Although Ubon Ratchathani is one of the largest cities in Northeastern Thailand, it remains a generally off-beaten destination. That makes it an ideal getaway for those who prefer laid-back areas away from the bustling metropolis.
The city has natural wonders, including ancient forests, scenic mountain views, rolling hills, towering limestone, sandy beaches, and wildlife sanctuaries. Visiting it will lead tourists to an eco-experience of a lifetime.
Ubon Ratchathani boasts prehistoric cave paintings and a glow-in-the-dark temple, signifying its role as an archaeological hub. Add to that the numerous cultural and historical landmarks within the city proper.
There is much to see and experience in the city and its adjacent areas. For a fun-filled and meaningful itinerary, every wanderer should try some of the best activities in Ubon Ratchathani.
Here is a comprehensive list of the best things to do in Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand.
Follow me on Instagram for more Asia, Finland, and Europe travel tips! 🏕️🏕️🏕️
❗️ Be insured before your trip and get a SafetyWing FREE insurance quote
📚 Read our post about why you should always have insurance
✈️ Find out how to find cheap flights using Skyscanner or find deals now
🛌🏻 Book your accommodation through Booking.com or Agoda.com
🎭 Find awesome and hassle-free tours through GetYourGuide or Klook
🚘 Explore Europe on an epic road trip with Discover Cars
Top 10 Things to Do in Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand
See the Glow of Wat Phu Prao
Also known as Wat Sirindhorn Wanaram Phu Prao, Wat Phu Prao temple is known for its evening glow. Thus, it is aptly dubbed “The Glowing Temple.”
The glow comes from the luminous Tree of Life carved on the chapel’s back gate. During the day, the phosphor Pink Cassia absorbs daylight, giving off a mesmerizing glow when night comes. To see the full glow, it’s best to visit from 6 pm to 8 pm.
However, even during the day, the temple is worth a visit because of its stunning architecture. It lies on a hilltop overlooking the vast mountain ranges and forests of neighboring Laos.
Where to stay in Ubon Ratchathani? Find great deals and book your hotel here!
[irp posts=”26405″ name=”Top 10 Best Things to Do in Thailand with Families”]
Explore the Treasures of Pha Taem National Park
Pha Tam National Park hides priceless treasures, such as a cave with ancient paintings made of hematite and quartz. These paintings date back more than three millennia, making them among the most important heritage in Thailand.
They depict figures of human hands and animals such as the Mekong giant catfish and turtles. Seeing these paintings will give tourists a visual cue of the olden times.
Aside from the cave, the park’s highest peak, called Pha Chanadai is the best viewpoint to catch Thailand‘s first sunbeam. From here, one can also see the mighty Mekong River snaking its way among mountains and hills.
Where to stay in Ubon Ratchathani? Find great deals and book your hotel here!
[irp]
Trek to Sang Chan Falls
Sang Chan Falls, also called Long Roo, is one of the several cascades in Pha Tam National Park. Its name translates to “Moonlight Waterfall” or “Into the Hole Waterfall.”
That’s because it features the stream’s waters falling through a hole in the rock. During a full moon night, the light shining through the hole casts a silver gleam on the water’s surface. That gives it an enchanting view, a rare natural spectacle that tourists will enjoy. Locals offer tents for rent for those who wish to stay overnight here.
Are you planning your travels? Here’re my top travel resources!
I’m a serial planner both in life and in travel – I have bucket lists, things to do, see, and everything. So, I always love when my life is sorted easily using tools and resources that would make my general planning a little smoother and easier. Therefore, in my many years of traveling the world, I’ve seen myself returning to these travel resources repeatedly. And here I am, sharing my tips to make your life easy and breezy so you can stress less, travel heaps, and focus on the fun part of travel!
- Booking.com – I book all my hotels through this website and don’t honestly use anything else. They always have the best prices, in my opinion.
- Airbnb – If I’m traveling long-term to one destination, I book my flats through Airbnb.
- Skyscanner – The best place to find cheap flights on flexible dates. I use this a lot to score cheap flights within Europe!
- SafetyWing – Always travel insured! Never leave your home country without one. It is worth the extra money, I promise you!
- GetYourGuide – Hands-down, the best place to find cool and unique tours if you don’t feel like winging it, and go straight to a local expert. I use this a lot in new destinations to get acquainted with the area!
- My Pretty Wild World Travel Diary (coming soon) – A book you can write down your travel plans, create itineraries, track down your budget, and dot down memories along the way! A handy book you can keep and read later to revisit memory lane.
- Pretty Wild World Travel Planning Printables (coming soon) – Are you a nut like me when it comes to planning? Yes? Good. My travel planning resource in one zip file is an easy-to-use printable planner that comes with tips that helps you plan your travels during the planning stage, a pre-flight checklist, an itinerary planner, and so on.
Relish the Beauty of Sam Phan Bok Rock Reef
Sam Phan Bok Rock Reef means three thousand holes. It is a vast landscape hosting countless sandstone holes with varying shapes and designs. It lies along the banks of the Mekong River, between the boundary of Thailand and Laos.
Some holes are so 6 meters deep that tourists can jump on them to take pictures. These holes are a result of centuries of erosion by the Mekong River. The best time to see them is during the dry months of October to May.
After exploring the rock reefs, tourists can proceed to Had Hong Sand Dunes, which resemble a beach. It’s one of the best spots for viewing the sunset as it slowly sets behind the golden dunes.
Where to stay in Ubon Ratchathani? Find great deals and book your hotel here!
[irp]
Swim at the Chilly Pool of Huai Luang Waterfall
Huai Luang Falls is one of the many attractions in Phu Chong Na Yoi National Park, another off-beaten destination. It cascades like a giant curtain for more than 45 meters toward a wide and deep pool with crystal-clear waters. Swimming on the waters will give tourists instant relief from the simmering tropical heat.
The pristine waters emanate from dense forests upstream, home to an unaccounted wildlife species. Besides the waterfall’s pool, one finds a white sandy beach, a rare spectacle formed by the stream.
During the rainy months of June to October, the waterfall becomes a roaring beauty, spewing magical mists amidst lush vegetation.
Where to stay in Ubon Ratchathani? Find great deals and book your hotel here!
[irp]
Have a Sunbath at Hat Salung Beach
Hat Salung Beach lies along the Mekong River. An extensive stretch of powdery sands formed on the banks of the river. One side of the beach is part of Laos, while the opposite side is under Thailand’s jurisdiction.
Tourists can enjoy the surrounding views of mountains, villages, and temples while strolling on the sands or swimming on the Mekong River. The beach is an ideal site to experience the serenity of Ubon Ratchathani’s nightlife.
Hold up! Have you thought about the importance of travel insurance?
Remember this: anything can happen. Travel is fun, but your health is more important; thus, I always, always, always recommend getting insured during the duration of your trip. I have benefitted from having one multiple times, and it has been covered for thousands of euros!
The latest one is not necessarily “health” related – it was during the peak of the unspeakable terrible C that consumed the world. I was living in Vietnam when I received an email from SafetyWing (my travel insurance) that if I want they’ll fly be back home to Finland as the world goes through a global emergency alert. I flew back fully covered, and dealing with SafetyWing was a breeze despite the roar of people in contact with them trying to get back home.
I can’t highly recommend them enough. Otherwise, I rarely get sick; hence I don’t always need to head to a hospital, but knowing that I have travel insurance makes me feel safe at the very least.
Read my post about why you should get travel insurance for more information. Otherwise, you can get a free quote from SafetyWing – they’re the best, in my opinion.
Enjoy the Views of Hat Wat Tai Beach
Hat Wat Tai Beach is one of the best Ubon Ratchathani tourist attractions in the Nai Mueang Sub-district. It’s a small, beautiful island section right at the heart of the scenic Mun River. Tourists can catch an entrancing view of the beach from the Seriprachathippatai Bridge.
The best time to visit is during the dry months of January to April. The low water level reveals the powdery white sands. Tourists will feel like they are on the coastal beaches when visiting here.
The only difference is that river swellings from the beach. The surrounding waters are crystal-clear, and one cannot help but take a refreshing jump.
Where to stay in Ubon Ratchathani? Find great deals and book your hotel here!
[irp]
Pray at the Wat Maha Manaram
Also referred to as Wat Phra Yai, Wat Maha Wanaram is one of the most visited pilgrimage sites in Ubon Ratchathani. Its name means the Big Buddha Temple, as it hosts a stunning golden statue of Buddha dating back to 1807. The temple’s architecture is Laotian-inspired. The local pilgrims celebrate a full moon day ceremony every April.
Visit the Wat Thung Si Muang Temple
Wat Thung Si Muang Temple was built during the time of Rama III to host a replica of the Buddha’s footprint. The richly-decorated architecture of the temple is an attraction in itself.
But one must-see spot here is the Tripitaka Library, which contains the sacred Pali Canon of Therevada Buddhism. The library also has an enclosed gallery with a few ancient scriptures dating back thousands of years. Wat Thung Si Muang is one of the best Ubon Ratchathani temples.
Where to stay in Ubon Ratchathani? Find great deals and book your hotel here!
Learn Culture at the Ubon Ratchathani National Museum
For tourists who want to learn more about the rich history and culture of Ubon Ratchathani, check out its national museum. It showcases artifacts, old photos, sculptures, and other materials.
One of its prized collections is the 9th-century Ardhanarisvara, a statue showing a merged version of the god Shiva and his consort Uma. The museum may be small, but its extensive collection makes it stand out. The museum opens from Wednesdays to Sundays, with a small fee of $3 per person.
Now that we’ve covered some of the best things to do in Ubon Ratchathani, you should take that leap and journey to this off-beaten destination. Tourists will surely find themselves in constant amazement at every turn here.
Where to stay in Ubon Ratchathani? Find great deals and book your hotel here!
What are my favorite travel must-haves?
As a frequent traveler, I’ve learned a lot throughout my years of travel, and there are five items that I always carry with me regardless of where I go and how long the trip is. Here are my five travel must-haves!
- Warm packable jacket – I always carry a light jacket, even when heading to warm countries. There hasn’t been a time I never used it, especially in airports and planes.
- Transparent toiletry bag – I often bring a carry-on if I’m only traveling within Europe for a few days. Life is so much easier to go through security checks with a transparent toiletry bag.
- Kindle Paperwhite – I love a good read and always take my Kindle everywhere. It keeps me entertained during long flights and waiting times.
- Powerbank – I don’t know how I could travel without one! Having a power bank saved me a ton since I carry a lot of electronic devices with me.
- Travel Adapter – I never leave my luggage without a travel adapter! I carry one with me all the time. It is just one of that travel-must haves that doesn’t hurt to have in your bag at all times.
Planning to visit Thailand soon? Start here!
- How to plan your trip: A Step-by-Step Guide on Planning a Trip to Thailand
- When to visit Thailand: Find out here when to visit and plan your trip according to season
- Itinerary examples: 1-Week Itinerary, 2-weeks in Thailand Itinerary
- How much does it cost to travel Thailand? Read this guide on how to budget your trip!
- How to pack for Thailand? Read this guide to learn what to pack!
- Where to buy groceries in Thailand? Read this guide!
- How to get around Thailand? Read our transportation guide!
- List of places to visit in Thailand: Places to Visit in Thailand, Southern Thailand, Central Thailand, Northern Thailand, and Isaan
- Points of interest in Thailand: Things to do, Cities to Visit, Islands to Chill in, Best Beaches, Surfing Spots, Diving Spots, Best Hiking Destinations, Where to go Camping, Waterfalls to Chase, Temples to Visit, Romantic Destinations, Honeymoon Destinations, National Parks, Unique Experiences, Thai Cuisine, Fine-dining Experience, Attractions to Visit, Tourist Spots, Vacation Spots, Heritage Sites, Family Travel, Adventure Travel, Backpacking Experience, and Beautiful Resorts
- Cultural overview: Thai Customs, Culture and Traditions, Temple Etiquette, Tipping in Thailand, Things to Know Before Your Visit, What NOT To Do in Thailand, Facts about Thailand, Festivals in Thailand, How to Wai, Useful Thai Phrases, and How to Greet in Thai
- My Favorite Places in Thailand: Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Pai, Koh Pha Ngan, Koh Lanta, Pattaya, Koh Samet, and Koh Samui
