Udon Thani and Khon Kaen Guide: Flights From THB 818, Red Lotus Sea to Mid-February

The Red Lotus Sea season runs until mid-February, and the best hours are 06.00 to 11.00. Nonstop flights from Don Mueang start at THB 917 to Udon Thani and THB 818 to Khon Kaen. Ban Chiang National Museum opens Wednesday to Sunday, 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM.

By Vincent Nguyen and team

Udon Thani and Khon Kaen are the two big Isaan cities an hour by air from Bangkok. Udon Thani has the Red Lotus Sea, whose season runs until mid-February. Khon Kaen has a silk-weaving tradition and a lakeside stupa. Flights start at THB 917 to Udon Thani and THB 818 to Khon Kaen.

Getting to Udon Thani and Khon Kaen

Thai AirAsia and Thai Lion Air fly nonstop from Don Mueang to both cities. Fares start at THB 917 to Udon Thani and THB 818 to Khon Kaen. The Udon Thani flight takes about 1 hour 5 minutes, and the Khon Kaen flight about 1 hour.

The State Railway of Thailand runs the north-eastern line out of Krung Thep Aphiwat. Night trains leave at 20:25 and 21:25. The 20:25 train reaches Khon Kaen at 04:12 and Udon Thani at 05:44. A day train leaves at 08:45 and reaches Khon Kaen at 15:32 and Udon Thani at 16:58.

Pick the flight if you want a full day at the destination. Pick the night train if you want to save a hotel night and arrive before breakfast.

Which city for what

Base yourself in Udon Thani for the Red Lotus Sea, Ban Chiang and Phu Phra Bat. Base yourself in Khon Kaen for the museum, the stupa, the lake and the silk villages.

Red Lotus Sea season and boats

The Red Lotus Sea (Talay Bua Daeng) is at Non Han Lake in Kumphawapi District, Udon Thani. The recommended travel season runs until mid-February. The bloom starts in October and is best from December to February in the morning.

Go early. The best time of day to see the blooms is 06.00 to 11.00. Boats and drivers are for rent by the hour at the side of the lake for roughly 300 to 500 baht.

The Ban Diam Pier boat enterprise counted 50,306 visitors between 1 December 2025 and 25 January 2026, and 24,287 of them were international tourists. Expect crowds at sunrise in peak weeks.

Questions go to the Tourism Authority of Thailand Udon Thani office on +66 (0) 42 325 407 or the hotline 1672.

Ban Chiang and Phu Phra Bat

Ban Chiang National Museum opens Wednesday to Sunday from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. It also opens on public holidays. Plan it for a day between Wednesday and Sunday, and confirm the entry fee at the ticket window.

Phu Phra Bat Historical Park is open every day from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM. It sits at the foothills of Phu Phan Mountain and covers 3,430 rai.

Combine both in one hired car day from Udon Thani. Start with the museum at 9:00 AM and finish at the park before it closes at 6:00 PM.

Khon Kaen: stupa, lake, museum and silk

Khon Kaen National Museum opens Wednesday to Sunday from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM and is closed on Monday. Plan your Khon Kaen day around that.

Phra Mahathat Kaen Nakhon, the nine-storey stupa, stands at Wat Nong Waengon on Klang Mueang Road. Bung Kaen Nakhon lake covers 603 rai and suits an evening walk.

Khon Kaen is a historic centre of silk production. Ask at your hotel for a silk village trip, and agree the price before you leave.

Immigration offices in Udon Thani and Khon Kaen

Udon Thani Immigration is at 5 Phosri Road, postcode 41000. The phone number is 042-249982.

Khon Kaen Immigration is in Bus Terminal 3, Building 2, 2nd floor, on Mittraphap-Kudkwang Road, postcode 40000. The extension-of-stay line is 043-306642.

Call before you go, because offices move and hours change. For the rules on a stay extension, read Extend Thailand visa exemption. For the address report, read the TM30 guide.

Hospitals and the tourist police

Bangkok Hospital Udon is at 111 Thong-yai Road, Mak Khaeng, Muang, Udon Thani 41000. The phone is +6642188999, and 1719 works for local calls.

Bangkok Hospital Khon Kaen answers on 043042888.

Both cities have a tourist police station. Call 1155 for crimes involving tourists. Call 1669 for a medical emergency and 191 for the Royal Thai Police. Read the emergency numbers guide and the tourist police guide before you travel.

When to go

Thailand has three seasons: hot from mid-February to mid-May, rainy from mid-May to mid-October and cool from mid-October to mid-February. From mid-October the north and north-east turn cooler and drier.

The north-east records 116 rainy days a year, with 1,103.8 mm in the rainy season. The average hot-season high is 35.2 degrees C. The record hot-season high is 43.9 degrees C, set in Udon Thani on 28 April 1960.

Plan the Red Lotus Sea for the cool season, from December to February, and skip the hot months from mid-February to mid-May for outdoor sights.

↑ Contents

Not confirmed: Train and bus fares are unconfirmed, so check at the station counter or the bus terminal. Immigration office hours and addresses come from older cached pages, so call first. The Red Lotus boat tariff is unofficial, so agree the price first.

Prices, timetables and opening hours change; check with the operator before you travel. See how guides are checked.

Spotted an error? Report it.