Amphoe Mueang Mukdahan: Temples, Market and Mekong

Explore Amphoe Mueang Mukdahan through three distinct highlights: the religious art of Wat Roi Phra Phutthabat Phu Manorom, the goods and textiles of the Indochina Market, and the Mekong crossing of the Second Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge. When planning a hotel stay, you can weigh whether temples and views, local products, or a festival taking place on your travel dates will be the deciding factor.

Wat Roi Phra Phutthabat Phu Manorom: Art and Views

Wat Roi Phra Phutthabat Phu Manorom is located on Mano Mountain in Ban Khao Manorom village, Tambon Nasinuan, Amphoe Mueang Mukdahan. The landscaped grounds offer views of Mukdahan, Savannakhet, Ho Kaeo, the Mekong, and the Second Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge. The city, river, and bridge are among the named viewpoints on the temple grounds.

The wat is home to the Buddha statue พระเจ้าใหญ่แก้วมุกดาศรีไตรรัตน์. It measures 39.99 meters across the lap and 84 meters from the base to the crown of the head. Another striking figure is the Naga statue พญาศรีมุกดามหามุนีนีลปาลนาคราช: It is 122 meters long and 20 meters high. Worshippers pray there and walk beneath the statue’s body for good luck. Alongside their impressive dimensions, the religious practices at the site are also a central feature.

Mekong Crossing and Indochina Market

The Second Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge is located in Ban Song Phueai on Highway 212, in Tambon Bang Sai Yai, Amphoe Mueang Mukdahan. It crosses the Mekong from Ban Song Phueai to Ban Na Kae in Kaysone Phomvihane, Savannakhet Province, Laos. If you plan to use the bridge as a border crossing, check the current procedures.

The Indochina Market sells imported goods from Russia, China, Vietnam, and Laos. It also offers local products from Mukdahan, including silk and Mudmee fabric. The market therefore brings together goods from different places of origin and textiles from the region. Individual products and stalls may change.

Festivals at Different Times of Year

The Four Lands Countdown is held every year around New Year at the Indochina Market on the Mekong riverbank. In May, the worship and offering ceremony at the Chao Mae Song Nang Phi Nong Shrine is held annually. The Thai Mukdahan Ethnic Gathering, Sweet Tamarind by the Mekong, takes place every year from December to January. These dates vary considerably: check the latest dates and programs if a festival is important to your travel plans.

Landscape and Nature

Huai Rai Reservoir is located in Tambon Dong Mon. Check local conditions before visiting. A project focused on watershed forest provides another perspective on the landscape: 131,634 rai of watershed forest above three reservoirs have been protected and restored so that the forest can serve as a natural water reservoir. The project covers Amphoe Dong Luang and Mueang Mukdahan in Mukdahan Province.

More to Explore in the Mukdahan Destination

In the wider Mukdahan destination, Ho Kaeo Mukdahan is a 65.50-meter-high concrete tower. From there, views stretch across Mukdahan city, the Mekong, and Savannakhet on the Lao side of the river. Exhibitions at the base showcase the way of life of Mukdahan’s eight ethnic groups, life along both banks of the Mekong, and the history of Mukdahan city.

The regional food culture offers another point of interest: At the five-way intersection of Mukdahan’s Vietnamese community, recommended dishes include Khao Piak, Vietnamese Kuai Chap, rice porridge, and blood curry. Individual vendors and menus may change.

Explore more destinations: Mukdahan, Amphoe Khamcha-I.

Go to the main travel overview: Mukdahan.