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Yasothon Old Town Plan
Ban Singha Tha–Old-Building Cafés–Wat Maha That

Yasothon is a small town that's easy on the legs. Its heart is the Ban Singha Tha quarter — century-old shophouses along the Chi River that mix Chinese and European detail in the Sino-Portuguese style. The streets around them are full of cafés set inside old wooden homes, plus Wat Maha That, home to the town's guardian stupa, Phra That Anon. This plan runs two days, walking slowly, taking photos and sipping coffee with no need to rush — a good fit if you want to feel out a lesser-known town without hurrying.

🏚️ Sino-Portuguese shophouses☕ Cafés in old wooden homes🛕 Phra That Anon
Yasothon Old Town Plan Ban Singha Tha–Old-Building Cafés–Wat Maha That

🔄 Updated 21 Jun 2026

Yasothon's old town is small enough to cover on foot in a single day, but the charm is in staying long enough to watch the light shift across the old walls. Soft morning sun is great for photos, the hot afternoon sends you ducking into a café, and you come back out for another loop in the evening as the sky starts to change colour. So we've split it into two days: day one focuses on the Singha Tha quarter and Wat Maha That, while day two heads just out of town to Phra That Kong Khao Noi before circling back to catch the cafés you haven't tried yet.

Why Ban Singha Tha

Ban Singha Tha is an old riverside trading quarter on the Chi River that thrived during the era of French influence in the region. Well-off families of the day hired craftsmen from Vietnam to build their homes, which is how the shophouses ended up blending Chinese and European styles. Many keep a pastel palette and folding wooden doors, and while a good number have been turned into cafés and souvenir shops, they've kept their original bones — so walking the street feels like stepping back in time.

  • Everything's walkable — the quarter is compact; it's only a few minutes on foot from the shophouses to Wat Maha That, no need to drive around.
  • Plenty of photo angles — old walls, folding doors, faded shop signs — good for film shooters and phone cameras alike.
  • Cafés in genuinely old buildings — not new builds dressed up to look old, but real old buildings still standing that have been turned into shops.

The best time of day

Walking this quarter before 10am or after 4pm is far more comfortable, because the Isan midday sun is fierce. If you come in the hot season, you're better off carrying an umbrella and some water.

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Book the activities in your Yasothon 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.

🎟️ Top tours in YasothonHighlights, guided Klook 🎟️ Yasothon attractions & ticketsSkip-the-line entry tickets Klook 🚐 Day trips from YasothonOut and back in a day Klook 🌎 Yasothon activities (GetYourGuide)Global tour marketplace GetYourGuide
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Day 1 — Walk the Old Town, Pay Respects to Phra That Anon, Café Stops

Day 1

Ban Singha Tha Quarter + Wat Maha That

08:30
Start at the Ban Singha Tha Old Town MuseumOpen 08:30–16:30, free entry. Inside it tells the story of Yasothon and its old trading quarter. Allow about 30–40 minutes to get the lay of the land before you head out to walk it for real.
09:15
Explore the Sino-Portuguese shophouses along the quarter's streetsTake it slow and look at the folding wooden doors, the faded shop signs, the pastel walls. The morning light is just right for photos.
10:30
Coffee break at Vachi Old TownAt 18 Si Sunthon Road, near Wat Tha Singha. The styling blends right into the old buildings, with specialty coffee and homemade bakery. Most drinks are under THB 100. Seating is limited, so come early for a good spot.
12:00
Lunch at a local restaurant in the old townThis area has rice-and-curry shops, noodles and khao soi — places like Rai Hak Kuak, which cooks with produce from its own farm. Prices are easygoing.
13:30
Pay respects to Phra That Anon at Wat Maha ThatThe town's guardian temple, here since Yasothon was founded. Phra That Anon stands around 25 metres tall and is one of the oldest stupas in Isan. Inside there's also Phra Phuttha Butsayarat (the 'Dewdrop Emerald Buddha') in Chiang Saen style. Open roughly 08:00–17:00; dress modestly.
15:30
Chill at Singha Nom Sot caféAn old wooden house in a vintage, Chinese-leaning style, open late into the evening, with free hot herbal tea. A good spot to rest your legs for a while.
17:30
Walk the quarter again for the evening lightThe sky goes soft around now, and the old buildings paired with shop lights starting to flick on give a different feel from the morning. A nice way to close the day with photos.

Day 2 — Phra That Kong Khao Noi, Then Loop Back for Cafés

Day two heads just out of town to see Phra That Kong Khao Noi sitting in the middle of the rice fields, about 9 kilometres from town along Highway 23 — under a 20-minute drive. Then you loop back into town to catch the cafés and souvenir shops you didn't get to on day one.

Day 2

Phra That Kong Khao Noi + the Cafés You Missed

08:00
Drive to Phra That Kong Khao Noi, Ban Tat ThongAbout 9 km from town, open 07:00–17:00. It's a small chedi in the middle of the rice fields, with the well-known Isan legend of a son who killed his mother attached to it. In the morning the fields are green and the air hasn't turned hot yet.
09:30
Back into town, late breakfast in the old quarterSeveral spots in the quarter serve khao piak sen (rice-noodle soup), congee or old-school coffee — an easy breakfast before you carry on.
11:00
Souvenir shopping around Ban Singha ThaThe quarter has local souvenirs, both edible and woven textiles, so you can browse at your own pace — and still catch photos of the old buildings along the way.
12:30
Lunch at a nice-atmosphere spot in townIf you fancy a change of scene, try Krua Rachawadee, designed as a leafy garden house and known for both its food and its comfortable seating.
14:00
One last café before you head offSit at an old-building café you didn't try yesterday, order a cold drink, and rest before you carry on or head home.

Cafés in Old Buildings Worth Trying

Great for photos

Vachi Old Town

A specialty café in an old building near Wat Tha Singha, styled to blend into the quarter, with homemade bakery. Most drinks are under THB 100. Limited seating, so come early.

Comfortable, open late

Singha Nom Sot

An old wooden house in a vintage, Chinese-leaning style, open late into the evening, with free hot herbal tea. A relaxed place to rest your legs while walking the old quarter.

Eat well + sip coffee

Rai Hak Kuak ~ Old Town

Half restaurant, half café in the Singha Tha quarter, cooking with produce from its own farm. There's rice-and-curry, noodles and khao soi, and you can stay on for a drink.

Getting There & Where to Stay

  • Getting to Yasothon — there are coaches from Bangkok's Mo Chit and buses from nearby Isan provinces like Ubon Ratchathani and Roi Et. By air, the closest airports are Ubon Ratchathani or Roi Et, then it's an onward ride into town.
  • Around the old town — you can walk to almost everything, but for Phra That Kong Khao Noi and the stupas outside town, having your own car or a rental makes things smoother.
  • Where to stay — staying in Yasothon town puts you within easy walking distance of the old quarter. See your options on our hotel roundup.

Straight talk

Yasothon is a small town, and many of its shops and cafés are small operations whose hours change easily — especially on weekdays and outside the festival season. It's worth checking a shop's page before you set out, and going in expecting that some places may not stick exactly to the hours they post.

Want the full Yasothon plan — food, sights and places to stay?

See the Yasothon Travel Guide →

FAQ

How many days is good for Yasothon's old town?

If you're focused on the Ban Singha Tha quarter and Wat Maha That, one day on foot covers it. But if you want to take your time in the cafés, catch the morning and evening light, and drop by Phra That Kong Khao Noi out of town, 2 days and 1 night works best with no rushing.

Can you just walk around Ban Singha Tha, and is there an entry fee?

You can walk the quarter for free — it's a community street lined with old buildings and shops. The Ban Singha Tha Old Town Museum is also free to enter, open roughly 08:30–16:30.

Which cafés in Yasothon's old town are worth visiting?

The ones people mention most are Vachi Old Town, a specialty café in an old building near Wat Tha Singha, and Singha Nom Sot, a vintage old wooden house that stays open late. Both are in the Singha Tha quarter and within walking distance of each other.

What are Wat Maha That Yasothon's hours, and what do you pay respects to?

It's open about 08:00–17:00. The highlight is Phra That Anon, an old guardian stupa around 25 metres tall, along with Phra Phuttha Butsayarat — the 'Dewdrop Emerald Buddha' — in Chiang Saen style. Dress modestly when you enter the temple.

Is Phra That Kong Khao Noi far from the old town?

Not far. It's at Ban Tat Thong, about 9 kilometres from town along Highway 23 — under a 20-minute drive. It's open 07:00–17:00 and is a small chedi in the middle of the rice fields, with a long-told legend attached to it.

Related

🗺️ Yasothon Travel Guide🏨 Top 10 Yasothon Hotels🏚️ Ban Singha Tha Old Town Quarter🛕 Wat Maha That–Phra That Anon

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