As you may already know, there are quite a lot of provinces in Thailand. In fact, there are 77 of them at this time of writing. Esan is one of the regions of Thailand with magnificent culture and rich history in which Sakon Nakhon truly is one of the provinces that highly reflects that.
General Information about Sakon Nakhon, Thailand
Sakon Nakhon is a province of history and culture. I am sure that one of the first things you will see here is traces of Buddhism heritage from the past. You can see many stupas around the province which may come from one of the periods in the last 3,000 years since the first establishment of this city. Some sources say that you can trace its origin back to the 11th century when the Khmer once ruled this region. It later became the province that we know today as Sakon Nakhon when King Rama III named it with this name. You might also hear strange dialect of Esan here, including Laos language and central region dialect. Sadly, there are very limited English signs here as well. To get into this province, you can first drive yourself from Bangkok which takes around 10 hours. If you do not want to drive, you can take the bus from Mo Chit 2 at Bangkok. Lastly, taking a plane to Sakon Nakhon may not be a bad choice in terms of saving time.
The famous attractions in Sakon Nakhon, Thailand
Sakon Nakhon have a lot of places that you should definitely see, but I understand that you cannot see them all in one trip. So, here are some famous places around this province that reflects the culture of this exotic place in Thailand. You will surely amaze with all the excitement!
Sakon Nathon Wax Castle Festival

The first that I want to recommend you is Sakon Nathon Wax Castle Festival. It is an old and a big tradition of Sakon Nakhon which usually hold around the month of October. They use beeswax and craft it into a castle with a lot of beautiful fine details. Each of the temple make their own castle and compete with other to find out who has the most beautiful one. The showcase of all castles come as a parade which has a distance of more than 10 kilometers. This parade also tells a story about the history of this province and local shows of the northeast region such as local dance, Esan dance, bamboo knocking performance, and etc.

Wat Tham Pha Dan

Another famous place is Wat Tham Pha Dan which is one of the oldest temples of Sakon Nakhon with more than a century old! The temple locates on the high mountain surrounded by shady nature. The views that you can see from up here are the city of Sakon Nakhon and the beautiful Nong Han Lake. The highlight of this place is inside the interior of the temple. You can see many giant crafted rocks on a cliff with highly magnificent details. Each detail also tell a story about the religion of Buddhism that you can directly experience.
Bueng Nong Han or Nong Han Lake/Swamp

The last place on the list of famous places around Sakon Nakhon is Bueng Nong Han or Nong Han Lake/Swamp. It is actually the second biggest lake of Thailand in which the first-place holder is Bueng Borapet at Nakhon Sawan. This lake has more than 123 square kilometers which includes freshwater fishes, shore birds, and aquatic plants farms. While there are more than 30 islands in this place, the biggest one is Don Sawan Island which has more than 160,000 square meters of area with no inhabitant. You can also see a lot of big trees here. However, the landmark of this island is an ancient Buddhism site.

At Bueng Nong Han in the evening, there is a spot where you can take a boat to see the one of the most beautiful sunsets in Sakon Nakhon that beautifully reflects on the water surface.
Local Tells
Everything all comes down to culture in the end, no matter what they are. The culture that lives in the blood of the people at Sakon Nakhon proves that it is something that they held up high in their lives. So, these unique places that they recommended are pretty awesome and involves a lot of their culture.
Moo Baan Tum Rae

The first recommended place by the local is Moo Baan Tum Rae. It is an old community with over 100 years of history and a community with one of the most people who has a belief in the Catholic church in Thailand. The first thing you will see is the architecture that combines French and Vietnamese together into one on the two sides of the road. You might also want to take a look at a cathedral called Saint Michael Cathedral. It would be a great idea to take pictures of the structure that resembles a giant ship. It is one of the most highlighted architecture inside this province!

The Christmas Star Parade

As there are many people who believe in Christianity, the most noted festival here has to be the Christmas Star Parade. This festival is only one in Thailand. The people here believe that a star is the symbol of birth of Jesus in the human world, so this parade is a symbolism for that. In every year, there will be more than 100 cars with pictures of a star which decorates with various beautiful lightings. You can see the parade all over the city! In front of each house will also be decorated with a star, so you will definitely see more than 10,000 stars that day. As it is Christmas, you will surely enjoy the festive atmosphere with a lot of fun! You can hear the choir singing, observe the singing festival, and buy some items from the festival shops. A nice place to celebrate Christmas am I right?
Indigo-dyed fabrics

This province is also famous for textile, especially the high-quality Indigo-dyed fabrics made with all-natural ingredients and no chemical usage. This product uses the local knowledge of the villagers by using indigo plants which is an ancient plant. By doing it this way, the fabric has the ability to protect human skin from ultraviolet rays with a light smell of the indigo plants which also protect the wearer from mosquitoes. They have a variety of details, including traditional and modern. However, all of them clearly represent the culture of the northeast of Thailand. You can see many products with the use of this fabric such as shirt, trouser, scarf, and etc. This fabric has also been used in making a bag which is also amazing! Some shop, you might have a chance to see the demonstration in the process of dyeing the fabric and a workshop where you can make your own design!

Other Interesting Information of Sakon Nakhon, Thailand
The motto of this province is ?Phra That Choeng Chum, Phra Tumnak Poo Phan, Famous and Beautiful Nong Han, Magnificent Beeswax Castle, Beautiful Phu Thai Women, and The Land of Buddhism?.
To get around the city,
you can take the bus, tricycle, or motored tricycle around the city.
For accommodation
There are a lot of hotels you can choose from in which most of them are budget hotels with cheap pricing per night per room. Have a happy stay and travel!
Suggested Cities
Buriram ? The City of Two Castles in Thailand
Nakorn Ratchasima ? The Gigantic Hub of the Esan Region of Thailand
Nakhon Phanom ? A Beautiful City on the Border of Thailand
Udonthani ? Explore the Northeastern Region?s Primary Commercial Centre of Thailand
Ubon Ratchathani ? A Terrific Introduction to Tourism in Esan Region of Thailand
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