Things to Do in Ubon Ratchathani in November
November weather, activities, events & insider tips
Low Season · Budget Friendly
November Weather in Ubon Ratchathani
Temperature, rainfall and humidity at a glance
89°F (32°C)
High Temp
69°F (20°C)
Low Temp
0.9 inches (23 mm)
Rainfall
70%
Humidity
Is November Right for You?
Weigh the advantages and considerations before booking
Advantages
- + Dawn at 21°C (70°F) is prime time to spin the 25km (15.5-mile) loop around Khong Chiam's twin rivers. You won't sweat through your shirt. The air feels like air-con set to perfect. Pedal hard, cool down fast. Worth it.
- + November rice harvest turns fields into gold plateaus that other countries charge thousands to photograph. Here it's free, everyday scenery. Farmers bend and cut. The shimmer lasts weeks. Bring a wide lens.
- + Markets spill with fruit you can't pronounce: nam dok mai mangoes softball-big, makham wan tamarinds that taste like candy. Taste first, ask later. Vendors laugh with you. Buy extra.
- + After October's Buddhist Lent rush, hotel occupancy drops to 40%. Same rooms, half the bodies. Pool loungers stay open. Prices hold steady. Book on arrival.
Considerations
- − Thunder rolls in at 3pm sharp. Dirt roads liquefy into red glue. White shoes surrender within minutes. Pack dark footwear. Or sandals.
- − Mekong levels sink so low that boat trips to Kaeng Tana National Park's rapids get axed 50% of the time. Operators shrug, reschedule. Check the gauge. Move on.
- − Sugarcane burning starts late November. Smoke hazes the horizon. By month's end that mountain view from your balcony may vanish. Shoot photos early. Close windows.
Best Activities in November
Top things to do during your visit
Mekong River Sunset Boat Cruises
November's low water unveils sandbanks the size of football fields. Locals christen them 'had hong' and beach boats for sunset picnics with Laos across the river. The sun sits at 15 degrees, painting copper streaks photographers chase. Morning cruises beat afternoon storms. Captains tie up, pass around sticky rice. Light fades fast.
Booking Tip: Book morning departures 2-3 days after you land. Operators watch clouds, not calendars. Licensed boats line Tha Bor Nam pier, insurance stickers plastered on hulls. If the sticker's missing, walk away.
Wat Thung Si Muang Temple Dawn Alms Cycling
Monks glide out at 5:45am when November air bottoms at 19°C (66°F). Cycle the 3km (1.9-mile) route from Thung Si Muang park through the old quarter. Temple bells bounce off French shutters. Incense drifts meet kafae boran brewing on charcoal. Locals claim pavement spots before 7am. Arrive earlier.
Booking Tip: Secure bikes the night before. Shops ringing Thung Si Muang shut by 8pm. November mornings are too crisp to waste haggling. Pick outfits that throw in helmet and lock. Basic frames laugh at wet streets.
Pha Taem National Park Cliff-Top Hiking
November's 70% humidity lets you breathe on the 300-meter (984-foot) climb to the Mekong viewpoint. Try April's 95% and you'll wheeze like a smoker. The cliff-edge trail flashes 3,000-year-old rock paintings archaeologists still argue over. November's angled light kisses them before 9am. Shoot early.
Booking Tip: Hit the trail by 6:30am. Afternoon rain turns sandstone into soap. Rangers lock gates when drops fall. Check conditions at the visitor center before driving the 88km (55-mile) from Ubon city. No refunds.
Rice Harvest Farm Stays
November paints Det Udom district gold. Rice paddies roll to the horizon. Farmers in conical hats swing sickles. Cut grain perfumes the air for kilometers. Stay with families who have worked the same 2-hectare (5-acre) plots for generations. They'll serve khao niew moon from rice cut that morning.
Booking Tip: Reach families through agricultural cooperatives in Det Udom. They pair visitors with hosts who speak basic English and keep spare rooms. Book 1-2 weeks ahead. Harvest dates slide with weather.
Thung Si Muang Night Food Walking Tours
Evenings drop to 24°C (75°F). You can finally taste the gap between green and ripe papaya in som tam. The night market swallows 4 blocks. Fermented fish sauce that gags you in April smells almost sweet in November's dry air. Motorbike taxis drivers queue at 12 stalls running since the 1980s. Follow them.
Booking Tip: Meet guides at 7pm when burners ignite but before 8pm crowds swarm. Pick ones who grew up eating at these exact stalls. They know which auntie minces the best larb moo and which uncle marinates chicken in family secret.
Where to Stay in Ubon Ratchathani in November
Hand-picked hotels across price tiers for November travellers.
November Events & Festivals
What's happening during your visit
Late November (varies with lunar calendar)
Illuminated Boat Procession
Late November closes Buddhist Lent. Locals spend weeks carving banana stalks and bamboo into floating sculptures studded with thousands of candles. The parade shoves off from Tha Bor Nam pier at 7pm. Boats ferry temples, dragons, giant nagas that flame across the Mekong. Watch from the French-built promenade. Candle wax and river mist mingle.
Packing Checklist
Bookmark this page — your progress is saved between visits
Need the full list with shopping links?
Climate-specific gear, brand recommendations, and what to leave at home.
View Ubon Ratchathani Packing List →Essential Tips
Insider knowledge and common pitfalls to avoid
Insider Knowledge
The real coffee hides in old Chinese shophouses along Upparat Road. Order kafae boran, thick as oil, served in scratched glasses older than you. Stir in condensed milk. Sip slow.
November's skinny river bares sandbars locals nickname 'Thailand's Maldives'. They vanish after three months. Boatmen store exact GPS coordinates. Ask, then go.
Ignore the faded notice taped to Wat Nong Bua's gate. The sign reading 'closed for renovation' has hung there since 2019. The temple is open. Locals slip through the side entrance most tourists never notice. Walk around. Step inside.
Tuk-tuk drivers quote 200 baht for the run to the national parks. Walk 200 meters to the bus station instead. The orange songthaew costs 35 baht. It leaves hourly. Save the difference for cold drinks at the trailhead.
Avoid These Mistakes
Afternoon boat trips look tempting. November storms slam the coast between 2-5pm. Operators cancel when clouds gather. They rarely refund. Book morning departures. Sleep easier.
White shoes stay clean in the city center. Outside that zone, red laterite soil waits. One step stains forever. Hotels add cleaning fees. Pack dark footwear. Thank yourself later.
English stalls at market stalls. Learn two phrases. 'Tao rai' means how much. 'Lot noi dai mai' asks for a discount. Vendors grin. English magically returns. Prices shrink.
Explore More Activities in Ubon Ratchathani
Didn't see anything interesting yet?
Browse Viator's full catalog of tours, day trips, food experiences, and private guides in Ubon Ratchathani.
See All Ubon Ratchathani Tours on Viator