Udon Thani

The city of Udon Thani is the largest city and the major transportation hub of the region. As the city is not a major tourist destination, everything in the city is very ‘Thai’. Local markets, festivals, and restaurants feature Issan ‘flavor’, making this a great place to visit for people who appreciate local cultures. During the Vietnam War, Udon Thani was the location of a major US air base which helped fuel the local economy and encourage growth in the region. The air base has long been closed, and the influence of military presence is long gone - now just another closed chapter in the history of the city.

Udon Thani is home to many large stores where people from around the area can come and get supplies and goods not available at smaller local markets. Other ‘western’ touches include a modern shopping mall with a bowling alley, and several Italian and Japanese restaurants. There are also numerous beautiful temples and other sights in town worth viewing. What is most impressionable about Udon Thani is that despite its size (the 2nd largest city after Bangkok), it feels very much like a small town – there is no traffic to speak of, the air is fresh and clean, and the people here are very friendly, and always happy to wave hello to passing strangers.