π Updated 21 Jun 2026
What makes this trip work is that the two cities have different characters but are only an hour and a half apart by car. Roi Et is a small, compact town you can see almost entirely on foot, with Bueng Phlan Chai in the center paired with the new 101 Tower landmark, a calm feel, and cheap eats. Khon Kaen is the biggest city in central Isan, with Bueng Kaen Nakhon lake, the 9-tier Phra Maha That Kaen Nakhon, a dinosaur museum, and a whole crop of new cafes around Khon Kaen University. Putting them together over two days gives you both the slow small town and the busy big city in one trip.
Before you set off
This trip is easiest with your own car, because the main Roi Et to Khon Kaen route is a straight run along Highway 23 through Maha Sarakham in the middle. The sights in each city are fairly spread out, especially Phra Maha Chedi Chai Mongkhon in Roi Et's Nong Phok district, which is another 80 km or so out from town. If you don't have a private car, renting one from Khon Kaen or Roi Et airport and driving yourself keeps you on schedule far better. Budget for fuel and around 120 to 150 km of driving per day.
Day 1 β Roi Et highlights, then up to Khon Kaen
Day one starts in downtown Roi Et from morning into the afternoon, covering Bueng Phlan Chai, the 101 Tower, and the Great Buddha at Wat Burapha Phiram, all of which are in town and walkable to one another. Then you drive up to overnight in Khon Kaen in the evening, so the next morning you can start exploring Khon Kaen straight away without backtracking. The route from Roi Et up to Khon Kaen uses Highway 23 through Maha Sarakham, an easy drive the whole way.
Roi Et β Khon Kaen
Where to stay tonight
Staying in Khon Kaen tonight is the most convenient option, since you can start exploring Khon Kaen first thing the next morning. Khon Kaen is a big city with far more accommodation choices than Roi Et, from budget chain hotels to large hotels attached to shopping centers. Pick somewhere central or near Bueng Kaen Nakhon and you can easily walk to food and cafes.
Book the activities in your Roi Et 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 β prices and availability are shown live on each site.
Day 2 β Bueng Kaen Nakhon, the 9-tier stupa, and Khon Kaen cafes
Day two is mostly spent in Khon Kaen city. Start at Bueng Kaen Nakhon paired with Wat Nong Waeng, home to the 9-tier Phra Maha That Kaen Nakhon. Go to the top floor and you see the whole lake and the city. If you have more time, add the Phu Wiang Dinosaur Museum out to the west, then catch a cafe and some souvenirs before driving back.
Explore Khon Kaen, then head back
Sights not to miss in both provinces
101 Tower (Roi Et)
A city-view tower about 101 meters tall in Somdet Phra Srinagarindra Park, next to Bueng Phlan Chai. From the top you see Roi Et in every direction, and there's a city museum, a coffee shop, and a zipline off the tower. It's the new landmark and the main highlight on the Roi Et side.
Bueng Kaen Nakhon and the 9-tier Phra That Kaen Nakhon (Khon Kaen)
A large lake in central Khon Kaen with the 9-tier Phra Maha That Kaen Nakhon at Wat Nong Waeng. Climb to the top floor and you see the whole lake and city. It's a spot where you get both merit-making and a city view in one place, the main highlight on the Khon Kaen side.
Bueng Phlan Chai (Roi Et)
A lake in the center of Roi Et covering around 50 rai, with an island, the city pillar shrine, and a large walking-pose Buddha. It's a public park where locals come to walk and exercise, and a fitting place to open a Roi Et trip.
Wat Burapha Phiram and the Great Buddha (Roi Et)
A temple in Roi Et town with a very tall blessing-pose Buddha you can spot from far away, a city icon that locals revere. It's near Bueng Phlan Chai, so it's easy to drop by for some merit-making.
Phra Maha Chedi Chai Mongkhon (Roi Et)
A large white-and-gold chedi about 101 meters tall at Wat Pha Nam Thip Thep Prasit Wararam in Nong Phok district. It sits on a hill and is visible from far off, with intricate detailing inside and out. It's about 80 km from Roi Et town, good if you can add another day.
Phu Wiang Dinosaur Museum (Khon Kaen)
A museum displaying dinosaur skeletons and fossils excavated at Phu Wiang, out in Wiang Kao district to the west of the city, about an hour and a half drive away. Great for traveling with kids and anyone who loves dinosaurs.
What to eat along the way
This route is solid Isan-food territory, with local dishes easy to find in both cities. Roi Et is the land of Thung Kula Rong Hai jasmine rice, so the rice here is fragrant to begin with, while Khon Kaen is a big city with more variety and plenty of new-wave cafes. If you pass through Maha Sarakham in between, it's an easy place to stop and eat.
- Thung Kula jasmine rice (Roi Et) β the famous fragrant rice of Thung Kula Rong Hai, eaten with laab, koi, som tam, and grilled chicken at local spots around Bueng Phlan Chai. Easy on the wallet.
- Local Isan dishes β laab, koi, jaew, bamboo-shoot soup, and kaeng om are easy to find in every market across Roi Et, Maha Sarakham, and Khon Kaen, with a bold, genuinely local flavor.
- Mu thup and Isan sausage (Khon Kaen) β a famous Khon Kaen snack and souvenir, sold at souvenir shops in town and easy to take home.
- Cafes around Khon Kaen University β the Kang Sadan area and the streets around Khon Kaen University have lots of new-wave cafes, easy spots to rest or get some work done mid-trip.
Routes and getting around
- Roi Et β Khon Kaen β about 113 km on Highway 23 (Chaeng Sanit Road) through Maha Sarakham in the middle, around an hour and a half to two hours driving yourself. It's the main road and an easy drive, and there are intercity buses and minivans too if you don't have a private car.
- Stop in Maha Sarakham in the middle β Maha Sarakham sits right at the midpoint of the route, so if you have time you can stop at Wat Pa Wang Nam Yen or break for a meal along the way without going out of your way.
- In Roi Et town β Bueng Phlan Chai, the 101 Tower, and Wat Burapha Phiram are all in town and walkable to one another, while Phra Maha Chedi Chai Mongkhon is out in Nong Phok district about 80 km away, so allow another half day for it.
- Flights and trains β both Roi Et and Khon Kaen have airports, and Khon Kaen has more frequent flights plus a train station. Many people fly into Khon Kaen, rent a car, and drive down to Roi Et following this plan.
Pacing the time right
If you only have 2 days and 1 night, focus on the in-town sights on both sides: Bueng Phlan Chai, the 101 Tower, and the Great Buddha on the Roi Et side, plus Bueng Kaen Nakhon and the 9-tier Phra That Kaen Nakhon on the Khon Kaen side, and skip the far-off spots like Phra Maha Chedi Chai Mongkhon and the Phu Wiang Dinosaur Museum for now. If you want to fit in those two distant spots as well, stretch it to 3 days and 2 nights so you're not rushing the drives.
Tweak the plan to your style
Temple and merit-making
Focus on the Great Buddha at Wat Burapha Phiram and the 9-tier Phra That Kaen Nakhon, then add Phra Maha Chedi Chai Mongkhon in Nong Phok if you can spare a day. You'll cover the city icons of both provinces.
City and cafes
Take in Bueng Phlan Chai and the 101 Tower on the Roi Et side, then focus on the cafes around Khon Kaen University and Bueng Kaen Nakhon. Relaxed walking in both cities, no long drives.
Family
Add the Phu Wiang Dinosaur Museum so the kids can see dinosaur skeletons, climb the 101 Tower for the view, and schedule frequent breaks since the driving distances are fairly long.
Plan a full Roi Et trip and see all the stays and sights
See the Roi Et travel guide β