🔄 Updated 21 Jun 2026
Ubolratana Dam was Isan's first large hydroelectric and water-storage dam. The dam wall and the spots most people know sit on the Ubolratana district side in Khon Kaen, but the reservoir behind it is huge, and its northern shore stretches into Non Sang and Si Bun Rueang districts of Nong Bua Lamphu. On this side the Phu Phan Kham hills run right along the water, giving you a layered hill-and-water view that the Khon Kaen side doesn't have. Locals in Nong Bua Lamphu casually call this stretch the Non Sang Sea. Facilities here aren't as built up as on the Khon Kaen side, but you get a calm atmosphere and a full sweep of natural scenery.
Phu Aen Skywalk — the viewpoint above the dam
If you had to pick one spot on the Nong Bua Lamphu side with the fullest view over Ubolratana Dam's water, many people would go with Phu Aen Skywalk. It sits on the Phu Phan Kham ridge in Ban Kho subdistrict, Non Sang district, inside Phu Kao-Phu Phan Kham National Park. This used to be the Chong Khao Khat viewpoint where people stopped for photos for years, then in 2023 a skywalk path was built jutting out from the cliff, giving you a roughly 180-degree view of the dam from about 275 metres above sea level. Look down and you see the wide water, Non Yao Beach, and villagers' fishing boats as tiny dots on the surface.
You arrange your visit at the visitor centre at the Phu Kao-Phu Phan Kham National Park headquarters, open roughly 08:30-16:30. The prettiest time is from late afternoon, around 16:00 onwards, when the sun softens and the hills and water stand out clearly, and as the sun starts to drop toward the water is when people come specifically to wait and shoot.
Tip
On some days the skywalk closes a bit before official hours. If you really mean to stay for sunset, calling the park headquarters first is the surest move. The road up is a mountain road, so drive carefully on the bends and allow a little extra time to walk up to the viewpoint.
Want more out of Nong Bua Lamphu? Book tours & activities
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.
Non Yao Beach — Isan's freshwater sea
If Phu Aen is about taking in the view from the hill, Non Yao Beach is about getting down to the water itself. It's a sandy beach along the reservoir at Ban Non Yao, Khok Yai subdistrict, Non Sang district. Locals here call it the Non Sang Sea or Nong Bua Lamphu's Pattaya 2. In the dry season the water drops and a sand beach emerges, running about 1 kilometre, with clear water and the Phu Phan Kham hills as a backdrop. There are restaurants, floating rafts, inner tubes, and banana boats for swimming. The vibe is rural and easygoing, and at times you'll see cattle wandering past and villagers heading out in boats to fish.
Non Yao Beach is about 60 kilometres from Nong Bua Lamphu town. People mostly come in the hot season and around Songkran, when the water is low and the crowds come to swim. Early in the morning it's a spot to watch the sun rise over the Phu Kao-Phu Phan Kham ridgeline, beautiful and uncrowded. If you like a quiet atmosphere, come early and you can have almost the whole beach to yourself.
Straight talk
Non Yao Beach is at its prettiest, with the most exposed sand, from late dry season through Songkran. If you come in the rainy season or when the water is high, the sand may be submerged and swimming isn't really possible. The shops and activities also open and close with the season. It's a simple local beach, not a resort sea with rentals ready every day, so check the timing before you go.
Hills mirrored in the water — driving along the dam
The charm of the Phu Phan Kham side is the low ridgeline that runs along the water for a long way. When the wind drops at dawn and dusk, the surface goes flat enough to mirror the hills and sky like glass. The drive along the reservoir in Non Sang district passes freshwater fishing villages, with pull-offs for photos here and there. You don't need an official viewpoint to find a good angle, and locals often come out to sit and catch the breeze by the water in the evening.
- Early morning — the water is at its stillest, the hills mirror clearly, and the sun rises over the Phu Kao-Phu Phan Kham ridge at Non Yao Beach.
- Evening from 16:00 onwards — the light softens, perfect for going up Phu Aen Skywalk to wait for sunset over the water.
- Late rainy into cool season — green trees, cool air, the reservoir full, and the view at its richest.
Riverside restaurants — fish and a breeze by the dam
On the food front, it's only honest to say the side with more, livelier restaurants is the Ubolratana district side in Khon Kaen, especially around Non Than Beach, which people casually call Bang Saen 2. On the Nong Bua Lamphu (Non Sang) side the restaurants are more spread out and simpler, focused on fish from the dam like grilled fish, fried fish, and tom yum fish, alongside local Isan-style som tum and laab. We've gathered the restaurants and eating spots that are genuinely open around the reservoir on both sides, since many people visit Phu Aen on the Nong Bua Lamphu side and then cross over to eat on the Khon Kaen side in one trip.
Restaurants along Non Yao Beach (Non Sang)
A cluster of restaurants and stalls along Non Yao Beach on the Nong Bua Lamphu side, focused on fish from the dam, som tum, and laab. Sit right by the water and swim straight after, with a simple rural atmosphere.
Ruean Phan Kham
A spacious riverside dining room with dam views, great for groups or larger parties. The dishes people order most are three-flavour fish and garlic fried fish.
Rim Khuean Coffee
A rural-style restaurant on the shore of Ubolratana Dam with a full spread of Isan food — som tum, yum, laab, nam tok, grilled fish, and rice dishes. Sits between the dam and Nam Phong park.
Baan Pai Mai (Non Than Beach)
A slow-life wooden-house cafe by the dam, shaded by big trees, with drip coffee as the highlight and easy dishes like sticky rice with pork. Good for sitting back and taking photos.
Kee Ree Tara
A riverside restaurant near Ubolratana Dam on the Khon Kaen side, with open water views and an easy atmosphere. Good for a lunch break before or after going up to the viewpoint.
Shops at Phu Kao-Phu Phan Kham park headquarters
There are shops and a rest area at the park headquarters selling snacks and drinks, handy as a stop on the way up Phu Aen Skywalk. The food isn't varied but it's convenient while you're up on the hill.
Straight talk
Many of the restaurants along the dam are busiest on weekends and long holidays. On weekdays some close or trim their menus. If you mean to eat at one place in particular, calling ahead or checking the restaurant's page for the day you're going is safer. The prices listed are rough ranges for typical fish and Isan dishes, and may change with the size of the fish and the season.
How to make a Phu Phan Kham trip work
The spots on the Nong Bua Lamphu side are spread across Non Sang district — Phu Aen Skywalk on the ridge, Non Yao Beach by the water, and the drive along the reservoir. Coming from Nong Bua Lamphu town it takes about an hour to reach the Non Sang zone, and most people cover this side comfortably in a single day. If you also want to eat at a riverside restaurant on the Khon Kaen side, you can cross over in the same trip. Here's a rough plan you can actually follow.
Afternoon-evening: up Phu Aen for sunset
Morning-evening: swim at Non Yao Beach + Phu Aen
Getting there
Nong Bua Lamphu has no airport and little in-town public transport, so the smoothest way is a private car or rental. Most people fly into Udon Thani and drive in, about an hour, then another hour or so from Nong Bua Lamphu town to the Non Sang zone. The spots sit on different stretches of the dam, so a private car lets you see everything with the most flexibility.
Want a full plan covering all of Nong Bua Lamphu
See the Nong Bua Lamphu travel guide →