Ubon Ratchathani Hotels

Ubon Ratchathani is the capital of Ubon Ratchathani Province in the north-eastern Isaan region of Thailand. Often referred to as simply Ubon,it should not be confused with Udon to the north. Ubon was founded on the northern bank of the Mun River by a group of Lao princes fleeing Vientiane in the late 1700s. They applied for King Taksin's protection, duly granted in 1779 along with the city's new name, meaning "Royal City of the Lotus". Modern-day Ubon was a U.S. air base during the Vietnam War and grew rapidly at the time, but little has happened since then. The town of Warin Chamrap, on the south bank of the river, is effectively a suburb of Ubon these days. The sleepy Ubon office of the Tourist Authority of Thailand (264/1 Khuan Thani Road) is worth a visit to pick up useful English maps of the town and nearby provinces. Basic English spoken. Open daily 08:30-16:30. Survive the usual knot of choked access roads and Ubon will reveal an altogether more attractive face. Racked up against Mae Nam Mun, Thailand's second-longest waterway, the southern portions of the city have a pedestrian, sluggish character rarely found in the region's big conurbations. Temples pepper the surrounding area, the urban push-and-shove is easily escaped and despite the quick-time march of modernisation, a deep sense of Isan identity continues to live on. Few cities in Thailand reward aimless wandering as richly as Ubon.A US air base during the Vietnam era, 21st-century Ubon is primarily a financial, educational and agricultural market centre for eastern Isan. With the nearby Thai–Lao border crossing at Chong Mek drawing a steady stream of foreigners, Ubon is an increasingly popular travel destination. The hotel scene is glum, but there are plenty of good restaurants and well-stocked stores that offer a chance to enjoy the good life before heading off into rural Laos.