Updated September 2026.
I recommend Uttaradit as a stop between the larger destinations of northern Thailand, especially if local food and smaller towns interest you. The combination I like most is straightforward: stay in Uttaradit town, visit the temple opposite the railway station and spend the next day in Laplae eating khao phan phak and exploring its old streets.
Sirikit Dam adds a different kind of day, with reservoir views and room to slow down. Phu Soi Dao is a separate mountain undertaking. The province covers enough ground that putting all three into a short sightseeing circuit makes little sense. Choose the part that interests you before deciding how many nights to book.
Town, Laplae and the reservoir: get the geography right
Uttaradit town stands beside the Nan River in lower northern Thailand. It is on the Northern railway line, which makes it a useful place to break a journey between Bangkok and Chiang Mai. The province extends much farther into mountain country than the compact town centre suggests.
Laplae, also written Lap Lae or Lablae, lies west of town. Its gateway is the arch that appears in many photographs labelled simply “Uttaradit.” It belongs to Laplae, so save that location separately from your hotel or the railway station.
Sirikit Dam is out in Tha Pla district, northeast of town. The dam crest, individual lakeside properties and Lam Nam Nan National Park are different destinations around a large reservoir. I choose a specific stop on the map before agreeing a driver price; “take me to the lake” is too vague for planning the day.
Start with Wat Tha Thanon and the town’s history
Wat Tha Thanon is directly opposite Uttaradit railway station, making it an easy first stop after dropping your bags. The temple houses Luang Pho Phet, a revered bronze Buddha image seated in the diamond posture. I put this ahead of a long drive on arrival day because it introduces a place important to the town while keeping the logistics simple.
This is an active place of worship. Cover shoulders and knees, remove shoes where requested and give worshippers space around the image. A quiet visit to the hall offers more than photographing the entrance and immediately moving on.
The Phraya Phichai Dap Hak monument, in front of the provincial hall, introduces another figure central to Uttaradit’s identity. Phraya Phichai was a Thonburi-era commander remembered as the warrior of the broken sword. The familiar story describes a sword breaking in battle while he continued fighting.
After those stops, leave room for ordinary town life: a market meal, the river area and shops around your accommodation. If arriving tired, this is enough for the afternoon. There is no need to begin the visit with the province’s longest drive.
Laplae: the gate is a starting point
Laplae’s gateway and the nearby mother-and-child monument refer to the town’s best-known legend: a community where lying was forbidden. The story gives the entrance its meaning, but the food shops, wooden houses and local crafts are my stronger reasons to spend time beyond the photograph stop.
Begin around the gate and town museum, then continue into the nearby streets. The museum helps explain local domestic life and traditions; check that it is open before making it the main reason for a journey. I prefer to plan Laplae around lunch so that the visit still works if a small exhibition room is unavailable.
The district has a Thai Yuan textile tradition, including decorative tin chok weaving used in skirt borders. If buying a piece, ask whether it is handwoven, where it was made and how to wash it. Those questions are more useful than assuming everything sold beside a tourist landmark was produced in the same village.
For the longer trip towards Mae Phun waterfall and the orchard areas, arrange transport rather than trying to extend a town-centre walk indefinitely. Mae Phun is an easy addition geographically within the Laplae outing, but rainfall changes its appearance and the condition of the paths. In bad weather, I favour a longer lunch and leave the waterfall out.
What I would order in Laplae
Khao phan phak: start with a freshly steamed portion
Khao phan phak is made by steaming a thin sheet of rice-flour batter over cloth, adding vegetables and folding or wrapping the sheet around them. It arrives soft and warm. The fillings and sauces vary, and some versions add egg, pork, tofu or other ingredients.
My first order would be a plain vegetable version, with sauce added gradually, followed by a richer variation if sharing. Despite the vegetables in its name, do not assume every portion is vegetarian: ask about meat, stock and sauce as well as the visible filling. The dish is also sold in Uttaradit town, so you need not miss it if your schedule does not allow a Laplae excursion.
Mi phan and khao khaep
Mi phan wraps seasoned rice noodles in a thin khao khaep rice sheet. The seasoning gives the noodle filling much of its character; chilli and lime can make it sharper than the mild-looking wrapper suggests. It is a convenient smaller order alongside khao phan phak.
Khao khaep is also sold separately in thin sheets. For a food souvenir, ask the seller how that particular version is intended to be eaten and packed. A sheet used for wrapping noodles and a packet sold as a dry snack do not necessarily need the same preparation.
A sit-down meal and a useful price reference
Lam Lam Lablae Baan 100 Pi is an option for a longer meal in a wooden-house setting. Its menu includes a khantoke set with northern dips, vegetables, pork dishes and sticky rice, listed at 359 baht when checked for this update. It opens 10:00–20:00 daily; confirm if making a special trip or arriving near closing.
I would use that set for sharing rather than order it alongside several substantial mains without asking about portions. For a smaller appetite, choose one dish and leave room to try a steamed snack elsewhere. I give the local rice-sheet dishes priority when there is only time for one meal.
Long Laplae and Lin Laplae durian
Long Laplae and Lin Laplae are the two prized durian names to look for here; both are associated with registered geographical indications from Uttaradit. Langsat is another fruit closely linked with the province. The harvest determines availability, and the varieties are not sold year-round.
For a trip built around durian, contact a grower or local seller before booking transport. Ask which variety is available, the price per kilogram and whether the quoted weight includes the shell. I prefer a small amount to taste before committing to a whole expensive fruit.
Orchards are working farms. Arrange access rather than assuming you can wander in from the road, and ask about the approach if it has been raining. Avoid promising yourself an orchard visit and a particular variety until both are confirmed.
Two temples to pair with the Laplae route
Wat Phra Borommathat Thung Yang has a Lanna-style assembly hall, murals illustrating the Sang Thong story and a substantial chedi behind the hall. I would stop here for the combination of painted narrative and architecture. Looking inside, when the hall is open, gives the visit more substance than a circuit around the stupa alone.
Wat Phra Thaen Sila At has a different focus: a sacred laterite platform associated with Buddhist traditions about the Buddha’s presence. The object itself explains the temple’s name and pilgrimage importance. The platform is the focus of worship, so give people room to approach and pay respects.
Both work better within the town-and-Laplae part of the trip than as hurried additions after a long reservoir drive. If you only want one extra temple, choose Thung Yang for the hall and murals or Phra Thaen for its particular devotional tradition.
Sirikit Dam deserves its own outing
Sirikit Dam is an earth dam on the Nan River, built for water management, irrigation and power generation. Construction was completed in 1972, with the royal opening ceremony in 1977. The reservoir is the reason to come as a visitor: water, wooded shorelines and broad views replace the close streets of town.
My reservoir plan leaves a separate day for the drive, the accessible viewpoints, gardens and lunch. A boat outing needs its own arrangement. Confirm the departure point, length of trip, total boat charge and lifejackets before adding one; boats and rafts advertised around the reservoir do not all leave from the dam itself.
Lam Nam Nan National Park offers another way to spend time around the reservoir, with its own visitor facilities and admission arrangements. Decide whether you want the dam grounds or a park visit. Their names can appear in the same itinerary while referring to different stops and costs.
There are EGAT guesthouses at Sirikit Dam for anyone who wants to stay near the water. I favour a town hotel for a short rail stop, but a reservoir stay makes sense with a car and a specific plan there. Ask about meals and access before booking, since an outlying room changes the transport required for the rest of the visit.
Keep Phu Soi Dao separate from the town itinerary
Phu Soi Dao is a serious walking destination near the Lao border. The climb to the pine plateau is about 6.5 kilometres and includes steep sections. It is not a short roadside stroll from Uttaradit town, and the plateau is distinct from the higher summit.
The rainy-season flower displays, often associated with August and September, are one attraction, but wet conditions also make the ascent harder. I would plan this as a dedicated hiking and camping trip, confirming trail status, registration, equipment and transport with the park before setting off. Seasonal access to one area does not establish that every trail or summit route is open.
A workable stay, with or without a car
For a rail stop, my suggested plan is two nights: arrive and explore the town, spend a full day in Laplae with the temple stops, then continue north or south. Check the actual arrival time before buying the train ticket. A sleeper bound for Chiang Mai can pass through an intermediate station in the middle of the night.
Book Uttaradit station deliberately; Sila At is a separate station in the same urban area. In Bangkok, check whether your chosen service departs Krung Thep Aphiwat. The broader northern Thailand route guide can help place this stop between the other towns on your trip.
Without a car, stay close to the centre and ask your accommodation to arrange the Laplae journey, including the return. For Sirikit Dam, obtain a full outing price with waiting time. I settle that transport cost before selecting a distant hotel: it can matter more to the total budget than a modest difference in room rates.
Add another day for the reservoir. In the hotter months, put town walks early and leave lunch or indoor visits for midday. During the rainy season, keep the waterfall and orchard portions flexible. You can still make a satisfying food-and-temple visit when a mountain or water-based excursion is unsuitable.