rd

Nov

32°C

20°C

4 rd

Dec

31°C

17°C

1 rd

High / low °C · rd = rain days

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

Thirteen numbered, colour-coded songthaew routes cover the city at a flat ฿10 per ride; route 2 links the bus terminal, the clock-tower roundabout and the railway station. Tuk-tuks and samlors cost ฿20–40 after you agree the fare. For the national parks you need a rented car or motorbike, or a hired taxi with a fixed day rate.

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Pha Taem National Park

go

Door to door: 1–1.5 h each way

Highway 2134 (≈ US$70) by rented car or hired taxi, about 70 km northeast

Cliff paintings, Sao Chaliang rock pillars and the Mekong viewpoint; foreigners pay ฿200 park entry. Start early, the site is exposed.

Khong Chiam and Maenam Song Si

go

Door to door: 1.5 h each way

Same road as Pha Taem, about 80 km; pair the two in one day

The Mun meets the Mekong here; the two-colour water shows best in the dry season.

Kaeng Tana National Park

caution

Door to door: About 1 h each way

Highway 2173 (≈ US$70), about 60 km east

Small rapids and river beach; worth it only if you already have a car.

Chong Mek / Pakse

overnight

Door to door: 2–3 h to the border, 4–5 h to Pakse

International bus from the Ubon bus terminal, twice daily, ฿200 (≈ US$7) to Pakse

The bus waits for visa-on-arrival formalities; bring a passport photo and US dollars or baht for the Lao visa fee.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Thung Si Mueang / city centre

Park, city pillar shrine and national museum on foot; guesthouses and small hotels within a few blocks.

Mun River waterfront

Riverside hotels and night food stalls; 10–15 min walk or a short songthaew ride from the centre.

Warin Chamrap

South bank by the railway station and Ubon Ratchathani University; cheaper rooms, useful if you arrive or leave by train.

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
฿700–1,200 (≈ US$25–40) excl. bed
Mid
฿1,200–2,500 (≈ US$40–80) excl. bed
High
฿2,500 (≈ US$80)+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Double room, mid hotel1 × 2 nights × ฿1,200฿2,400
Food, local transport, entries2 × 2 days × ฿1,800฿7,200
Airport taxi coupon, one way2 × ฿100฿200
Songthaew ride2 × ฿10฿20
Car with driver, one day to Pha Taem1 × ฿2,500 · check฿2,500
eSIM, about a week of data2 × ฿300฿600
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurge฿1,292
Trip total≈ ฿3,553 per person per day, bed included฿14,212≈ US$450

2026 estimate in baht; flights and long-distance buses excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Coffee or iced drink฿40–80 (≈ US$2–3)
Noodle soup or som tam plate฿50–120 (≈ US$2–4)
Beer: draught in a bar / can at a 7-Eleven฿70–120 (≈ US$3–4) / ฿35–60 (≈ US$2)
Songthaew ride฿10 (≈ under US$1)
Tuk-tuk across the centre฿20–40 (≈ US$1–2)
National park entry, foreign adult฿200 (≈ US$7)
eSIM or data SIM, about a week฿250–500 (≈ US$8–16)

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Ubon is calm and low-rise; the real risks are the heat, unlit rural roads after dark and unlicensed motorbike rentals. Keep to the main roads at night and carry your licence.
  • Songthaews stop running in the evening; the last one from the bus terminal leaves at 19:00.
  • No meters on taxis: buy the coupon at the airport counter or agree the fare before you get in.
  • The Chong Mek border crossing has posted hours and closes in the evening; check before you plan a same-day crossing.
  • Rent a car or motorbike only with an IDP plus your home licence; police checkpoints are common on Highway 24.

Emergency numbers

Police
191
Ambulance and rescue
1669
Tourist police (English)
1155

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

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Ubon Ratchathaniอุบลราชธานี

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

ไปที่อยู่นี้ครับ/ค่ะTo this address, please

Emergency

  • Police191
  • Ambulance and rescue1669
  • Tourist police (English)1155

Embassy

No embassies in Ubon; the US, UK, Canadian and Australian missions are in Bangkok. The Lao consulate for visa questions is in Khon Kaen (check).

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Airport → city centre, taxi coupon: ฿100 (≈ US$4), 10–15 min
  • Ubon bus terminal → Pakse, international bus: ฿200 (≈ US$7), 4–5 h with border formalities
  • Ubon → Bangkok by train, 2nd class A/C sleeper: ฿700–980 (≈ US$25–35), 8.5–11.5 h

Say or show

  • สวัสดี — Hello (sawatdee)
  • ขอบคุณ — Thank you (khop khun)
  • เท่าไหร่ — How much is it? (thao rai)
  • แพงไป — Too expensive (phaeng pai)
  • ห้องน้ำอยู่ไหน — Where is the toilet? (hong nam yu nai)
  • ไปที่นี้ — Please take me to this address (pai thi ni)

Songthaew routes and park fees change; confirm at the TAT office on Khuan Thani Road before you set out.

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Ubon Ratchathani. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: Nov–Feb · avoid Mar–May (hot and smoky), Sep–Oct (wettest) · month by month →
  2. 1 airport and 3 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 4 day-trips, door to door
  6. 4 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contract for UBP: taxi coupon price, last songthaew and a hotel near Thung Si Mueang.
  2. Four walking clusters with rescue anchors: Thung Si Mueang, the riverfront, Warin Chamrap and the bus terminal.
  3. Place pages with verified cutoffs for Pha Taem, Kaeng Tana and the national museum, plus eat pages with last orders.
  4. Border-day fixture for Chong Mek so the Laos leg can go green.

Meanwhile

Back to Thailand

Sources