SIAMSMILES

Always wondered what creatures hide in the Mekong river. Come visite the Nakhom Phanom freshwater aquarium and see the gigant Mekong catfish. The aquarium is about 5 kilometers outside town, admission 30 baht. The aquarium houses some of the fish from the Mekong river. A few small fish are in little aquariums but they also have some very large catfish in a huge tank with a glass tunnel to walk through. To get there just rent a bike or take a tuktuk from the bus station. The aquarium is not that large so to visit will take just 2 or 3 hours including the ride from Nakhon Phanom. Opening hours are from 9am till 4pm. My advise is to be there early to avoid the heat and large groups as from time to time schools will visit the aquarium making you the attraction instead of the fish.

Nakhon Phanom is a lovely small town nested along the mighty Mekong river deep in Esaan province. The town borders Laos and provides a beautiful view of the river and the lime stone mountains just cross. Activities in Nakhon Phanom are limited compared to the major tourist destinations. But this might already be a reason to visit as there are hardly any tourist and you can experience the real Isan lifestyle. Make an hour long cruise on the Mekong river. The boat depards across the Indochina market at 17.00 and a ticket is 50 baht. I really liked this boat trip, its relaxing and provides nice views of the surroundings and the Laos side of the river. Rent a bikecycle at P Hometel to explore the town and its outskirts. The land is flat so biking is easy and within a few minutes you can be cycling between rice fields and small farmer villages. Curious kids will be welcoming you, its a lot of fun. To get to Nakhon Phanom you can take the bus from Morchit but be prepared for a lo