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of animal statues in the lobby can’t hide how old and spartan it is, but it’s pretty clean and good for the price. The cheapest rooms on the 4th floor provide hot water and a peek at the mountains. NORTHE ASTERN THAIL AND N A K H O N P H A N O M P R OV I N C E
5 Eating After dinner, head to one of the laid-back, attractive bars that fill historic shophouses near the clock tower. Indochina Market THAI $ (Th Sunthon Wijit; hbreakfast, lunch & dinner) The
balcony fronting the food court has choice seats that frame the mountain views. Ginlom Chomwiew THAI $ (no Roman-script sign; Th Sunthon Wijit; dishes 50240B; hdinner) The name of this garden spot
across from the river, ‘Relax and Enjoy the View’, sums it up well. As for the food, do what most locals do and order some Mekong River fish such as Ъlàh johk săhm rót (soldier river barb fish with three flavours). Luk Tan INTERNATIONAL, THAI $ (83 Th Bamrung Meuang; dishes 29-240B; hlunch & dinner Tue-Sun) This quirky little spot does
Thai-style steaks and fa·ràng favourites such as pizza and some of the best mashed potatoes in Thailand. Night Market THAI $ (Th Fuang Nakhon; h4-9pm) Large and diverse,
but few places to sit. Good Morning Vietnamese VIETNAMESE $ & Coffee (165 Th Thamrong Prasit; dishes 30-100B; h breakfast, lunch & dinner) This little corner
shop has modernised with bright colours and a coffee bar, but it still serves the same family recipes, including năam neu·ang (assemble-it-yourself pork spring rolls) and
THE BI-COLOURED RIVER
spicy Thai salads, that it has through four generations. Baa Nang NORTHEASTERN THAI $ (no sign; Th Aphiban Bancha; dishes 30-150B; hbreakfast & lunch) This simple corrugated-
roof shack across from Anuban Nakhon Phanom school attracts the masses for gài yâhng, sôm·đam and other down-home Isan food.
8 Information
Bangkok Bank (Tesco-Lotus, Th Nittayo; h10am-8pm) Has cash-only foreign exchange, but is open long hours. Crab Technology (Th Si Thep; internet per hr 15B; h8am-10pm) Immigration (% 0 4251 1235; Th Sunthon Wijit; h8.30am-noon & 1-4.30pm Mon-Fri) For visa extensions. Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT; % 0 4251 3490; tatphnom@tat.or.th; Th Sunthon Wijit; h8.30am-4.30pm) Covers Nakhon Phanom, Sakon Nakhon and Mukdahan Provinces.
8 Getting There & Away Air Nok Air (% 0 2900 9955; www.nokair.com) flies daily to/from Bangkok’s Don Muang Airport (one way 2600B). Agencies such as Bovorn Travel (% 0 4251 2494; Th Nittayo; h8am-4.30pm Mon-Fri, 8am to 1pm Sat & Sun) sell tickets. An airport shuttle drops passengers at any in-town hotel for 120B per person. Bus Nakhon Phanom’s bus terminal (% 0 4251 3444; Th Fuang Nakhon) is west of the town centre. From here buses head to Nong Khai (210B, 6½ hours, six daily); Udon Thani (155B to 195B, four to five hours, every 45 minutes until 3.50pm) via Sakon Nakhon (65B to 85B, 1½ hours); Ubon Ratchathani (116B to 209B, 4½ hours, nine daily) via Mukdahan (52B to 88B, 2½
แม่นาํ สองสี
If you’re driving along Rte 212, take a short break at Mae Nam Song Si, 45km from Nakhon Phanom, where the muddy brown Mekong River meets the greenish water of Mae Nam Songkhram. The line between the two is very clear, especially when it’s windy or rainy. And don’t be swayed by any locals you meet along the way who tell you there’s no such place in Nakhon Phanom, that you must be thinking of Mae Nam Song Si (p440) in Ubon Ratchathani. Just turn at the sign for ‘The Bi-Coloured River.’ This northern merger may be much less famous, but it’s still pretty cool. Suan Ahahn Paknam (no roman-script sign; %08 1974 4227; dishes 30-290B; hlunch & dinner) is a superb little restaurant on a shaky wooden deck right at the confluence. The same family has opened a shiny new guest house (r 400B; ai) a few doors down.