Naga Fireball Festival, Nong Khai Province, Thailand

4.5 (22 reviews) Spent Ranking #1 in Phon Phisai Cultural Events

Great place at mother Kong went last time 2019

The Mekong River separates Northern Thailand from Laos and the locals believe that a mythical creature of higher being called the Naga lives in this river. She protects the river and all the rural lives along the shore. Every year, there is a phenomenon at the end of the Buddhist Lent. Fireballs burst out from the river in size of small sparkles up to big balls of fire into the sky. It is also known as the Mekong lights and locals believe it is the Naga’s blessing. Whether you believe it or not, it’s an amazing sight to watch at night along the river.
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Address

Highway 212 Chumphon, Phon Phisai 43120 Thailand

Website

http://www.tourismthailand.org/Events-and-Festivals

Current local date and time now

Thursday, May 16, 2024, 6:12

User Ratings

4.5 based on (22 reviews)

Excellent
59%
Good
32%
Satisfactory
9%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%

Reviews

  • 4Mekongmarcus 5:00 PM Sep 4, 2016
    This year the festival lasts from the 14th to the 17th of October 2016.
    A huge festival for the province of Nong Khai with people travelling from all over Thailand to witness the Naga fireballs, glowing orbs shooting skywards at high speeds from the Mekong River in October. To locals, the event is known as bung fai paya nak (Naga fireballs). Some believe the flaming balls which burst from the surface of the Mekong River to be the breath of the fearsome Naga, a river serpent of Buddist lore that roams the river in this part of the Nong Khai province. I have a science background and have seen the fireballs a dozen times over the last twenty years and i am still not sure how they are produced.They come from under the surface and rise with uniform velocity with no tail.To me they appear like glowing balls and i have seen them appear a few metres away so definitely not tracer amunition from a gun. It is essential to book a room months in advance if you want top local accommodation ( Lar Char hotel,Boontawee hotel. ) As i type there are some lower quality rooms available. Traffic can be a nightmare on the day with half hour journeys from Nong Khai taking six hours.Leave early.You can park at Wat Laung,just before Phon Phisai and walk for twenty minutes to the town. Phon Phisai waterfront gets packed with hundreds of food vendors.Best to bring a mat and some boose and sit on the riverbank. I have seen most fireballs over the years at the Wat Thai temple.You cannot miss it as it has a fifty food Naga serpent statue looking out over the river.
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  • 4Dennis Ho 5:00 PM Oct 1, 2020
    Fantastic
    My repeated visits for this phenomenon. See to belief. First visit 10 years back was the best and unbelievable. Fireball shot up after dark from mekong river just less than few meters from view. It shot suddenly with no sound n smell, Pink/Orange fireball size of about 8-20inches diameter. Like meteor straight up 19storey n vanished. Start with one or two, then continuously 8-9 balls. Subsequent visits sighted far view, also from Lao side. Last year was pretty good, right I'm front of our view but smaller balls This year 2020 shud be good as last year fair More locals and be prepared madness jam on return highway, unless u get a accommodation there. Need to book at least 6 months in advance

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