Region: Northeast Thailand> Province: Ubon Ratchathani> Location: Ubon Ratchathani

Ubon Ratchathani

Although Ubon is famous for it, larb phet (duck larb) is virtually impossible to find in town. Locals recommend two restaurants which face each other over a lagoon on the road to Yasothon. Follow this road for a kilometre or so till you see two restaurants by the small lagoon. They are on the right hand side of the road when heading to Yasothon. back in town, but still on out feathered friends, Kai Yaang (BBQ chicken) can be bought all over town, but two places we found to be particularly good were just to the west of Wat Chaeng where there are a few stalls selling it and down near Wat Supattanaram on Promthep Rd there is a very small shophouse that looks rather grotty, but does excellent BBQ fish and chicken.

There's Thai restaurants littered all over town, but one of our favourites is Vietnamese in flavour. Indochine is an outstanding Vietnamese restaurant and has been an Ubon institution for almost four decades. One part of the restaurant is within a traditional house that was purchased and shipped to Ubon from Vietnam. Courteous staff and excellent food are the norm and the restaurant is particularly popular during lunch time.

Closer to the centre of Ubon, you'll find Choikee -- a very long-running spot with a massive menu, tasty Thai food and reasonable western breakfasts. We found the staff here to be particularly friendly. nearby, jJust a couple of shopfronts up from the Ratchathani Hotel is a streetfront place does excellent spicy salads and a spectacular Tom Yam Kung. Prices are very reasonable, but no English is spoken.

Come the evening, Ubon has three main night markets. The northern night market is on Chayangkum Rd, near the Racha Hotel and is probably the largest of the three. The central night market is on Ratchabut Rd between Khuan Thani and Si Narong Rd and is probably the best choice with a good selection of all types of food including a very good roti stand by the corner. The third is the Vietnamese market on the river's edge on Prom Tap Rd. This is a great place for sweets and late night, ice-cold fruit shakes.