🔄 Updated 21 Jun 2026
If you fly into Ubon and want a trip that doesn't feel same-y, hopping over to Yasothon is good value: the distance is short, the drive is easy (Highway 23, Ubon–Yasothon), and the two cities give you completely different moods. Yasothon is small and quiet, with the feel of an old town and the Phaya Thaen rocket legends woven through it, while Ubon is livelier, with good food for every meal. The plan below runs as 2 days and 1 night — stretch it to 3 if you want to add some of Ubon's nature.
Route and Getting Around
- Distance — downtown Ubon to downtown Yasothon is about 100 km, roughly 1 hour 30 minutes by car along Highway 23
- Transport — a self-drive rental is the way to go, since Yasothon's sights are spread out and public transport is thin. Rentals in Ubon town start around ฿900–1,300 per day
- Without a car — there are buses and minivans on the Ubon–Yasothon route for around ฿80–120, taking about an hour and a half, but once in Yasothon town you'll be relying on motorbike taxis or a ride-hailing app
- When to go — to catch the rocket festival you'll need mid-May (in 2026 it runs 8–10 May); outside the festival it's a normal trip, and the weather is at its best from November to February
Trip-planning tip
If you're set on seeing the Yasothon rocket festival, rooms in town book out fast and prices climb, so reserve several weeks ahead — or base yourself on the Ubon side and just drive over and back on the day of the event.
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 by Day
Leave Ubon, head for Yasothon, the rocket town
Catch a Yasothon café, then loop back to eat in Ubon
Food You Shouldn't Miss Along the Way
Put these two provinces together and the food never repeats itself. Yasothon shines at laap and freshwater fish, while Ubon covers Vietnamese food, Vietnamese kuay jab and processed-food souvenirs. Here are the places and dishes that locals actually eat, ordered roughly by how easily they fit into the plan.
Vietnamese kuay jab at Mintra (Ubon)
A breakfast spot in Ubon going for over 30 years. The standout is the Vietnamese kuay jab — soft noodles in a clear, well-balanced broth — and you can pick thin noodles, wide noodles, old-style hand-cut noodles, instant noodles or glass noodles.
Yaso-style duck laap (Yasothon)
Yasothon is laap country. A local duck-laap place does the traditional recipe — duck laap, pork laap, mushroom laap, duck tom saep and duck om — eaten with hot sticky rice in a homey setting.
Riverside pla som and grilled fish, Yasothon
Yasothon raises its own freshwater fish, and riverside Isan places serve fried pla som, grilled fish and koi pla — fresh and not pricey. A good fit for dinner on day one.
Agave Vietnamese Cuisine & Café (Ubon)
A small spot with a nice feel in Ubon, with a varied menu — red-pork rice, crispy-pork rice and wonton noodles — ideal for a late-morning or lighter lunch.
Creamy-egg rice & khao soi, Ban Singha Tha (Yasothon)
The old quarter has local spots for creamy-egg rice, khao soi, rice-and-curry and noodles — handy for a refuel while you're out shooting the heritage shophouses.
Rong Si Chaiyakul café (Loeng Nok Tha, Yasothon)
An old rice mill turned into a multi-rai garden café, with flower gardens, a pond and lots of photo spots. A good coffee stop before you loop back, if you have time to explore the Loeng Nok Tha side.
Nam neuang & mixed Vietnamese food (Ubon)
Ubon has an old Vietnamese community, and the nam neuang places serve the full set — grilled minced pork, fresh veg, rice paper and peanut dipping sauce. A fun lunch, great for a group.
Ubon mu yo & kun chiang (souvenirs)
Ubon's signature souvenirs — firm-textured mu yo, kun chiang with just the right sweetness, and tangy Isan sausage to take home. Several well-known shops in town.
Yasothon pla som & prayer beads (souvenirs)
Easy-to-find Yasothon souvenirs sold along the roadside — fermented pla som with a balanced sourness, and sweet, chewy luk pra kham. Easy to grab for the drive back to Ubon.
Mookata & night markets, Ubon
Close out the trip with the mookata locals meet up over, or walk a night market for snacks both savoury and sweet. A satisfying, good-value way to finish before heading home.
The Standout Sights This Plan Takes You To
Phaya Thaen complex & Phaya Khan Khak Museum
A giant-toad building over 19 m tall beside Phaya Thaen Park, telling the rocket-festival legend. Great for photos outside; the museum charges entry.
Ban Singha Tha old quarter
Sino-Portuguese shophouses in the centre of Yasothon — easy to stroll and photograph, with cafés and local food spots.
Wat Maha That & Phra That Anon
The temple that's stood with Yasothon since its founding, with an important old Isan chedi and the Dewdrop Crystal Buddha inside.
Wat Thung Si Muang (over-water scripture library)
A wooden scripture library over a pond, blending Thai, Burmese and Lao styles — some of Ubon's finest old craftsmanship, right in the centre of town.
The Honest Heads-Up
- Yasothon is a small, quiet town — you can see the main sights in a day. The charm is in the slow pace, not the number of places, so if you like packing a lot in you may find it light.
- The rocket festival really is a big deal, but it's only mid-May, when crowds are heavy, traffic is bad, and rooms are pricey and full — plan well ahead. Outside the season you can still see the museum and Phaya Thaen Park.
- Public transport within Yasothon town is limited, so getting around is a hassle without your own vehicle — renting a car in Ubon to drive yourself is the better value.
- Many Isan restaurants keep short hours and may close unpredictably, so it's safer to call ahead or check the shop's page before you go.
Stretch it to 3 days
If you have an extra day, spend day three on Ubon's nature — Pha Taem, Sam Phan Bok, or catching sunrise at Pha Chana Dai — for a trip that combines old towns, food and nature in one loop.
Want a full city plan for Ubon, with places to stay and eat?
See the Ubon travel guide →