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Nong Bua Lamphu With the Family
2 Days, 1 Night, Easy With Kids

Nong Bua Lamphu is a small, easy-going town that's simple to get around and never crowded, which makes it a good pick for bringing along grandparents and young kids without rushing. The sights sit close together — most are a 10–20 minute drive apart — and you get a bit of everything: quiet forest temples, a roadside waterfall with a short walk down, reservoirs for catching the breeze, a dinosaur museum kids love, and cafes where the grown-ups can sit with a coffee. We've laid this out as a relaxed 2-day, 1-night plan with room for naps and real meal breaks, so it never feels packed.

👶 Kid-friendly🚗 Short drives💸 Many free stops
Nong Bua Lamphu With the Family 2 Days, 1 Night, Easy With Kids

🔄 Updated 21 Jun 2026

Let's be straight from the start: Nong Bua Lamphu is a small province and doesn't have as many sights as a big city. The upside is that everything sits close together, the driving is easy, and you're not fighting crowds — perfect for a family that wants a slow trip and can bring little kids or older relatives along. The main spots cluster around the town center and along Highway 210 toward Udon Thani, and most are free or charge very little. This plan mixes nature, temples, a museum, and cafes, alternating them so every age in the family can have fun together.

The 2-day, 1-night overview before the details

  • Day one — stays in and around town. Start at Nong Bua Public Park and the King Naresuan Shrine, swing by the petrified-shell museum and dinosaur park that kids love, head to Wat Tham Klong Phen in the afternoon, and wind down at a cafe in the evening.
  • Day two — heads out to nature: Tao To Waterfall just off Highway 210, then on to a reservoir where the kids can run around in the breeze, before closing the trip with lunch and a few souvenirs.
  • Where to stay — a hotel in the Nong Bua Lamphu town center is the most convenient, since it's central and makes it easy to come back for a midday nap with the kids.

A tip for touring a small town with kids

Because the sights are so close together, you don't have to cram them all into one stretch. We suggest heading back to the hotel in the late afternoon so the kids can nap, then coming back out to a cafe or the public park in the evening once it cools down. The kids stay happy and the grown-ups don't burn out.

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Book the activities in your Nong Bua Lamphu trip ahead

Booking online ahead on Klook or GetYourGuide is usually cheaper than the gate and skips the queue. Pick only the experiences you actually want — prices and availability are shown live on each site.

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Day one — town, the dinosaur museum, and Wat Tham Klong Phen

Day 1

Town, museum, forest temple, cafe

08:30
Start the morning at Nong Bua Public Park and the King Naresuan the Great Shrine in the town centerThe park sits along the Nong Bua lake in the middle of town, with a path around the water where kids can run and feed the fish. The King Naresuan Shrine is in the same area and locals come to pay respects and make wishes. Around the shrine you'll see rows of rooster figurines left as votive offerings — kids are usually fascinated by them.
10:00
The 150-million-year-old Petrified Shell Museum and the open-air Dinosaur Park (Ban Huai Duea, Non Than subdistrict)Kids love this stop. There are fossilized shells and dinosaur remains roughly 150 million years old that villagers dug up in an abandoned mine, plus an outdoor zone of model dinosaurs that move and make sounds. It's about 17–20 km from town, so leave plenty of time for the kids to walk around and take it all in.
12:00
Lunch at an Isan restaurant or a made-to-order spot in town, then back to the hotel for the kids to napThe midday sun is strong, so take a 1–2 hour break at the hotel to let the kids and adults recover before the afternoon round.
14:30
Wat Tham Klong Phen (Non Than subdistrict) — pay respects and visit the Luang Pu Khao Analayo museumA forest meditation temple at the foot of the Phu Phan range — shaded, quiet, and peaceful. It's open roughly 08:00–17:00 and free to enter. There's a museum of the monk's belongings and a wax figure of Luang Pu Khao, plus large boulders to walk among. You can bring kids, but hold their hands — there are rocks and slopes — and it's a natural moment to teach them to be calm and respectful inside a temple.
16:30
Sit at a cafe and rest your legs — coffee for the grown-ups, a snack for the kidsNong Bua Lamphu has several cafes with a nice atmosphere, like The Chato Café with its European-style garden and plenty of photo corners, or spots that look out over green rice fields. Pick one with open space where the kids can wander — it's easier on everyone.
18:30
Dinner in town, then back to the hotelThe town center has a decent number of restaurants and evening eats. Choose somewhere near the hotel for an easy trip back so the kids get to bed early and are ready for the next day.

On visiting a temple with little ones

Wat Tham Klong Phen is a forest meditation temple, so the atmosphere is built around quiet. If you're bringing small kids, pack a quiet toy or a snack to keep them occupied, and time your walk for when there's no ceremony so you don't disturb people who've come to practice.

Day two — Tao To Waterfall, a reservoir, and wrapping up

Day 2

Nature, a waterfall, a reservoir

08:30
Pack up, check out, and head for Tao To Waterfall just off Highway 210Tao To Waterfall is about 3 km from town in the direction of Udon Thani. Park and walk down to the falls — around 150 meters. It's free, the walk is short, and it's a good fit for families. Open roughly 08:30–16:30.
09:00
Splash around in the shallows at Tao To Waterfall, take photos, and breathe in the forest airIt's a low, shaded waterfall set in the forest with shallow pools the kids can wade into, but watch the water level by season. In the rainy season the current is strong, so be careful; in the dry season the water runs low. Bring non-slip shoes and a towel for the kids, and keep an adult close at all times.
11:00
Move on to a reservoir, catch the breeze, and let the kids run around by the waterNong Bua Lamphu has several reservoirs, like Huai Pha Wang Reservoir with its wide-open view — a good spot to lay out a mat and eat. Some areas offer raft rides. Pick a reservoir that's on your way back so you don't have to detour.
12:30
Lunch by the water or at a local restaurant — try the fresh-fish Isan dishesMany reservoirs have waterside restaurants serving grilled fish, tom yum, and laab pla. Kids can have sticky rice with grilled chicken, and the open, easy setting lets them wander while they wait.
14:00
Stop for souvenirs in town before heading homeNong Bua Lamphu has local goods like woven textiles, processed snacks, and regional sweets. Close out the trip at an easy pace before the drive back — if you're coming from Udon Thani the distance is short and the return isn't tiring.

If you have an extra half-day

Families with slightly older kids who like the outdoors can add Phu Phan Noi. It has a camping and relaxation zone and a forest zone for hiking and mountain biking — good for kids who can't sit still and want to burn off energy. But if you're bringing very young children or older relatives, we'd stick with the main two-day plan for now, since it's easier and doesn't involve much walking.

Older kids/active

Phu Phan Noi

Split into a camping and relaxation zone and a forest adventure zone, with hiking trails and mountain biking. Good for older kids and the active crowd.

Chill/waterside

Huai Pha Wang Reservoir

A wide, open view where you can sit and catch the breeze, with raft tours in some seasons. Good for laying out a mat and eating with the family.

Getting ready to tour Nong Bua Lamphu with kids

  • Your own car is the most convenient — the sights are spread out and public transport within the province is limited. If you don't have a car, renting one in Udon Thani (about 45–50 km away) and driving in is the easier route.
  • Leave time for the kids to rest — pick a place to stay in town so you can come back for a midday break instead of dragging the kids around all day.
  • Basics to pack — non-slip shoes for the waterfall, hats and drinking water, mosquito repellent for the forest temple and the reservoir, and a towel in case the kids get in the water.
  • Check the water level by season — Tao To Waterfall is prettiest and fullest in the rainy season, but the current runs stronger; in the dry season the water is low. Always check conditions on the spot before letting kids in.
  • Carry cash — local shops, markets, and some entry points handle cash more easily than transfers.

See places to stay in the Nong Bua Lamphu town center, close to the sights and easy to come back to

See the Top 10 Nong Bua Lamphu hotels →

FAQ

Can you visit Nong Bua Lamphu with young kids?

Easily. It's a small town where the sights sit close together — most are a 10–20 minute drive apart. There's a public park for kids to run around, a dinosaur museum they love, and Tao To Waterfall with a short walk down. We'd recommend staying at a hotel in town so you can come back for a midday nap.

Where is the petrified-shell and dinosaur museum, and is it good for kids?

It's at Ban Huai Duea in Non Than subdistrict, about 17–20 km from town. It displays fossilized shells and dinosaur remains roughly 150 million years old, plus an outdoor zone of model dinosaurs that move and make sounds — kids tend to love it. Allow about 1–1.5 hours to walk around.

Can kids swim at Tao To Waterfall?

They can wade in the shallows, but it depends on the season. In the rainy season the water is high and the flow is stronger, so take extra care; in the dry season it runs lower. Bring non-slip shoes and keep an adult close at all times. The falls are just off Highway 210, about 3 km from town, with a roughly 150-meter walk down from the parking area. Free entry.

What are the hours at Wat Tham Klong Phen, and is there an entry fee?

It's open daily, roughly 08:00–17:00, with free entry. It's a forest meditation temple at the foot of the Phu Phan range, with a museum of belongings and a wax figure of Luang Pu Khao Analayo. You can bring kids but should hold their hands — there are rocks and slopes — and help them stay calm, since it's a temple focused on quiet.

Where should you stay when bringing the family?

We'd recommend staying in the Nong Bua Lamphu town center, since it's central among the sights, close to everything, and makes it easy to come back for a midday nap with the kids. You can find options on our Top 10 Nong Bua Lamphu hotels page.

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