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City Municipality in Thailand
Photo: Rawipad C.KKU from Khon Kaen, Thailand, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
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บึงแก่นนคร
Occupying an area of 603 rai (96 hectares), the lake is in the town's southeast quadrant. By the lake is a monument of Chao Phia Mueang Phaen, founder of Khon Kaen. The shady park around the lake decorated with sculptures attracts many visitors.
(ศาลเจ้าพ่อเทพารักษ์หลักเมือง
A famous monk and former governor of Khon Kaen placed a stone inscription from an ancient site in Chum Phae here for a Buddhist rite and set up the city pillar shrine.
พิพิธภัณฑ์แห่งชาติขอนแก่น
The Khon Kaen National Museum was opened by King Bhumiphol Adulyadej on 20 December 1972. It exhibits antiques and precious art pieces from pre-historical periods as well as a skeleton of the New Stone Age man and tools found at Ban Chiang. Interesting exhibits include stone lintels from Khmer ruins in the region as well as art from other periods, namely the Sukhothai and Ayutthaya, and native tools. These exhibits deepen knowledge of the history, archaeology, and the lifestyles of Isaan. Most of the archaeological excavation was conducted at the Muang Fa Daet Song Yang site in Ban Chiang.
มหาวิทยาลัยขอนแก่น
On the hill called "Mo Din Daeng" on a 5,000 rai plot of land, the university is the largest educational centre in Isaan.
(หอศิลปวัฒนธรรม
the Isaan barn-style building displays local arts, geography, and history. The centre can be accessed through the Si Than Gate.
พระมหาธาตุแก่นนคร หรือพระธาตุ ๙ ชั้น
A royal temple, the Phra Mahathat houses relics of the Lord Buddha and important Buddhist scriptures. It was established to celebrate the Golden Jubilee Celebrations of King Bhumibol Adulyadej's accession to the throne and to celebrate the 200th anniversary of Khon Kaen Province's establishment. Doors and windows of the 9 storeys of the stupa are beautifully carved, featuring the life and former incarnations of the Lord Buddha, 16 classes of visible deities in the Brahma's world, and Buddhist rites. Murals within the stupa feature the history of the town. Its spire, Isaan fishnet shape, and Indochina-Dvaravati-era style, imitated Phra That Kham Kaen. Its base is a square shape of 50 meters on each side and 80 meters in height, where are four mini-Buddha's relics at each corner sheltered by a seven-head-nāga crystal wall. The top floor, on the ninth storey, houses relics of the Lord Buddha. Visitors can enjoy a panoramic view of the town from there.
สิมอีสาน
Sim Isaan, a term for northeastern ordination halls or Ubosot, is within Wat Pa Saeng Arun, Phra Lap. The Sim Isaan’s outstanding features lie in its typical shape and style and solidity, as well as the beauty of the murals of Mudmi patterns of the province’s famous tie-dyed silk. This has been intended for later generations to learn from and treasure as well as to conserve local architecture.
โฮงมูนมังเมืองขอนแก่น
Established to strengthen local identity and serve as a study centre, this museum features the history of Khon Kaen and ancient culture dating back 5,000 years, to the city's founding, and Khon Kaen's lifestyle.
วัดไชยศรีและฮูปแต้มสินไซ
The temple, of archaeological, historical, and social importance, was declared a national ancient monument in Aug 2001. The ordination hall (sim or ubosot) of this temple houses magnificent murals, both inside and out, painted by a folk artisan from Maha Sarakham known as Thong Thipcha. The building originally had a northeastern roof style with an extended roof on each side. Later, a new roof of the Rattanakosin-style replaced the old dilapidated one. In 1993, the roof was extended to shelter the murals from the elements. There is also a folk museum nearby where rare folk implements of the region are on display.
A Buddhist chedi. Kham Kaen means 'heartwood of the tamarind tree'.
This local tour company has day and overnight trips in and around Khon Kaen. They follow a slow travel approach and include stops at villages, temples and markets on all tours to allow people to experience the local culture.
German and Thai food. Best German food in Isaan. Very friendly and helpful owner, living in Thailand for 35 years.
Best food in town.
ร้านข้าวต้ม ก๊ก24น.
Great, but hard to find, 24 hour Thai restaurant. Signature dish is khao tom, boiled rice porridge, but there is much more on offer. Friendly staff.
An Italian restaurant specializing in pizzas and pastas.
Real Belgian chocolate shop. They offer running chocolate fountain, handmade pralines and truffles, sugar-free Belgian chocolate, cakes, famous ice cream and are also the Belgian chocolate wholesaler for the Isaan region (chocolate for baking and cooking included).
มักตำ
Khon Kaen food. Traditional dishes and specialities of this city and its region. Fresh ingredients sourced at dawn.
One of the more upscale bars in Khon Kaen. Two very good pool tables. Live music some nights. Have two menus: one for Western food, one for terrific Indian food prepared by an Indian chef. All day English breakfast from 09:00, making it very unusual as a (relatively) early breakfast is hard to find outside of larger hotels.
A popular nightspot for music and dancing.
ตะวันแดง มหาซน ณ ขอนแก่น
Huge brewery/indoor beer garden/concert venue with live guest acts, house band and dancers, performing regional luk thung- and mor lam-influenced rock. You'll find university students, middle-aged locals and families sharing in the mirth all at once. This feels like Isaan. A must-visit Thai pub.
Spacious, modern bar with 2 good pool tables and lots of nice hostesses to play pool with. It appears to be the number one beer bar in the Pullman Hotel area.
Sleek and modern dance club with live bands and DJ, with a small after-hours club downstairs. If you're seeking an escape from Bangkok, this is not the place. It's a short tuk-tuk ride from Dtawan Daeng, if you've been there till closing and fancy another drink (and a microcosm of Thailand contrasts in one evening).
แคนารีสอร์ตขอนแก่น
Quiet and relaxed bungalow style accommodation on the Khon Kaen's outskirts. Clean, well maintained bungalows are set around a yard among a few garden ponds and fountains. Each bungalow comes with a covered parking place, a small veranda (you can hang your hammock there), aircon, TV, fridge and attached bathroom with hot shower. There aren't any restaurants or shops nearby though, so own transport is needed. Definitely great value if you have your own transport available.
โรงแรมชัยพัช
Small and old rooms, but cheap and central.
Budget hotel with fan or air-con double rooms with own bathroom. all rooms have cable tv. off-street parking and free Wi-Fi. Various restaurants nearby.
This hotel tries so hard to be designer cool and hip that it borders on the ludicrous. E.g., the bathroom has a glass see-thru wall and door. The bed is just outside the door. If you want any privacy you must draw a full length curtain in addition to shutting the door. Not a bad location overall, but dumpy surroundings. Free Wi-Fi.
An authentic village experience (you spend the day with a local resident who shows you village life) rather than just a place to sleep. It's in a village outside the city, but transportation to and from the city centre is included.
Thai/European-managed hotel/serviced apartments in good area.
A good quality budget hotel in the quiet Bangkok district of Khon Kaen with fully furnished rooms (air-con, fridge, cable TV, Wi-Fi) available from 400 baht including copious free continental breakfast.
A good quality hotel in city centre, between the two in-town bus stations, 15 min walk to the Pullman Hotel area. No pool, no restaurant. Lots of coffee shops, restaurants, and 24/7 convenience stores in the locale. Free Wi-Fi and off-street parking. The hotel is composed of two buildings. When you enter the courtyard, reception is on your right. That's the older building. Rooms here are bigger, hence more expensive, but with dated electrical and plumbing and dim lighting. Rooms in the newer building are smaller, cheaper, with more modern features. Book a room there unless you need space for ballroom dancing. Booking online with an aggregator will get you much cheaper rates.
500 baht for a decent air-con room with TV. 230 baht for a fan room with hot water, TV and Wi-Fi. There is also in-house laundry service at a reasonable price. 1 km from the main bus station, a tuk-tuk costs 50 baht. Or take songthaew 9. Some English is spoken depending who is on duty at the time. Breakfast not included, but can get directly across the road very cheaply.
Two types of accommodation: villas and terraced houses. 54 rooms, all surrounded by natural beauty and assorted scented trees. Wi-Fi access, car rental, and dry cleaning/laundry. Location is not central and is hard to reach.
(เฮงง่วนเฮียง) 王源兴
Preserved pork, Chinese-style sausage and dried crispy sliced pork.
(เจ๊รัช) 廖兰姐
Preserved pork, sour pork, Chinese-style pork sausage, dried crispy sliced pork.
By train
Khon Kaen is on the branch of the Northeastern Line that runs to Nong Khai and Laos. In 2019 the train station was rebuilt as an elevated station with plenty of shade.
By bus
Until 1 December 2017 Khon Kaen had three bus terminals. The newest, Terminal 3, is eight kilometres out of town and, for that reason, inconvenient.
By car
It's easy to get to Khon Kaen by car from Bangkok. Just follow the four lane Hwy 2. Hwy 2 also heads north to Udon Thani, Nong Khai, and Laos.
Khon Kaen's centre is characterised by a strict grid system of wide streets and long blocks. It appears to have been designed for road traffic in mind, making walking fairly unpleasant.
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Khon Kaen · Regional · KKC
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