Ban Chiang Archaeological Site, Udon Thani Province https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ban_Chiang_excavations.jpg Steve
Udon Thani อุดรธานี is a city in Isaan, in the northeast of Thailand. It has a population of about 145,000 people, and serves as the provincial capital of Udon Thani Province. The city is a major commercial center for the Isaan region, and is quite close to Vientiane, the capital of Laos.
Phu Phra Bat Rock Formation, Udon Thani Province https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rock_formation_in_Phu_Phra_Bat.jpg Theppitak Karoonboonyanan
The area around Udon Thani has seen human habitation going back to the prehistoric age. The Ban Chiang archaeological site, a World Heritage Site, is located just 47 km to the east of town.
The city of Udon Thani itself has limited tourist appeal, save for a few Buddhist temples. There are a few hypermarkets, including a Big C, a Tesco-Lotus, a Makro and a Carrefour.
Travel to Udon Thani
The Udon Thani International Airport (UTH) receives flights from Thai Airways and AirAsia from Bangkok, Tiger Airways from Singapore, and Lao Airlines from Luang Prabang. From the airport, you can take a minibus to town for ฿80. It can drop you at the hotel of your choice.
You can also take a bus from Nong Khai, the Thai town across the Friendship Bridge at the Mekong River from Vientiane. You can also catch a tuk-tuk from the Friendship Bridge to Udon Thani for about ฿70.
Travel within Udon Thani
There is an abundance of tuk-tuks charging about ฿20 to ฿30 per person for rides to places around Udon Thani.