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Udon Thani is a medium sized metropolis of around 90,000 people located 560 km north of Bangkok on the Bangkok-Nong Khai railway line. Udon is the site of the closest Thai airport to Laos and as such some group tours pass briefly by the town.
Although Udon generally receives only a passing mention in guidebooks it is an important hub for surrounding villages and is a friendly and pleasant town with cheap hotels and restaurants a plenty. Udon is a place you visit for no particular reason but its low cost of living and relaxing pace. Just the tonic for a few days rest after the rigors of Bangkok.
During the Vietnam War Udon served as a US air base and the legacy of this is to be seen in the local hotels - for example the walls of the Chaiyaporn Hotel in town are still adorned with military pictures from the era. Many of the hotels and other large buildings in town date from the war era.
The town sports a pleasant public lake and park and endless stalls selling grilled chicken and other esan delicacies. Like the rest of North Eastern Thailand tourists are few and far between and you will feel more like a visitor than a tourist if you take the time to linger and meet the locals.
The Chaiyaporn Hotel is recommended for its cheap fan cooled rooms with the best views in town, although you will find plenty of accommodation choices around town.
Moving out of town, 50 Km east of Udon and a cheap bus ride away is Ban Chiang, home of a number of historical excavations. Traveling 55 km north takes you to Nong Khai on the Mekong River which forms the border with Laos.
Hotelz Asia offers online reservations for hotels and resorts in Udon Thani - lowest rates guaranteed.
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HOTEL RESERVATIONS 
