Nong Khai

Washed by the River Mekong, the small town of Nong Khai is a must if you want to cross the border into Laos or if you came there from Thailand. I had just thought of making a stopover before crossing into Vientiane, but its atmosphere caught my attention for several days. There are several Buddhist temples along the river, beside which they have built a modern walkway full of typical restaurants with terraces. It's a nice little town to walk around or take a bike ride, waving at the orange-robed monks or simply being hypnotized by the river.