Category: Thai Nature

Anyone who has visited Thailand knows that the Kingdom has a littering problem. It’s not only Thais who are guilty of littering. Tourists are sometimes to blame — especially those who come from countries where littering is common, and strong social stigmas are absent. Thailand has tried many familiar solutions to tackle the littering problem. […]

One of the loveliest places in Northeast Thailand is the area around Nam Un Reservoir in Sakon Nakhon. Nong Han Lake, the largest natural lake in Northeast Thailand, tends to get all of the attention among tourists to Sakon Nakhon, but the beautiful Nam Un Reservoir, with rolling Phu Phan mountains clearly visible in the […]

Phu Pha Yon Mountain, which is part of Phu Pha Yon National Park, is one of the best places in Thailand for people who love nature, history, and the spiritual life. Phu Pha Yon translates to “Sacred Mountain”. It is the location of the Phu Pha Yon Petroglyphs: ancient rocks carvings that are over 3,500 […]

The Tourism Authority of Thailand has launched a stargazing tourism project called “Amazing Dark Sky in Thailand.” It includes 12 official stargazing spots, in provinces such as Chiang Mai, Nakhon Ratchasima, and Chaiyaphum. Unfortunately, Sakon Nakhon wasn’t included among the official places. But as we mentioned in our post on the best place to watch […]

In Thailand, the lotus flower is known as “bua” (บัว). It is a symbol of goodness, with a special relationship to Buddhism, the country’s national religion. According to legend, Jivaka Komarabhacca, the Buddha’s personal physician, prepared a concoction made of lotus flowers to cure the Buddha’s exhaustion after long meditation in the forest. Doctor Jivaka […]

The Mystery Snail, which is known in Thailand as Hoi Khom (หอยขม), Hoi Joop (หอยจุ๊บ) or Hoi Doot (หอยดูด) is the snail most commonly seen in Thailand. It is found near ponds, canals, and flooded rice fields during the rainy season. Mystery Snails are also called River Snails, Pond Snails, or Marsh Snails. Some have […]

If you hike the forests of Thailand, or travel back roads through the woods, you will undoubtedly see a sign for Thailand’s Department of National Parks, Wildlife, and Plant Conservation (กรมอุทยานแห่งชาติ สัตว์ป่า และพันธุ์พืช). These signs have a curious emblem or logo that is a mystery to many tourists, who wonder over the identity of the […]

One of the best places to stargaze and watch meteor showers in Thailand is Pha Dong Ko (ผาดงก่อ) viewpoint, located in the Northeastern Thai province of Sakon Nakhon. This clifftop vantage point is atop Phu Pha Lek mountain, and is the highest peak in the Phu Phan Mountain range, which stretches across Sakon Nakhon and […]

Seen Above: The Asian Openbill, which birdwatchers sometimes see in Sakon Nakhon, Thailand’s lakes and reservoirs. Thailand has a beautiful and diverse population of over 1,000 bird species. It’s thus no surprise that the Kingdom attracts bird watching enthusiasts from around the world. The best bird watching spots in Thailand include the Doi Inthanon National […]

Sakon Nakhon is recognized as the coldest place in Thailand, with a record cold temperature of -2.5 Celsius (27°F ) on December 24, 1999. Late December and early January are typically the coldest weeks in Sakon Nakhon and Northeastern Thailand, with the cold season first arriving around mid November. This year (2022) the cold season […]

Straw mushrooms are grown by many rural villagers in Thailand. If you look online how to grow straw mushrooms, referred to in Thailand as het fang (เห็ดฟาง), you’ll see all sorts of “easy” directions that include the purchase of things like plastic tarps, cotton seed hulls, wheat bran, shredded lime, etc. In other words, it’s […]

Thanks to the Pon Yang Kham breeding farm, Sakon Nakhon is known for its high quality cattle (and beef). The cattle that are native to Sakon Nakhon and Northeastern Thailand are Brahman Cattle, descendents of the sacred Brahman cattle of India — which can be identified by the hump on their back. In Sakon Nakhon, […]

Preecha Suksan Waterfalls (น้ำตกปรีชาสุขสันต์) is a waterfall courtyard on a hillside of the Phu Phan Mountains in Sakon Nakhon, Thailand. The stream slopes about 30-40 degrees down the hillside, creating multiple waterfalls separated by pools of water (where locals swim to cool off on a hot day) and natural water slides for the adventurous. The […]

The coldest place in Thailand is Sakon Nakhon, a mountain province in the Northeast of the country. Many sources cite Sakon Nakhon’s record cold temperature of -1.4 degrees Celsius (29°F) in 1974 when awarding it the distinction of being the coldest place in Thailand. However, there actually was an even colder temperature of -2.5 Celsius […]

Admittedly, we are a little biased. But we truly believe that the best sunsets in Thailand are in Sakon Nakhon. This Northeastern Thai province also has some of the coolest cloud formations and colorful skies in Thailand, especially during the rainy season (May – Oct) and the peak of the cool season (December through January). […]

In some parts of the world it is said that March “comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb”. In Sakon Nakhon, we might say the same thing, except that the lion isn’t stormy, winter weather but the loud cacophony of millions of cicada males wooing females with their mating call. The […]

A small sacred forest of 200 year old Kapok/Kayu trees (ต้นเชียง) is located in the Phu Phan Mountain area of Sakon Nakhon. The village where the trees are located is called Ban Bua (บ้านบัว) which is in Tambon Kuat Bak (กุดบาก) in Amphur Kat Bak. You get to the forested area by traveling just a […]

Coral Trees (also known as Tiger’s Claw) are one of the few trees that bloom in Sakon Nakhon in January, the the flowers usually starting to bloom around the middle of the month. Because of their beauty, you will often find coral trees planted along Sakon Nakhon roads and in parks, such as along the […]

Sakon Nakhon has wild elephants living in its deep forests, such as in the Phu Phan National Park area, where additional wild elephants were introduced a decade ago as part of a Royal initiative. However, these elephant communities are located far away from trails, so as to reduce chance encounters by villagers or tourists. Occasionally, […]

Sakon Nakhon province is filled with small rubber tree plantations, many of which were planted within the last 20 years. During the early 2000s rubber prices were high and the trees seem to offer a better cash return than rice fields. Unfortunately, in recent years rubber prices have plummeted and rubber trees are no longer […]

When visiting Sakon Nakhon temples, and traveling the highways of the province, you will occasionally see a large Bo Tree. The Bo Tree is a sacred Fig tree (Ficus Religiosa), and the most revered tree in Thailand. Buddha is said to have achieved enlightenment under a Bo Tree, while Hindus believe that Lord Vishnu was […]

This is the first entry of a new series on Sakon Nakhon trees, including their uses, history, and relationship to Thai culture and religion (when applicable). We’ll begin with the Banyan Tree (Ficus), which is nicknamed the Saint of the Forest, because when its fruit drop to the ground, a wide assortment of birds and […]

Sakon Nakhon Weather Forecast Weather Advice for Sakon Nakhon Tourism Sakon Nakhon weather is a bit different from many areas of Thailand in that the cool season (Nov.-Feb.) is actually cool! In fact, it is the coldest place in Thailand. The coolest period is usually mid-December to mid-January, when temperatures during the night and early […]