Udon Thani
Udon Thani is a city in northeast Thailand. Go for Red Lotus Lake, the Bronze Age site at Ban Chiang, and easy access to the Laos border.
We may earn a commission. It never decides our picks.
Udon Thani is a city in Isan, the northeast of Thailand, and it works better as a base than as a final stop. Travelers come for Red Lotus Lake, a lake park in town, and for Ban Chiang, a UNESCO World Heritage Site about an hour away by road with Bronze Age pottery and burial remains. The city has its own airport, so it is an easy entry point to the northeast. Nong Khai and the Laos border are within reach by road.
Go for a slower pace than Bangkok, lakeside walks and Isan food such as sticky rice and som tam, a spicy green papaya salad. The cool, drier months from November to February are the most comfortable time to visit. Two to three nights covers the lake and Ban Chiang. Add nights if you plan to cross into Laos or travel further into Isan.
Udon Thani in five
- Use it as the gateway to Nong Khai and LaosThe Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge is about an hour north at Nong Khai, with buses on to Vientiane. Check Lao visa rules and crossing hours on official sources before you travel.Nong Khai
- See the Red Lotus Lake early in the cool seasonThe lake at Kumphawapi is covered in blooms in the cool months, usually December to February, and boats go out early before the heat builds.
- Visit Ban Chiang for Bronze Age historyBan Chiang, about an hour east by road, is a UNESCO World Heritage archaeological site with a museum. Allow half a day, and go in the cool morning.
- Fly or take the overnight train from BangkokFlights take about an hour, while the train takes most of a night. Many travelers fly in and take the train or bus out, or the reverse.
- Combine it with the Phu Kradueng plateauUdon Thani is the nearest big airport for Loei province, but the park is a long drive. Hire a car or driver, and book the plateau overnight ahead.Phu Kradueng National Park
Things to do in Udon Thani
See all attractions in Udon Thani
Need to know
- Airport
- Udon Thani (UTH), flights from Bangkok about 1 hr
- Getting there
- Flights, overnight train or buses from Bangkok
- Getting around
- Taxis, ride-hailing, tuk-tuks and rental cars
- Best base
- Udon Thani city; Nong Khai for the river
- Time needed
- 1–2 nights as a gateway; 3 with Ban Chiang and the lotus lake
Weather by month
- Rainy days
- Days with storms
- Best
- Mixed
- Poor
- JanuaryClear2 rainy daysHigh30°Low18°Red lotus, coolJanuaryClear
Best
- High
- 30°
- Low
- 18°
- Precipitation
- 13 mm
- Rainy days
- 2
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Red lotus, cool
- FebruaryClear2 rainy daysHigh31°Low20°Lotus, warmingFebruaryClear
Best
- High
- 31°
- Low
- 20°
- Precipitation
- 25 mm
- Rainy days
- 2
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Lotus, warming
- MarchClear8 rainy daysHigh35°Low24°Hot, dryMarchClear
Mixed
- High
- 35°
- Low
- 24°
- Precipitation
- 57 mm
- Rainy days
- 8
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Hot, dry
- AprilPartly cloudy9 rainy daysHigh36°Low26°HottestAprilPartly cloudy
Poor
- High
- 36°
- Low
- 26°
- Precipitation
- 73 mm
- Rainy days
- 9
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Hottest
- MayRain21 rainy daysHigh34°Low26°Rains beginMayRain
Poor
- High
- 34°
- Low
- 26°
- Precipitation
- 227 mm
- Rainy days
- 21
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Rains begin
- JuneRain24 rainy daysHigh32°Low26°RainyJuneRain
Poor
- High
- 32°
- Low
- 26°
- Precipitation
- 220 mm
- Rainy days
- 24
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Rainy
- JulyRain26 rainy daysHigh31°Low25°Rainy, greenJulyRain
Poor
- High
- 31°
- Low
- 25°
- Precipitation
- 345 mm
- Rainy days
- 26
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Rainy, green
- AugustRain27 rainy daysHigh31°Low25°RainyAugustRain
Poor
- High
- 31°
- Low
- 25°
- Precipitation
- 365 mm
- Rainy days
- 27
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Rainy
- SeptemberRain27 rainy days1 day with stormsHigh31°Low24°WettestSeptemberRain
Poor
- High
- 31°
- Low
- 24°
- Precipitation
- 371 mm
- Rainy days
- 27
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 1
Wettest
- OctoberRain16 rainy daysHigh30°Low23°Rains easeOctoberRain
Mixed
- High
- 30°
- Low
- 23°
- Precipitation
- 154 mm
- Rainy days
- 16
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Rains ease
- NovemberPartly cloudy4 rainy daysHigh30°Low21°Cool, dryNovemberPartly cloudy
Best
- High
- 30°
- Low
- 21°
- Precipitation
- 27 mm
- Rainy days
- 4
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Cool, dry
- DecemberClear1 rainy dayHigh29°Low18°Cool, lotusDecemberClear
Best
- High
- 29°
- Low
- 18°
- Precipitation
- 3 mm
- Rainy days
- 1
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Cool, lotus
Average daily high and low in Udon Thani, 2016–2025. Rainy day: 1 mm of rain or more.
Right now in Udon Thani
Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.
24
- Feels like
- 26°
- Humidity
- 81%
- Wind
- 7 km/h
- Chance of rain
- 65%
Udon Thani
03:37 AM
Tuesday, November 3
- Today31°23°65%Tuesday: Drizzle. High 31°, Low 23°. Chance of rain 65%.
- Wed32°24°39%Wednesday: Drizzle. High 32°, Low 24°. Chance of rain 39%.
- Thu31°24°65%Thursday: Thunderstorms. High 31°, Low 24°. Chance of rain 65%.
- Fri31°24°67%Friday: Rain. High 31°, Low 24°. Chance of rain 67%.
- Sat31°23°39%Saturday: Cloudy. High 31°, Low 23°. Chance of rain 39%.
- Sun31°22°26%Sunday: Drizzle. High 31°, Low 22°. Chance of rain 26%.
Updated 03:18 AM local time · Powered by WeatherAPI.com · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com
Money
Mid-market rate1 USD = 33.76 THB
Rates from Nov 2, 2026 · Rates By Exchange Rate API
Day trips by train
- Nong Khaiabout 1 hour by roadA Mekong town with a promenade, markets and the bridge to Laos.Read the guide
- Ban Chiangabout 1 hour by roadA Bronze Age archaeological site and museum, on the UNESCO list.
- Red Lotus Lakeabout 45 min by roadA shallow lake covered in pink blooms in the cool months.
Before you go to Udon Thani
We may earn a commission. It never decides our picks.
Rules for Udon Thani, checked
- Check whether your passport qualifies for visa-free entry to Thailand and how long you may stay. Confirm the details on the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs site before you book.Source
- Complete the Thailand Digital Arrival Card online before you arrive, and check the current requirement with the Thai immigration bureau.
- Dress modestly at temples, covering shoulders and knees, and remove your shoes before entering any shrine or temple hall.
- Thai drug laws are strict. Check the rules on medicines and cannabis with Thai customs before you pack.
- Call 191 for police, 199 for fire or 1669 for an ambulance. The Tourist Police line is 1155 and can help with problems on the road.
Plan around Udon Thani
Entry rules, regions and costs
Read the guideNong KhaiMekong town and the bridge to Laos
Read the guideNortheastern ThailandIsan's plateaus, temples and border towns
Read the guidePhu Kradueng National ParkA steep climb to a cool plateau
Read the guideUbon RatchathaniThe eastern gateway of Isan
Read the guideThailand entry rules30-day stay and the arrival card
Read the guideUdon Thani FAQ
Is Udon Thani worth visiting?
As a hub, yes: it has the region's busiest airport, food and a convenient base for Nong Khai, Ban Chiang and the lotus lake. It is not a sightseeing city, so plan day trips.
When is the Red Lotus Lake in bloom?
Usually from December to February, and the best time to see it is early morning. Blooms vary with the weather, so check local reports before you make the trip.
How far is Udon Thani from Nong Khai?
About an hour by road. Buses, vans and taxis run between the two, and many travelers cross the Friendship Bridge to Laos from Nong Khai.
Can you visit Ban Chiang as a day trip from Udon Thani?
Yes, it is about an hour east by road. Go in the morning, see the museum and the excavation site, and be back for lunch.
How many days do you need in Udon Thani?
One to two nights as a gateway. Add a day for Ban Chiang and the lotus lake, and more if you continue to Phu Kradueng or Laos.