🔄 Updated 21 Jun 2026
Up front, this trip works best if you have a car — whether you drive your own or rent one at Ubon airport — because the star of the show, Wat Phu Prao, sits about 70 km from town out toward Sirindhon district, near the Chong Mek border crossing. Public transport out there is a hassle. If you don't have a car, booking a vehicle with a driver for a half day is the easier call. For day one in town, walking and motorbike taxis (win) get you around just fine.
Trip Overview — 2 Days, 1 Night
The heart of this plan is doing the town on day one, then the glowing temple on day two in the evening. The reason: the glowing kalpaphruek tree at Phu Prao looks its best just after sunset, when the sky hasn't gone fully dark — roughly 6 to past 7 p.m. Slot it into day one and you'll be worn out from just arriving, so it's saved for the end to finish on a high.
- Day 1 — Ubon old town: Wat Thung Si Mueang · the national museum · a café · the Thung Si Mueang night market in the evening.
- Day 2 — drive out of town: Wat Nong Pa Phong · the two-coloured river (Mekong–Mun) · finishing at the glowing temple at Phu Prao in the evening.
- Where to stay — pick the Thung Si Mueang area; you can walk to the night market and the food spots, and it's easy to head out early.
Book the activities in your Ubon Ratchathani 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.
Day 1 — Old Town + the Night Market
An Easy Day Around Ubon Town
Day-one tip
The Ubon walking street only really gets going on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights, but the Thung Si Mueang night market runs every day. So if your trip doesn't land on a weekend, you'll still have plenty to eat — no worries there.
Day 2 — Forest Temple, Two-Coloured River & the Glowing Temple
Today is the driving day. Pack up and leave your lodging mid-morning, then work your way east of the city, finishing at Phu Prao right at dusk. The route isn't hard — main roads almost the whole way — with just a short climb up the hill at the end.
A Long Run Out of Town, Ending at Phu Prao
What to know about the glowing temple
The kalpaphruek tree glows from luminescent material that stores energy from the daytime sun, so on a day that's overcast from morning to night, the glow comes out weaker than usual. Go on a sunny day for a sharper picture, and don't arrive too late — the temple closes around 9:30 p.m.
The Food You Shouldn't Miss on This Trip
Ubon is a serious food town — Isan cooking, long-rooted Vietnamese food, and spots with a Michelin Bib Gourmand. These are places that are open and that locals actually go to. Work them straight into your trip.
Sam Chai Coffee
A legendary Ubon breakfast spot — pan-fried eggs, pa tong go, Vietnamese kuay jap, old-school coffee. Open before the sky even lightens, it's the natural way to start day one.
Mintra Vietnamese Food
A breakfast shop going back more than thirty years, best known for its Vietnamese kuay jap. Choose your noodles several ways — thin, wide, or the old-school hand-cut style — in a well-rounded broth.
Kuay Jap Pratheuang
The famous Vietnamese kuay jap everyone has to try when they come to Ubon — soft noodles, clear broth, generous toppings. A city signature that's hard to find outside lower Isan.
Som Tam Tor.Bor.
A well-known Isan restaurant going more than ten years, near the airport. Big menu, easy prices, a large room with comfy seating — a good stop before your flight home.
Larb Khun Maew
An Isan spot in the old town where you order the larb — cooked or raw, bitter or sour, bold and fully seasoned in true Isan style.
Thung Si Mueang Night Market
Ubon's best street food gathered in the centre of town, open every day, savoury and sweet covered, plenty of seating and friendly prices. Perfect for sweeping up dinner on day one.
Khanuengnit Café
A white, minimalist Korean-style café with a lawn out front by the water. Photogenic, and an easy place to duck out of the afternoon sun on day one.
Sunrise to Midnight
A café in a renovated old building done up with style, with an atmosphere unlike anywhere else around. Good for anyone who likes an unusual photo corner.
Rila Kakao
A Thai craft-chocolate shop in the centre using cacao grown in Thailand, with good chocolate and coffee on the menu. A break that feels different from the usual café.
Which Area to Stay In
For a short trip like this, staying around Thung Si Mueang is the best value — you can walk to the night market, the breakfast spots, and the temples in town, and it's still easy to drive out to the glowing temple on day two without doubling back.
Thung Si Mueang area
Town centre, walkable to the night market, Wat Thung Si Mueang, and breakfast spots. Options run from budget hostels to three-star hotels.
Near Ubon Airport
Good if you're flying in and out, with plenty of budget lodging — but you'll need a short ride into town.
Rough budget per person
Lodging for one night runs about THB 500–1,200 · food for two days about THB 600–900 · petrol or a chartered car out to Phu Prao about THB 800–1,500 per group · museum entry THB 20, temples free. All in, this trip is gentler on the wallet than a lot of other provinces.
Who This Trip Is For
If you like a trip that mixes old town, beautiful temples, and good food without rushing yourself ragged, this plan fits. It suits couples, families, or groups of friends with a car. But if you want to take in nature in full — Pha Taem or Sam Phan Bok — two days will feel cramped; bump it up to three days and two nights and it sits much better.
Want a fuller Ubon trip than this? See the complete Ubon travel guide
See the Ubon Travel Guide →