Ban Song Khon, Sam Phan Bok

Sam Phan Bok is located in Ban Pong Pao, Lao Ngam Sub-district, Pho Sai District, Ubon Ratchathani Province, which is approximately 120 kilometers from the city center of the province. Sam Phan Bok is a large rock islet in the Khong River. During flood season, this islet will submerge under the water. It is eroded by eddy current, resulting in more than 3,000 (pronounced Sam Phan in Thai) small basins or Bok (“Bok” in Lao language means “basins”). This is the history of the name “Sam Phan Bok.” Owing to the large number of basins, this place is dubbed as “Grand Canyon of Thailand.” In drying season, Sam Phan Bok will emerge from the water and become an amazing natural wonder in the middle of the Khong River, giving the opportunity to the tourists to admire the beauty of indented rock islets eroded by water current. It is like an artistic picture with the shapes of circle, oval, star, etc., depending on individual’s imagination. This kind of atmosphere can be experienced only during January to April. At the entrance of Sam Phan Bok, there is a stone whose shape is like dog head. Legend has it that a child of Naga, who lived in the Khong River, wanted to dig a water channel to create another waterway. He assigned a dog as a guard during the excavation until it was dead and finally became a stone.