Mukdahan

Mukdahan is a small city and if you enjoy walking, it's possible to stroll across it in less than an hour. The city centre is concentrated just west of the riverfront, making orientation very easy. Mukdahan's riverside promenade along Samran Chai Khong Fang Road offers clear views over to Laos and is the site of the Indochine market, a few worthwhile temples and some of our favourite hotels and restaurants.

At the northern tip of the riverside promenade is the immigration office, from where Songnang Sathit Road shoots due west. This is where you'll find Mukdahan's excellent night market, which comes to life on a stretch of Songnang Sathit that's closed to traffic every evening from 17:00. The city pillar shrine and a large but rather uninteresting park are also found here, and the locals all seem to converge on this strip every evening to eat and chat as the sun goes down.

Samut Sakdarak Road runs parallel to the river and is the main north to south thoroughfare through town. Here you'll find several restaurants and hotels, as well as Mukdahan Tower towards the southern end of town. If you continue south on Samut Sakdarak you'll hit Phu Pha Thoep National Park after 15 kilometres.

Towards its northern end, Samut Sakdarak meets Mukdahan's main east to west running thoroughfare, Phithak Phanomkhet Road, at a roundabout with a broken fountain at its centre just west of the river. A smidge west of the roundabout you'll first see the post office, then a large tourist info centre, then Mukdahan hospital. Internet and printing are available a tad further west on the southern side of Phithak Phanomkhet at nondescript NP Games and Net. Internet is also available in the lobbies of Huanam Hotel and Riverfront Hotel.

Continue west on Phithak Phanomkhet and you'll pass through another area that feels a bit like a downtown, although only with local style shops and restaurants, before hitting Route 212. Head southwest on 212 and you'll pass through nothing but rice fields and tiny villages for a long, long time -- the closest proper city in this direction is Amnat Charoen 85 kilometres away. Take 212 northeast and you'll pass the bus station, a Big C supermarket and several car dealers before reaching the entry road to the Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge 2 after about 10 kilometres. Continue northwards from here for 50 kilometres and you'll reach That Phanom.

Although Mukdahan hospital is the most centrally located, the better Mukdahan International Hospital is just south of town on Samut Sakdarak Road just before you reach Mukdahan Tower. The police station is also nearby just off Samut Sakdarak Road and is clearly marked with signs. Banks are scattered around town, including several ATMs on Songnang Sathit Road, where the night market sets up. An ATM is also found on the Thai side of the Friendship Bridge 2.