Nong Khai Day Two

Most of the time when I traveled around in Thailand before retiring I used public transportation. Now I have the freedom of my own wheels. My second day in Nong Khai was used for exploring the western part of the province.

My first stop was Wat Phrathat Bangphuan (วัดพระธาตุบังพวน). This temple is the home of some Buddha relics housed in the chedi and is one of the most sacred temples in the region. Following are a couple of pictures I took while there.

My next stop was 50 kilometer or 30 miles west at Wat Hin Mak Peng (วัดหินหมากเป้ง). This was a pretty temple with great views over the Mekong River and a small glass platform over the river.

I continued on another 17 kilometers of 16 miles to Wat Pha Tak Suea (วัดผาตากเสื้อ). This temple complex is at the top of a cliff looking down on the Mekong River and the town of Sangkhom. I enjoyed sitting on a beanch watching people taking pictures of each standing on the rocks at the edge of the cliff.

I think I pinned this temple a long time ago when I first saw the glass walkway. There was a sign here that this was the first glass walkway in Thailand and now there seems to be glass walkways all over the place in Thailand.

I walked up the hill a bit further to take a picture of the 2 main building of the temple. They were building something else in front of the glass walk way so I assume in the future there will be more building in the complex.

I rode back down the hill and went through the town of Sangkhom which I had been admiring from the temple grounds. The roads going to and after leaving Wat Pha Tak Suea were the best rides as far as having great views of the Mekong River. I left the road along the river and rode for about an hour to my last temple of the day Wat Pa Phu Kon (วัดป่าภูก้อน).

Wat Pa Phu Kon is also called the blue temple and was completed in 2013 so a rather new temple. It sets in a hilly forest area that is supposed to be part of the Na Yung–Nam Som National Park. I did not ever see a sign that I was entering the national park and didn't have to pay any enterence fee. The ride up to this temple was a lot of fun going through the forrest and twisting and turning up and down the hills.

I wore my cargo shorts this day but saw signs that said no shorts. My shorts are a bit long so don't feel bad going into temples most of the time but decided to ask the guard if it was OK and he just handed me a pair of pants to wear.

I don't think my pictures do this temple justice. It is a really pretty temple and what I have read all the marble to make the reclining buddha was imported from Italy.

This last temple of the day was not in Nong Khai province but rather in Udon Thani. It just seemed closer to the other temples in Nong Khai I wanted to visit than anything I had planned in Udon Thani. It was a long 2 hour ride back to my hotel in Nong Khai and it had sprinkles of rain for a lot of that ride. It was a good day but was happy to get to my hotel and get some rest.