Trip: Chiang Khan 3 days 2 nights in July

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Chiang Khan, an ancient and peaceful town with a unique character, is located on the banks of the Mekong River in Loei Province. Its charm attracts tourists from all over the country, including young people, working families, cyclists, and even a few foreign tourists. The people of Chiang Khan are friendly and welcoming, and the town has become increasingly popular in recent years, leading to a surge in tourist numbers during holidays and festivals.

Embark on a journey

We traveled by private car for about 8 hours. We started from Bangna, headed to Saraburi, via Highway 21, passing through Phetchabun Province, and onto Highway 2399. The route will be a steep mountain valley and a winding road (drivers should drive with caution) to exit onto Highway 201. Continue for about 15 minutes to reach the destination.

On the first day, we stayed at "Jantra Warin" Soi 13, which we bought from the travel fair at Seacon Square for 999 baht (Standard room + 2 sets of morning alms + 2 bicycles + coffee/ovaltine + breakfast for 2 people).

Overall, this place is great. The rooms and bathrooms are clean, and the caretaker is very friendly. You can park your car in front of the property (up to 3 cars).

We left Bangna at 5 am and arrived at our accommodation around 12:30 pm.

The room is decorated in soothing colors, clean, and has a powerful air conditioner.

The bathroom is very clean and well-equipped. It has a hot water heater, shower gel, and shampoo provided.

After settling into my room, I took a refreshing shower and hopped on the hotel's bicycle to find something to eat. It was incredibly quiet during the day, and the sun was scorching hot. I cycled down every alleyway, but all the shops were closed.

But I came across this restaurant.. "Auntie Pat's Shabu" Let's give it a try

>>For over 70 years, the legendary original recipe of "Lungsong" by Grandma Awn, passed down from generation to generation, has become "Jumnua" by Grandma Pad, a delicious dish that is synonymous with Chiang Khan.<<

Entering the restaurant, I looked at the menu with trepidation. I had no idea what to order, having never tried it before. What exactly is this "Jiao Nua"?

I decided to try two dishes: "Joom Nua Woon Sen" and "Khao Soi" (highly recommended).

Jiao Nua is a dish with napa cabbage, Chinese water spinach, and pork. The ingredients are similar to our sukiyaki, but the difference is that it also includes raw bean sprouts. The red sauce has a sweet taste like coconut noodles. Mix everything together and enjoy the hot soup with tender pork and raw bean sprouts. The combination is delicious and the taste is well-balanced.

Khanom jeen is a type of Thai noodle dish with a spicy sauce, similar to the central Thai style we know. It is served with minced pork and has a slightly sweet and spicy flavor. It is typically eaten with blanched Chinese morning glory, banana blossom, and shredded cabbage.

Mix it up like this..

After a satisfying meal at Yai Pad's dipping restaurant, we weren't sure where to go next. Nothing was open yet, so we decided to go for a bike ride to digest our food along the Mekong River. We took some photos and then headed back to our room to rest.

After a nap to recharge, we headed out at 4pm as the shops along the Mekong River were starting to set up. We were so excited that we went out before the sun had even set.

Taste the "Mekong River shrimp", salty and creamy, it's the signature dish here. If you come here and don't try it, it's like you haven't been to Chiang Khan.

"Khao Luem Pua" is a unique rice dish with a fragrant aroma and a salty, savory flavor. It is best enjoyed with grated coconut. (Highly recommended!)

"Crispy deep-fried dough sticks stuffed with fillings, Uncle Muk's style" Freshly fried, hot and crispy. I ordered the minced pork and mixed vegetable filling to try. It was delicious with the sweet dipping sauce with peanuts, just as the rumors say. (I recommend you try it)

Let's continue tasting..

"The satay at Huen Luang Prabang looks delicious," but the queue is too long. I'll skip it for now.

Steamed "Moo Yor Hed Hom" (Northern Thai-style pork sausage with shiitake mushrooms) served with a spicy dipping sauce. Personally, I found it a bit lacking in flavor, could have used a touch more black pepper. The dipping sauce, however, was delicious.

I didn't get to try the "baked banana with young coconut", but it looked interesting, so I took a picture to share with you.

"Grandma Awan's Rice Barn, a 100-Year-Old Rice Granary"

The atmosphere of the walking street around 5 pm is not very crowded with tourists yet.

There are a wide variety of souvenirs to choose from, mostly screen-printed shirts and locally woven fabrics.

Let's continue to taste at the restaurant "Eat Deliciously, To Your Heart's Content". I ordered 2 dishes to try.

"Khao Piek Sen", with its soft and chewy noodles, flavorful broth, and non-gamey blood, is a perfect warm and comforting dish.

"Spicy Minced Pork Salad" The minced pork salad at this shop is really good. It's fragrant with pepper and has a well-balanced flavor. It's a shame they don't sell plain minced pork, otherwise I would have bought some to take home for my family. (I recommend trying it!)

It's dark already.. Still can't stop eating

Next up is "Ancient Banana Blossom Fritters", another popular shop that sells so well they can't keep up with the frying. The owner is also very kind.

Deep-fried taro and banana blossom fritters, served hot with a fragrant aroma. Enjoy with sweet dipping sauce and cucumber. The fritters have a spicy kick followed by a salty finish. Pair them with a plate of hot steamed rice for a truly satisfying meal. (Highly recommended!)

While waiting for the food to digest, we took a walk to check out the next restaurant.

I was just going to take a walk, but I couldn't resist. I'm going to have another skewer of shrimp.

This shop is more delicious than the one I bought this afternoon. It has a sweet taste, as if it were coated with some kind of sauce.

After a leisurely stroll and some light bites, it was almost 9 pm. Time to wrap up the day's culinary exploration at our final stop...

At the "Emperor's Soup Chiang Khan" restaurant, you must try the Emperor's Soup.

Served hot in a pot with mixed mushrooms, pork bones, and a rich broth infused with the aroma of Chinese herbs. (Highly recommended!)

Only this much dim sum was left because I went to the restaurant late and it was about to close. As for the dim sum, it was okay, the flavors were strong. Each basket was 29 baht.

For the first day, hurry to the accommodation. Tomorrow, you have to wake up at 5:30 am to offer food to the monks and go see the mist at Phu Thok.

On the morning of the 2nd, I woke up at 5:30 am, offered food to the monks, and then rushed to Phu Thok to see the sea of mist.

The breakfast provided by the accommodation includes sticky rice, milk, and dried food. It's interesting to note that breakfast here doesn't include any side dishes.

After finishing the alms offering, hurry to Phu Thok urgently. It's very late.

To get to Phu Tok, drive along Highway 211. After passing Kaeng Kut Ku, continue for about 2 km. You will see a sign for Phu Tok. Turn right and follow the road until you reach the end, where you will find a parking lot on the left. Parking costs 20 baht, and a round-trip ride up the mountain in a shared taxi costs 25 baht per person.

The fog is not very thick today, but it is not disappointing. The weather is not cold, it is rather hot.

For those who do not have a private car, you can contact a three-wheeled car rental from the area near your accommodation. And will be parked waiting to pick you up below.

After returning from Phu Thok, we had coffee/ Ovaltine that the accommodation provided. We then used the food coupon to have breakfast at "Mae Ngam Restaurant" in Soi 15.

You can use the hotel's food coupon to order one item per person from the following three menus: porridge, rice porridge, and fried egg.

Two people went to order congee and fried eggs.

The congee here doesn't have any offal, just minced pork balls and soft-boiled eggs, sprinkled with freshly fried garlic that smells amazing. I'm really impressed with the minced pork in the congee - it's really delicious (I recommend you try it).

A hot pan of eggs served with fragrant butter, sprinkled with stir-fried minced pork, shredded pork sausage, and Chinese sausage (recommended to try).

After breakfast, I cycled to Wat Si Khun Muang, an ancient temple with a long history. Wat Si Khun Muang was built in 2199 and is known by the locals as Wat Yai. It is a center for both Lanna and Lan Chang art.

After paying respects at the temple for good luck, we continued to the shop "Naem Khluk Maew". If anyone comes to visit Chiang Khan and doesn't eat at this shop, it's like they didn't come at all!!! (I recommend trying it)

From what I gathered, the auntie has been selling for 50 years now. She currently has her shop in Soi 7. She opens around 8:30 AM and usually sells out by almost 1 PM. We sat and waited for her to set up the shop and prepare her ingredients from 8 AM onwards. We chatted as she told us stories about this and that...

The highlight of the "Khao Kluk Maeh Waew" is the fried rice, which has a secret recipe, and the fluffy fried eggs sprinkled on top of the spicy rice salad.

Mashed fried rice with fermented pork sausage, seasoned with lime, fried dried chili flakes, sprinkled vegetables, and young ginger slices.

Served with betel leaves and lettuce.

11 am, take a shower and get ready to have lunch at Kaeng Kud Ku. Let's try the "Mekong River catfish".

Koodkoo rapids at noon, the sun is really hot.

The water level is high today, so the rapids are not visible. If you want to see the rapids, you should visit in March when the water level is lower.

This place has "chopping board wood" that they say doesn't splinter or get moldy. It's the kind of wood used to make long-tail boats. The shape is quite unique.

And what you can't miss if you come to Kaeng Kud Ku, "Grade A Candied Coconut"

This Grade A candied coconut is made from soft young coconut flesh. It has a perfectly sweet taste, but it can only be stored for a few days.

Once the coconut has dried sufficiently, it is placed in a basket and some of the sugar water is drained out.

For lunch today, we went to eat at the Women's Local Food Group restaurant, located on the banks of the Mekong River in the Khood Koo area.

Choose a mat seat to match the atmosphere. Although the sun is quite strong, there is a cool breeze blowing.

Ordered 3 dishes for 2 people

"Spicy Tom Yum Mekong Catfish" with a strong flavor, just the right amount of spiciness. Most importantly, the fish is fresh and very sweet. This menu is highly recommended if you come here. The price is 150 baht per pot. (Recommended to try)

"Fried Shrimp" Mekong River shrimp, deep-fried into a crispy pancake, served with sweet dipping sauce and cucumber. Really crispy, stays crispy for a long time (recommended to try)

"Som Tum" is just okay, nothing special.

For the second night's accommodation, we changed to another place, which was not impressive, so I would not like to review it.

The air conditioner was loud, the room was very narrow like being in a box, the bathroom was dirty and there was no shampoo or shower gel provided. Compared to the price, it was quite expensive.

On the last morning, I went to try the famous "Khao Piek Soi 10" restaurant.

This restaurant's boiled pork sausage is different from others because they use fresh pork sausage, boiled in chunks, and served with a thick seafood dipping sauce.

Delicious dipping sauce with fresh, flavorful fermented pork sausage is a must-order for every table (highly recommended to try).

For khao piak sen, I still feel that Somjai's noodles are more chewy and soft, but the broth of this restaurant is equally delicious (recommended to try).

The toast (as it was written on the menu) was a hard bread, but not as hard as a baguette. It was spread with butter and topped with pork sausage and long, thin Chinese sausage.

Warmed up and served, this dish was just okay, nothing special. It would probably go better with coffee.

This trip was another one with many memorable moments. The people in Chiang Khan were friendly and helpful, and the food was delicious. I was especially impressed by the food, as I am a big foodie. If I have the chance, I will definitely visit again.

Expense Summary

• Travel Expenses 1,500
• Accommodation 1,800
• Food Expenses 2,250
• Total 5,550