2015 - North-Eastern Thailand and Laos - Day 5

North-Eastern (I-San) Thailand and Laos, 16 Nov - 10 Dec 2015 (25days)

L-R: Chew Leng Soon, Ching Neng Bin, Chan Meng Fye at Wat Phra That Choeng Chum, Sakon Nakhon.

Day 5 (20.11.2015) Kalasin to Sakon Nakhon (129km)

This morning we took the 9:50am bus to Sakon Nakhon Bus Station and arrived at 12:20pm. At the station, we took a yellow bus and traveled 6km to the city. Sakon Nakhon is in the upper northeast. Located in the Phu Phan Mountains, there are many forest temple retreats for meditation.

In the afternoon, we visited two temples, Wat Phra That Choeng Chum and Wat Si Sumang. Dinner was at Wat Si Sumang temple and there was also an I-san culture show inside the temple grounds.

Sleeping at Imperial Sakon Hotel, Sakon Nakhon


Lunch at a Vietnamese restaurant in Sakon Nakhon and watch how Vietnamese rice paper rolls are made.


Lunch at a Vietnamese restaurant in Sakon Nakhon and watch how Vietnamese rice paper rolls are made.


Lunch at a Vietnamese restaurant in Sakon Nakhon and watch how Vietnamese rice paper rolls are made.


Vietnamese rice paper rolls are incredibly fresh and healthy. Its great with the peanut dipping sauce.


Lunch at a Vietnamese restaurant in Sakon Nakhon.


Sleeping at Imperial Sakon Hotel in Sakon Nakhon.


Rotary Club of Sakon Nakhon meets in Imperial Sakon Hotel every Wednesday.


Wat Phra That Choeng Chum, Sakon Nakhon Province.


From the parking lot, we could see Wat Phra That Choeng Chum, an important and sacred religious monument in Sakon Nakhon Province.


Wat Phra That Choeng Chum, Sakon Nakhon.


Wat Phra That Choeng Chum, Sakon Nakhon.


Wat Phra That Choeng Chum, Sakon Nakhon.


In the heart of Sakhon Nakhon city, near the mighty Nong Han Lake, is  Wat Phra That Choeng Chum. Originally a 10th-century Khmer monastery, the temple is highly prized because it is believed that his four incarnations of  Buddha came to this place and left footprints on the ground.


A white pagoda was built to cover the footprints of the Buddhas at Wat Phra That Choeng Chum, Sakon Nakhon.


Wat Phra That Choeng Chum, Sakon Nakhon. All sides of the chedi had a 'naga' or prayanak which looked very realistic. We believe there is a Phrayanak to protect the pagoda.


The  'naga' or prayanak at Wat Phra That Choeng Chum, Sakon Nakhon.
 
 
2015.11.20 - Wat Phra That Choeng Chum, Sakon Nakhon.


Beautiful chapel in Phra That Choeng Chum, Sakhon Nakhon.


Wat Phra That Choeng Chum, Sakon Nakhon. Inside the temple grounds, we were even more fascinated by the Thai-style architecture in the center of the building.
 

Wat Phra That Choeng Chum, Sakon Nakhon.


Wat Phra That Choeng Chum, Sakon Nakhon.


Wat Phra That Choeng Chum, Sakon Nakhon.


Wat Phra That Choeng Chum, Sakon Nakhon.


Wat Phra That Choeng Chum, Sakon Nakhon.


Wat Phra That Choeng Chum, Sakon Nakhon.


Wat Phra That Choeng Chum, Sakon Nakhon.


Another chapel of Wat Phra That Choeng Chum, Sakon Nakhon.


The building that housed the Luang Phor Phra Ong Saen Buddha statue at WatPhraThat Choeng Chum, Sakon Nakhon.


Wat Phra That Choeng Chum, Sakon Nakhon. Monks were giving blessings to devotees in the building where the Buddha statue of Luang Phor Phra Ong Sane is enshrined. This image was cast in the style of Chiang Saen in 1257.


Wat Phra That Choeng Chum, Sakon Nakhon.


Wat Phra That Choeng Chum, Sakon Nakhon.


Night view of Wat Phra That Choeng Chum, Sakon Nakhon.


Young monks wipe Wat Phra That Choeng Chum, Sakon Nakhon temple complex.


Night view of Wat Phra That Choeng Chum, Sakon Nakhon.


Wat Phra That Choeng Chum, Sakon Nakhon chedi is a rectangle made of mortar and bricks is 24 meters high.


Night view of Wat Phra That Choeng Chum, Sakon Nakhon chedi.


Night view of Wat Phra That Choeng Chum, Sakon Nakhon chedi with the moon.


Night view of Wat Phra That Choeng Chum, Sakon Nakhon chedi.


The white and gold pagoda is depicted on the state seal of Sakon Nakhon's Wat Phra That Choeng Chum and on the 10 Satan coin.


We had a free dinner with all temple devotees at Wat Si Sumang in Sakhon Nakhon.


Wat Si Sumang, Sakhon Nakhon is a monastery, where a community of monks lives in seclusion. 


Wat Si Sumang, Sakhon Nakhon is a monastery, where a community of monks lives in seclusion.


I-san cultural show in the Wat Si Sumang, Sakhon Nakhon temple ground.


I-san cultural show in the Wat Si Sumang, Sakhon Nakhon temple ground.


I-san cultural show in the Wat Si Sumang, Sakhon Nakhon temple ground.


I-san cultural show in the Wat Si Sumang, Sakhon Nakhon temple ground.


I-san cultural show in the Wat Si Sumang, Sakhon Nakhon temple ground.


I-san cultural show in the Wat Si Sumang, Sakhon Nakhon temple ground.


I-san cultural show in the Wat Si Sumang, Sakhon Nakhon temple ground.


I-san cultural show in the Wat Si Sumang, Sakhon Nakhon temple ground.


I-san cultural show in the Wat Si Sumang, Sakhon Nakhon temple ground.


I-san cultural show in the Wat Si Sumang, Sakhon Nakhon temple ground.


I-san cultural show in the Wat Si Sumang, Sakhon Nakhon temple ground.


I-san cultural show in the Wat Si Sumang, Sakhon Nakhon temple ground.


I-san cultural show in the Wat Si Sumang, Sakhon Nakhon temple ground.


I-san cultural show in the Wat Si Sumang, Sakhon Nakhon temple ground.


I-san cultural show in the Wat Si Sumang, Sakhon Nakhon temple ground.


I-san cultural show in the Wat Si Sumang, Sakhon Nakhon temple ground.


I-san cultural show in the Wat Si Sumang, Sakhon Nakhon temple ground.


I-san cultural show in the Wat Si Sumang, Sakhon Nakhon temple ground.


I-san cultural show in the Wat Si Sumang, Sakhon Nakhon temple ground.









Day 5 Cost Item in Thai Baht Bus/car Food Hotel Fee Total  per pax
20.11.2015 Song taew to bus terminal 80


80 20
Sakon Nakhon Breakfast
140

140 35
Imperial Sakon Bus to Sakon Nakhon 340


340 85

City bus to town 40


40 10

Lunch
210

210 53

Imperial Sakon 2 rooms

720
720 180
 
Click below to view:
North-Eastern Thailand and Laos - Introduction
Day 01 (16.11.15) AirAsia AK 856 KUL. 12.45pm to Chiang Mai, (1738km)
Day 02 (17 Nov) Chiang Mai to Loei to Phu Kradueng to Khon Kaen (691km)

Day 03 (18 Nov) Khon Kaen City walk around
Day 04 (19 Nov) Khon Kaen City to Kalasin (80km)
Day 05 (20 Nov) Kalasin to Sakon Nakhon (129km)

Day 06 (21 Nov) Sakon Nakhon to Nakhon Phanom (92km)
Day 07 (22 Nov) Nakhon Phanom - day trip to Thakhek, Laos (62km)
Day 08 (23 Nov) Nakhon Phanom to Mukdahan (125km)
Day 09 (24 Nov) Mukdahan - trip to Phu Pha Thoet National Park (108km)
Day 10 (25 Nov) Mukdahan to Ubon Ratchathani by bus (194km)

Day 11 (26 Nov) Ubon Ratchathani to Pakse to Si Phan Don, Laos (291km)
Day 12 (27 Nov) Si Phan Don - a long walk to Somphamit Waterfall
Day 13 (28 Nov) Si Phan Don to Ubon Ratchathani by bus (291km)
Day 14 (29 Nov) Ubon Ratchathani to Si Sa Ket by van (67km)
Day 15 (30 Nov) Si Sa Ket to Buri Ram by train (148km)

Day 16 (01 Dec) Buri Ram - day visit to 3 places (219km)
Day 17 (02 Dec) Buri Ram to Nakhon Ratchasima by train (129km)
Day 18 (03 Dec) Nakhon Ratchasima - day trip to Phimai (120km)
Day 19 (04 Dec) Nakhon Ratchasima to Bangkok by train (264km)
Day 20 (05 Dec) Bangkok - Chao Phraya River boat ride to Khaosan Road

Day 21 (06 Dec) Bangkok - rest day and dinner at Royal Bangkok Sports Club
Day 22 (07 Dec) Bangkok to Prachuap Khiri Khan by train (320km)
Day 23 (08 Dec) Prachuap Khiri Khan
Day 24 (09 Dec) Prachuap Khiri Khan to Hatyai by night train (660km)
Day 25 (10 Dec) Hatyai to Butterworth by train and to KL by bus (555km)
 

L-R: Chan Meng Fye, Chew Leng Soon and Ching Neng Bin on the road in Thailand. 
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