From Ho Chi Minh City, we flew to Hue City and continued by road to Quang Tri Province, central Vietnam, where we spent the night in Dong Ha before crossing into Laos through the Lao Bao International Border Gate.

From Lao Bao, our group traveled to Savannakhet Province in Laos and then continued to Mukdahan in Thailand.

"Three meals, three countries, one day"

The journey from Dong Ha to Mukdahan took more than five hours and covered about 350 kilometers. 

It has been dubbed the “three meals in three countries in one day” tour, offering travelers the unusual experience of having breakfast in Quang Tri, Vietnam, stopping for lunch in Savannakhet, Laos, and having dinner in Mukdahan, Thailand.

In Savannakhet, our group stopped in Phine District to sample local specialties such as larb, minced meat salad; traditional bamboo shoot soup cooked with fermented leaves; and pounded papaya salad thum mak hoong.

Leaving Phine, local specialties continued to tempt us.

Although we had already had lunch, we could not resist the rows of Seno grilled chickens on display at a roadside stop in Outhoumphone District, their aroma filling the area.

The temptation was even greater when a member of our group, who has more than 20 years of experience organizing and operating tours through Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and Thailand, told us it was a dish visitors “must try” in Laos.

The Laotian Times reported that the story of Seno grilled chicken began in the early 1990s at a bus stop in Outhoumphone.

At the time, a vendor named Sing Souliyed and his family set up a small grill, selling well-marinated chickens grilled over charcoal to weary travelers passing through.

They likely did not expect that their small chicken stall would eventually become the starting point of one of Savannakhet’s well-known culinary specialties.

In December 2024, Seno grilled chicken was officially recognized by the Savannakhet provincial authorities, becoming a new symbol of the province.

We ordered grilled chicken, sausages, sticky rice and papaya salad for around VND300,000 (US$12).

The Seno chicken was grilled over hot charcoal until the skin was golden, crisp and slightly charred, while the meat remained tender, aromatic and well seasoned.

Served with sticky rice, spicy papaya salad and traditional Lao dipping sauces, the unexpected meal turned into an enjoyable culinary experience along the journey.

From Outhoumphone, we traveled for another hour, crossed the Second Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge and arrived in Mukdahan, the first province on our journey to explore northeastern Thailand.

The province welcomed us with fried fish, pounded green papaya salad som tam and tamarind-glazed shrimp during a peaceful dinner by the Mekong River, beneath a cool post-rain sunset.

Across the river was Laos. In a single day, three countries were connected by roads, friendship bridges and eager footsteps exploring a neighboring land.

Northeastern Thailand: A peaceful land steeped in spirituality

Over the following days, we continued traveling through Mukdahan, Nakhon Phanom, Bueng Kan and Udon Thani provinces before reaching Nong Khai, where we crossed into Vientiane, Laos, and then flew back to Ho Chi Minh City.

When people think of traveling in Thailand, they often picture Bangkok, Chiang Mai or famous islands known for their turquoise waters, beaches and bustling tourist scenes.

Northeastern Thailand, also known as Isan, remains relatively unfamiliar to foreign travelers.

But the deeper we traveled into the region, the more we realized that Isan is not only home to peaceful landscapes along the Mekong River, but also to a rich cultural and spiritual life, with plenty of interesting experiences for visitors.

Temples, Buddhist statues and, in particular, legends surrounding the Naga, a sacred serpent deity in the religious life of people in northeastern Thailand, appeared throughout our journey.

According to local beliefs, the Naga are powerful divine beings tasked with protecting both banks of the Mekong River.

Destinations such as Nakee Cave, associated with legends of the Naga, and the Three Whale Rocks also offer different perspectives on the region’s natural landscapes and spiritual life.

Beyond its cultural sites and landscapes along the Mekong, northeastern Thailand is also appealing for its diverse cuisine, with specialties including som tam, pla som fried fermented fish, Moo Krata barbecue hot pot and kalamae sticky rice cake. 

During their exploration of Isan, visitors can also learn about traditional handicrafts, try dyeing fabric with red lotus flowers and make thung, colorful thread flags commonly used in religious ceremonies. 

According to the Tourism Authority of Thailand’s Ho Chi Minh City Office, northeastern Thailand can offer Vietnamese visitors new and interesting travel experiences.

Each province and city has its own identity and attractions, creating a diverse journey for travelers.