🔄 Updated 21 Jun 2026
Mu yo has been tied to Ubon's name for a long time. Its roots come from a Vietnamese recipe brought over by Vietnamese migrants, and it became a local staple. Finely ground pork is wrapped in banana leaves and steamed until fragrant — good plain, or sliced and dipped in chili sauce. But if you're making the trip, don't grab only mu yo, because nearly every well-known shop also carries gun chiang, Isan sausage, naem (fermented pork) and plenty of dried goods to take home.
Mu Yo & Gun Chiang — the shops Ubon locals really buy from
Ubon has several famous mu yo shops that have been around for decades, and each has its own loyal fans — the flavour and the smoothness of the texture differ just a little from one to the next. We've ordered them by popularity and by how easy they are to reach while you're sightseeing. Prices are rough ranges and shift up or down depending on the size of the roll and the time of year.
Mu Yo Tong Nueng
The shop most people think of first when Ubon mu yo comes up. The texture is smooth and firm, wrapped in fragrant banana leaf, and you'll find plain mu yo, peppered mu yo, gun chiang, naem pork ribs, fried pork and pork floss all under one roof. It's one of the most convenient souvenir stops in town.
Por Ubon (Farm Hug Por Ubon)
An Ubon mu yo brand that's sold nationwide, with a roadside storefront at Farm Hug Por Ubon. They carry mu yo, gun chiang, Isan sausage and naem — a good one-stop for anyone driving past who wants to grab everything at once.
Mu Yo Mae Hai
An old-established name with several branches — one near the district office on Si Narong Rd, and another along Chaeng Sanit Rd near the new provincial hall. The mu yo is firm and not heavily seasoned, good for anyone who likes the traditional style, and there's gun chiang and sausage to choose from too.
Mu Yo Dao Thong
An easy-to-park, clean souvenir shop with fresh stock and friendly prices. It has mu yo, naem and chili dips covered — a solid pick if you want to buy quickly without heading into the city centre.
Na Ubon — Ubon Souvenirs
One of the best all-in-one souvenir shops, with a wide range of goods. There are two mu yo recipes (black pepper and original), Vietnamese kuay jab both fresh and dried, jaew bong, pork sausage, naem pork ribs and gifts. It sits next to Nakhonchai Air behind Big C, so you can pick up plenty in a single visit.
Mu Yo Dao Ngern
A long-standing shop in the Si Narong Rd area, across from the district office. The mu yo is wrapped in banana leaf the traditional way, and there's Isan sausage, naem and kuay jab noodles to choose from. They ship nationwide, and it's easy to find since it's right in the centre of town.
Mu Yo Yaowapha
A mu yo shop on the Warin Chamrap side that locals there have bought as a souvenir for years. The rolls are big and firm, and there's often a buy-several-get-one-free deal — handy if you're staying on or passing through the Warin side.
Mu Yo Phong Si
A traditional old shop in the Uppparat Rd area, diagonally opposite Wat Supatanaram. It opens early — from 6am until evening — with original-recipe mu yo, naem nueang and Isan sausage. Locals who like the old-school style still stop by.
How to pick mu yo that's worth it
Good mu yo has a smooth, firm texture without too many air pockets, and smells of banana leaf rather than sour. If you're carrying it a long way, ask for the vacuum-packed version or pack it in a cooler bag — fresh banana-leaf-wrapped mu yo only keeps for 2–3 days if it isn't refrigerated.
Want to taste deeper? Try a Ubon Ratchathani food tour or cooking class
Half a day with a local who knows the lanes — or cooking a dish yourself — teaches you more than just eating. Book ahead on Klook or GetYourGuide.
Dried and fermented goods you can carry home with peace of mind
If you're worried about fresh items spoiling on the way home, dried and fermented goods are the option that lasts longer. Ubon is a city that's good at Isan-style fermenting and pickling, and these keep well in your luggage or the car. They also tend to be the kind of souvenir people are happy to receive, since they're hard to find in Bangkok.
- Jaew bong / pla ra bong — top-grade fermented fish finely minced and mixed with roasted herbs until fragrant, an Isan-kitchen staple dip. It packs into a jar and travels well, around ฿30–60/jar.
- Dried Vietnamese kuay jab — the noodles and seasonings in dried form, so you can boil it at home and get a flavour close to the shop's. About ฿35–40 a pack, and a souvenir Bangkok folks love.
- Pla som / dried fish — fish fermented with salt and rice, with a well-rounded sour flavour; fry it and eat with hot rice. Available at fresh markets and souvenir shops.
- Pork floss & pork sheets — long-keeping dried snacks that nearly every well-known mu yo shop sells alongside everything else.
- Isan chili dips — pla ra chili dip, jaew chili dip and more, in several recipes. Pick a jar that seals tightly for a long trip.
Isan sausage & naem — souvenirs for the sour-tangy crowd
Isan sausage and naem are fermented items that Ubon does with its own signature rich, tangy depth. Isan sausage is pork mixed with rice and fermented to a mild sourness, grilled until fragrant and eaten with ginger, fresh chilies and peanuts. Naem pork ribs, meanwhile, are made and sold right alongside the mu yo at the well-known shops. Choose a maker whose ferment is just right — pleasantly sour and not mushy.
Isan sausage from the big names
Find it at the major mu yo shops like Tong Nueng, Por Ubon and Mae Hai. Grill and eat on the spot, or buy it raw to grill at home.
Naem pork ribs
A standout at Na Ubon and the all-in-one souvenir shops — tangy and rich with firm meat, good as a snack or cooked into a dish.
Where to buy — markets and areas that have it all
If you want to buy everything in one go, there are two routes: head to an all-in-one souvenir shop, or walk a fresh market. The market gets you fresh goods at lower prices with more sellers to choose from, while souvenir shops give you convenience, easy parking and vacuum packs ready to carry home.
- Talat Yai (Municipal Market 3) — the central fresh market in town; the dried-goods zone has jaew bong, pla som, chili dips and fermented items at local prices.
- Phalo Chai – Si Narong Rd area — the hub of the famous mu yo shops in town, where you can compare several sellers in one area on foot.
- All-in-one souvenir shops behind Big C / next to Nakhonchai Air — handy if you're waiting for a bus or about to head home; buy mu yo, dried goods and gifts all in one place.
- Roadside stops along Chaeng Sanit Rd — on the way in and out of town, with mu yo shops and Farm Hug Por Ubon to pull over and shop conveniently.
Straight talk on getting it home
If you're flying, mu yo, naem and sausage can go in checked luggage — but ask for vacuum-packed and buy on the day you travel. Strong-smelling fermented items like jaew bong and pla ra should have their jars sealed tightly and then double-bagged in a zip-lock to keep the smell in and prevent spills.
Plan a full Ubon food-and-travel trip — where to eat, what to see, where to stay
See the Ubon travel guide →