In many ways, Nong Khai is the end of the line.  If you take the overnight train into Isan, northeast Thailand, your final destination in Thailand would be Nong Khai.  Recently, however, the train began crossing over the Mekong River from the Nong Khai station, on a short ride into neighboring Laos.  This can be an interesting trip for a few days away from Nong Khai.

Many visitors to Nong Khai end up there for this very reason, as they plan to cross the Friendship Bridge into neighboring Laos.  Once in Nong Khai, many find it so relaxing they decide to stick around for a few days and take in the sights.

The promenade along the river is an enjoyable place to while away the hours, along with shopping in the adjacent Tha Sadet Indochina Market.  And before you leave, be sure to pay a visit to Sala Kaew Ku Sculpture Park, an eerie garden of towering concrete statues (some over 60 feet tall), combining Hindu and Buddhist iconography, as well as imparting moral lessons to its visitors.