Home of Bueng Phlan Chai, the great Phra Maha Chedi Chai Mongkol, and the Thung Kula Ronghai plains
Roi Et sits in the middle of Isan, best known for the Ho Wot 101 observation tower rising over Bueng Phlan Chai lake in the heart of town, and the big white-and-gold Phra Maha Chedi Chai Mongkol out in Nong Phok district. The town is laid out in a ring around Bueng Phlan Chai, so
Start with stays →Isan food — Som tam, larb, koi, grilled chicken, bamboo-sh
Ho Wot 101 and Bueng Phlan Chai — A tall observation tower shaped like a wot (a
Bueng Kluea (the Isan sea) — A wide lake in Selaphum district with a sa
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6.0Highlights and sights around Roi Et — nature, city and culture
A tall observation tower shaped like a wot (a reed pipe) on the edge of Bueng Phlan Chai, with 360-degree views over town. The lake itself is a water park where locals come to walk and exercise every evening.
A huge white-and-gold chedi on a hill in Nong Phok district, a place to make merit and take in the view over the Phu Khiao range — one of the first things people picture when they think of Roi Et.
A temple in the center of town with a very tall standing Buddha you can spot from far off. It's one of the province's key temples and a place locals come to pray.
A wide plain spreading across several districts of the province, famous for its jasmine rice. In early winter the fields turn lush green — a good place to stop and see rural life.
The province's big merit festival, held every March, with the Phra Wet Sandon procession, the Maha Chat sermon, and a long painted Phawet cloth that the whole town turns out for.
Jasmine rice grown on the Thung Kula plain within the province — fragrant and soft once cooked, and a well-known thing people buy to take home as a gift.
Roi Et's signature food — real local spots, rounded up and ranked
Som tam, larb, koi, grilled chicken, bamboo-shoot soup — bold flavors you'll find all over town and what locals eat day to day.
Quality jasmine rice from the Thung Kula plain in the province — fragrant and soft when cooked, eaten with larb and koi or bought to take home.
Steamed sticky rice goes with every meal, while khao jee — sticky rice brushed with egg and grilled over a fire — is a morning snack at the markets.
Fish from local waters turned into koi, larb pla, and tom yum — homegrown dishes you'll find at Isan eateries around the province.
In the rainy season, wild mushrooms and foraged greens from the fields show up at the fresh markets, cooked into Isan-style curries and soups.
Mu kratha (DIY grill-and-hotpot) is a popular dinner here, with plenty of spots to choose from around Bueng Phlan Chai and the town center.
The town center has plenty of small new cafes — an easy place to sit with a coffee while you're walking around Bueng Phlan Chai.
The evening market in the center brings together Isan snacks and street food to graze on after dark, at local prices.
Ready-made plans — from a day trip to 2–3 days, plus routes to neighbouring provinces
Best time to go, getting around, and what to know before visiting Roi Et
November–February, cool and pleasant for walking around town; if you're here for the merit festival, come in March for Bun Phawet
A tall observation tower shaped like a wot (a reed pipe) on the
A huge white-and-gold chedi on a hill in Nong Phok district, a p
A temple in the center of town with a very tall standing Buddha
A wide plain spreading across several districts of the province,
The province's big merit festival, held every March, with the Ph
Jasmine rice grown on the Thung Kula plain within the province —
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🦖Isaan's hub city — dinosaurs, Bueng Kaen Nakhon lake, and countryside mudmee silk
Explore Khon Kaen →
🚀Home of the rocket festival, Phra That Kong Khao Noi, and the Ban Singha Tha old town
Explore Yasothon →
🐘Elephant country, Khmer temples, and the handwoven silk of southern Isan
Explore Surin →Roi Et sits in the middle of Isan, best known for the Ho Wot 101 observation tower rising over Bueng Phlan Chai lake in the heart of town, and the big white-and-gold Phra Maha Chedi Chai Mongkol out in Nong Phok district. The town is laid out in a ring around Bueng Phlan Chai, so you can walk the lakeside, make merit at Wat Burapha Phiram, then drift between cafes and the evening market without rushing. Out past the city is Thung Kula Ronghai, the plain that grows some of the country's most famous jasmine rice. Roi Et also holds its annual Bun Phawet merit festival every March. It's a place you can visit for the culture, the Isan food, or just an easy stroll around town.
Best time: November–February, cool and pleasant for walking around town; if you're here for the merit festival, come in March for Bun Phawet
