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All you need to know to visit Khon Kaen
ขอนแก่น
Northeastern Thailand
450 km from Bangkok
Province of Khon Kaen
Thai pronunciation : Gon gen
Northeastern Thailand
450 km from Bangkok
Province of Khon Kaen
Thai pronunciation : Gon gen
- Budget
- 2/5
- Recommended stay
- 1 to 3 days
- Sightseeing
- 3/5
Travel guide to visit Khon Kaen
Fourth largest city in Thailand, Khon Kaen has the largest university in Isan (northeastern Thailand). It is a young and dynamic city where life is good even though touristically speaking, the city itself has little to offer apart from its lake and Wat Nong Wan. Central point of the northern half of Thailand, Khon Kaen is easy to access and is a good stopover in the discovery of Isan.There are not many notable monuments but the atmosphere of the city, its modernity that doesn't spoil (yet) the charm of this new city, established two centuries ago during the reign of King Rama I, its local bus network and its lake make Khon Kaen a very pleasant city where many expatriates are happy to have found a quieter alternative to Bangkok or even Chiang Mai. Even you may stay here a little longer than planned attracted by khon Kaen's relax atmosphere and modern infrastructures.
For all the options for getting around Khon Kaen, see our section on getting around in Khon Kaen.
Accommodations in Khon Kaen
Like any major city, Khon Kaen offers a wide range of hotels and guesthouses for all prices. And the price/quality ratio is often very good. There is no real quarter where accommodations are more concentrated than elsewhere or an, area we suggest you to go. But the ideal is perhaps to find an accommodation around Sri Chan Road.Find accommodation in Khon Kaen
My recommendations
People often ask me which accommodation I recommend in Thailand. Here are my recommendations in Khon Kaen.
Practical information about Khon Kaen
Khon Kaen is accessible by plane, train or bus and from there you can reach by bus just almost every corner of Thailand. There is a large local bus network (songtahews with numbers) that can take you for a few baths throughout the city. And there are tuk-tuks also like everywhere in Thailand.It is better to have a car or a motobike when you visit Khon Kaen because there are many interesting places in the area such as archaeological sites, amazing rock formations or beautiful temples with nice exterior paints that are not very easy access by public transportation. So if you want to enjoy everything Kohan kaen province has to offer, it is better to have your own mean of locomotion.
In bangkok, buses to Khon Kaen leave from Mochit Northern Bus Terminal abs=d take 6h30 to come (online booking available on this website)
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How to go to Khon Kaen ?
To come to Khon Kaen, you have all the choices except taking the boat. You have daily flights from Bangkok and Chiang Mai. The city is also accessible by train and by bus, of course (online booking available on this website). Many major cities of Thailand are connected to Khon Kaen with at least one bus line with at least one bus per day. All cities in Isan are connected to Khon Kaen by bus with several trips a day. From Bangkok, there is at least one bus every hour and the trip takes about seven hours. From Chiang Mai, it takes 10 hours by bus.How to get around in Khon Kaen ?
Khon Kaen has a quite extensive local bus network provided by numbered songthaews. It allows you to go almost anywhere in the city for about 10 THB. Map of the bus network are available at TAT office of TAT near the lake. Otherwise, you have taximeters and tuk-tuks in Khon Kaen. You can also use GRAB app (similar to UBER but UBER does not operate in Southestern Asia any more) to order a transportation.
Must-visits in
Wat Nong Wang
วัดหนองว่างMy opinion : 5/5
It is the emblematic temple of Khon Kaen. Coming here without seeing it, it is not coming in Khon Kaen! Just across the lake, it is a building with 9 floors, all with a balcony that offers such beautiful views of the city.Other places to see in Khon Kaen
Khon Kaen's lake (Bueng Khan Nakhon lake)
100 hectares lake, you can walk or ride bicycles around. The lake is also close to the most interesting temples in Khon Kaen.
Wat That
This small temple has a small chedi charming both externally and internally. It is at near Khon Kaen's lake and about ten minutes walk from Wat Nong Wang.
Wat Pho Non Than
This temple may be interest some visitors thanks to the curious exterior walls of one of its buildings. They are covered with plaster sculptures of animals and natural.
Weather & climate in
Khon Kaen has a tropical savanna with winters (from November to March) dry and very hot. Temperatures rise until April, the hottest month of the year. The monsoon season runs from May to October, with heavy showers and cooler temperatures during the day although the nights remain warm.The best time to come to Khon Kaen is from November to March. During the monsoon season (May to October), there are regular heavy showers but are usually short. The rest of the time you can enjoy your stay (except extreme weather episodes). August and September are the rainiest months of the year.
How to ask the way in Thai to Khon Kaen ?
I want to go to Khon Kaen / Yak pai thi Gon gen.Where is Khon Kaen? / Gon gen yu thi nai?
Traveling in Thailand
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