Mukdahan is a peaceful province located on the bank of the Mekong River, opposite Sawannakhet in Laos.  The ancestors of the Mukdahan people migrated from Laos to establish the city in the late Ayutthaya period.  The province has always been an interesting mixture of cultures from various tribes since ancient times.  Moreover, it is a land of fantastic natural rock parks and is major gateway to tourism in Laos and vietnam.

   Mukdahan has an area of 4,339 square kilometres and is divided into the following districts:  Muang, Kham Cha-1, Nikhom Kham Soi, Don Tan, Dong Luang, Wan Yai, and Nong Sung.

ATTRACTIONS

AMPHOE MUANG

   Chao Pho Chao Fa Mung Muang Shrine  is on Song Nang Sathit Road.  It is here that the city shrine is located.  It is believed that the shrine was built at the same time as the founding of the city.  The people of Mukdahan regard the shrine as a sacred place that preserves the city's happiness.

   Chao Mae Song Nang Phi Nong Shrine  is on Samran Chai Khong Road next to Mukdahan immigration checkpoint.  No records exist of its origin but it is regarded to be as sacred as the Mung Muang Shrine.  The locals hold a celebration to pay homage to both shrines in May every year.

   Wat Si Mongkhon Tai  is near the immigration checkpoint.  The temple houses an important Buddha image of the province which is Phra Chao Ong Lung, an image built before the city's founding.  This brick image is 2.2 metres wide and 2 metres high.  According to legend, the first lord of Mukdahan discovered it while he was overseeing the city's construction.  In addition, another image made of steel was found under a Bodi tree with only its top part protruding from the ground.

   Phra Phuttha Sing Song  is a Buddha image at Wat Si Bun Ruang (Ban Tai)  on Samran Chai Khong Road.  This bronze image is 1 metre wide and 1.2 metres high.  Chao Kinnari took the image from Vientiane to Mukdahan when the city was built.  A ritual to pay homage to the image takes place every Songkran (Thai New Year) day.

   Sawannakhet Province,  Lao People's Democratic Republic  is opposite Mukdahan.  The second largest city to Vientiane, the province has routes linking Laos to Danang in Vietnam.  To enter Laos, foreign travelers must have a valid passport and obtain a visa from either a Lao embassy or the Lao consulate in Khon Kaen.

   Ho Kaeo Mukdahan  is a 65-metre-high tower, 2 kilometres on the Mukdahan-Lon Tan route.  The lower floor features an exhibition on Mukdahan's history, another on the arts and culture of various tribes and the way of life along the Mekong River from past to present.  The topmost part is an observation room where visitors can enjoy panoramic views of the Mekong, Sawannakhet and Mukdahan.

   Mukdahan National Park (Phu Pha Thoep)  is 17 kilometres from the city on the Mukdahan-Lon Tan road.  To get to the park, turn right at Km. 14-15 and drive for 2 kilometres.  The park has an area of 48.5 square kilometres and consists mainly of many high mountains connected together like Phu Manorom,  Phu Nang Hong, Phu Pha Thoep, Phu Tham Phra, Phu Lak Se, Phu Rang, Phu Pong, and Phu Kham Mak Mi.  The highest peak is Phu Chom Si which is 420 metres above sea level.  The forest is hardwood forest and is the source of several waterways.

   Some parts of the park are steep cliffs and wide rock plateaus.  The most striking of these is Phu Pha Thoep where rocks of peculiar shapes abound.  It is believed that this area was once a dirt mountain that eventually eroded due to rain and wind.  Around the end of the rainy season in October, flowers of different colors bloom from the rocks, giving the park magnificent colors.

   Other places of interest include Phu Tham Phra, the largest mountain in the park and where visitors can find a waterfall and cave where hundreds of small wooden Buddha and animal images are placed, and Tham Fa Mu Daeng on Phu Pha Thoep where numerous prehistoric drawings of hands and people can be seen.  Drawn with red paint, the drawings are older than 5,000 years.

   Phu Manorom can be reached by taking the Mukdahan-Don Tan route on Highway No. 2034 for 2 kilometres and take right turn for 3 kilometres.  A replica of Lord Buddha's footprint that is 1 metre deep is here.  Visitors can have a good view of Mukdahan,  the Mekong and Sawannakhet in Laos.

AMPHOE DON TAN

   Phu Sa Dok Bua National Park  is at km. 24-26 of Highway No. 2227, some 50 kilometres south of Mukdahan.  It covers a mountainous area of 252 square kilometres, its rich and fertile jungles are habitats to a great number of different plantlife.  There are several large stone flatlands in different locations.  Major attractions in the park include:

   Phu Pha Taem is a cliff adorned with prehistoric paintings, dating back to 3,000-4,000 years ago.  The cliff-face itself looks somewhat lile a caves because of rock slides.

   Pha Maklua and Phu Pha Hom are suitable for viewing the surrounding.  Phu Sa Dok Bua is 423 metre high.  Atop the mount are several rocky depressions, each measuring about 2-5 metre wide filled with different genres of water lilies throughout the year.  Nearby is a large cave which used to be the hide-out of Communist followers.

AMPHOE NIKHOM KHAM SOI

   Wai Phu Dan Tae or Wat Phutto Thammatharo is on Highway No. 212 at Km. 134 at Ban Chai Mongkhon, Tambon Chok Chai, about 15 kilometres from town.  the temple is on a rock plateau and houses a large standing Buddha image with a halo on top.  The image is clearly visible from a distance.

   Phu Mu Forest Park  can be reached by taking Highway No. 212 to Km. 128-129, then take a left-hand road for 12 kilometres.  Phu Mu is 353 metres above sea level and has a mountaintop plateau with an area of 4 square kilometres.  Wild boars used to roam the area.  Hence, the name given by villagers.  The summit has 3 vantage points, 100 metres, 400 metres and 800 metres from the park office, respectively.  Visitors can have great views of Mukdahan fro all 3 points.

AMPHEO WAN YAI

   Wat Ban Song Khon Church  is the largest and most beautiful Catholic church in southeast Asia.  Situated on the Mekong bank 6 kilometres from Wan Yai or 25 kilometres from Mukdahan, the church was built to honor 7 Christians who sacrificed their lives to protect the religion.  The wax figures of the 7 martyrs with their ashes inside are on display in the rear of the church.

   Kaeng Kabao  is an islet that parallels the Mekong.  a wide rock plateau on the bank is popular for villagers seeking relaxation.  Islands and beaches emerge in the middle of the river in the dry season, making the area more picturesque than in other seasons.  To get there, take Highway No. 212 (Mukdahan-That Phanom) for 20 kilometres and turn right to Wan Yai and drive for 9 kilometres.  Kaeng Kabao is 9 kilometres north of the district office.

EVENTS

   Boat Racing  is an age-old  tradition of the province.  It is held on the Mekong at the end of the Buddhist lent every year in November.  Numerous small, medium and large boats compete over a distance of 3 kilometres.  All boats are made from a single tree trunk.  Boats from Laos also take part.  There is a prize for the most beautiful boat

   Ruam Phao Thai Mukdahan and Makham Wan Chai Khong Fair  is organised to promote the province's products and its tourism industry during every January 9-15 in front of the provincial hall.  Activities include a procession using hundreds of people wearing costumes of tribes like Phu Thai, So, Yo, Kha, Kaloeng, and Kula; a sweet tamarind contest; the Thida Phao Thai pageant; shops selling products; and local performances.

LOCAL PRODUCTS

   Well-known products are Mat Mi cloth, Khao Ma cloth (all-purpose cloth) and Khit pillow, all of which can be purchased from shops on Samran Chai Khong Road and around the Mukdahan immigration checkpoint.  Tourists also frequent the Indochina market on the Mekong bank in the town.