Exploring The Bueng Kan Province
Bueng Kan was the last province (the 77th) formed in Thailand. It sits between Nong Khai and Nakhon Phanom provinces.
If you look at a map of Thailand, it occupies the far northeastern corner of the country, where the Mekong River does a big curve and heads south.
It tends to be a place that is largely unknown, and even most Thais I’ve spoken with know very little about it.
To be sure, it’s a bit of an off-the-beaten-track location, with foreign tourists being few and far between. Its primary attraction is the lack of development and its unspoiled natural beauty.
The geology of the province is predominantly red sandstone, which punctuates the landscape with dramatic, sheer-sided peaks and massive boulders.
There are a number of exceptional wilderness areas that offer hiking to magnificent viewpoints and picturesque waterfalls.
Download the complete Bueng Kan Province PDF guide, click here
Getting To The Bueng Kan Province
If you’re traveling from Bangkok, these are the available options for getting to Bueng Kan.
Note: All transportation options from Bangkok will go to Udon Thani first.
Air Travel: The domestic carriers Nok Air and Thai Smile have regular daily flights to Udon Thani. Nok Air departs from Don Mueang Airport, and Thai Smile departs from Suvarnabhumi Airport.
Train Travel: Thai Rail has daily departures for Udon Thani from Bangkok’s main rail terminal – Hua Lamphong.
Bus Travel: There are regular daily buses to Udon Thani from Bangkok’s Northern Bus Terminal – Mo Chit.
By Car: From Udon, the best option is to rent a vehicle at the airport and self-drive to Bueng Kan Township. For rental options, Click Here
Click this link Bangkok to Udon Thani travel options
Sightseeing Attractions At Beung Kan Province
There are some really interesting and unique places to visit as you explore the Beung Kan Province, these include:
Wat Phu Tok
A unique Buddhist temple site, located approximately 45 km southeast of Bueng Kan Township.
The temple grounds include a large sandstone pinnacle, which has been developed for sightseeing. Stairways, walkways, and trails have been put in place to enable sightseers to ascend to the top of the pinnacle and also circumnavigate it.
Three Whales Rocks
An exceptional sightseeing attraction located in the Phu Sing Forestry Park.
The site is situated approximately 27 km southeast of Bueng Kan Township. It features two massive sandstone rocks (and a smaller third one) that protrude from a jungle-covered peak and have the appearance of whales.
Spectacular views and vertical drops to the surrounding landscape are also a feature of the site.
Download the complete Bueng Kan Province PDF guide, click here
Chet Si Waterfall
This is one of the best waterfalls in Bueng Kan Province. The site is located approximately 60 km southeast of Bueng Kan Township.
There is a waterfall trail that takes you up a number of levels, but the best waterfall is at level two. Like most waterfalls in the area, it’s best visited during the rainy season.
Tham Phra Waterfall
This is a picturesque waterfall area, located approximately 60 km from Bueng Kan Township.
Unfortunately, it’s a bit difficult to find due to much of the directional signage being in Thai language only.
There is a scenic boat ride to get to the start of the trail through the three levels at the site. At the first level, there’s a small cavern with a number of gold Buddha statues inside.
The best time to visit is during the rainy season.
Download the complete Bueng Kan Province PDF guide, click here
The Naga Cave Trail
This is a challenging hiking trail in the southern section of Bueng Kan Province, near the border of Nakhon Phanom Province.
The trail is part of Phu Langka National Park. It ascends the highest peak (455 meters) in the province and provides spectacular views of the surrounding landscape.
It also has a couple of small caverns with rock formations resembling the scaled skin of a snake.
Note: There is no public transport to these locations. You will need your own car or motorbike to get to them.
- Cars can be hired at Udon Thani Airport.
- Motorbikes can be hired from guesthouses or hotels in Bueng Kan Township.
The Phu Sing Monestary Park
This is one of the best sightseeing locations in Bueng Kan Province and features an attraction called Three Whales Rocks.
Situated approximately 27 km southeast of Bueng Kan Township, the Forest Park features two massive sandstone rocks (and a smaller third one) that protrude from a jungle-covered peak and resemble whales.
Spectacular views and vertical drops to the surrounding landscape are also a feature of the site.
Click this link for directions from Bueng Kan Township
There is a Forestry Park HQ at the entrance to the site, which also has restroom facilities, some local restaurants, and a large parking area.
Note: This is not a designated Thai National Park and therefore has no entry fee. However, there is a transportation fee.
Phu Sing Monestary Park Tour Fee
Although there is no park entry fee, there is a transportation charge for the tour around the site. The standard fee for the transportation is 500 THB.
If you’re in a group, you can divide the 500 THB fee among the members of the group. If you’re going solo and can’t find anyone to join you, you’ll have to pay the full 500 THB.
Doing The Tour
From the Forestry Park HQ, it’s approximately 6 km to the Three Whales Rocks site, and most of that is an uphill journey.
For this reason, transport is provided in the form of a pick-up truck with open seating. The tour also includes short visits to three other attractions aside from the Three Whales Rocks.
Note: Walking to the various sites isn’t permitted.
For a detailed guide to the Bueng Kan province tour, download our PDF, Click Here
