Get off the tourist trail with an overland adventure through Thailand’s Isaan province. Marvel at prehistoric wall paintings, see awe-inspiring temples and be enchanted by the rich culture of the Isaan people.
– Depart from Bangkok to Ayutthaya, which is beautifully located on an island at the confluence of three rivers.
– Visit Wat Chaiwattanaram occupying a magnificent position on the west bank of the Chao Phraya River.
– Drive through the historical part of this former capital of Siam and then continue to Phimai. En route visit of a local fruit market at Klang Dong.
– Have lunch at local restaurant.
– Visit Phimai Historical park
– Check – in and have dinner at the totel
Overnight in Nakhonratchasima
– Have breakfast at the hotel and check – out
– Visit the pottery village of Dan Kwian. The region of Korat is famous for its beautifully crafted pottery.
– Visit Phanom Rung, which is the finest Khmer Temple in Thailand and gives more than only a good idea of Angkor Wat in Cambodia. Similar in layout to Phimai, both monuments are believed to have been the prototype for the famous Angkor Wat.
– Visit Muang Tam, another impressive Khmer temple predating Phanom Rung by about 120 years.
– Have lunch at a local restaurant,
– Visit silk weaving village of Ban Nong Sang Nga. The village consists of roughly 150 houses with 600 inhabitants. Villagers engage in breeding silk worms, spinning the yarn and weaving silk. Nearly every house has a loom and villagers are very friendly and hospitable.
– Check-in and have dinner at the hotel
Overnight in Surin
– Have breakfast at the hotel
– Visit Khao Phra Viharn, one of the most spectacular locations of any monuments in South-East Asia, at the top of a steep escarpment and majestically overlooking Cambodia. Although physically standing on Cambodian territory, the only practical access is from Thailand and therefore no visa is required. This unique constellation makes a visit to this hilltop temple even more challenging and fascinating.
– Have lunch at local restaurant
– Check – in and relax at the hotel
– Have dinner at the hotel
Overnight in Ubonratchathani
– Have breakfast at the hotel and check-out
– Visit Pha Taem National Park to see the pre-historic cliff paintings, which date back some 2000 to 3000 years. After familiarizing yourself at the Visitor Center located on top of this massive rock formation, walk down the trail from where you will not only see the cliff paintings, but can also enjoy superb views of the Mekong river and neighboring Laos.
– Proceed to Mukdahan and have lunch at local restaurant.
– Visit the famous Indochina market where products from the Mekong countries (Vietnam, China, Laos and Cambodia) are sold to local people.
– Continue to Nakhorn Phanom. En route visit the famous Thai temple Wat Phra That Phanom. Arrive in Nakorn Phanom, a small and charming town on the Mekong River
– Check – in and have dinner at the hotel
Overnight in Nakhonpranom
– Have breakfast at the hotel and check-out
– Visit the former house of Ho Chi Minh, the famous Vietnamese hero, who lived here for 7 years in the 1920s.
– Visit Wat Phra Thad Choeng Chum, which is an ancient Sakon Nakhon historical site. This plaster-covered brick pagoda has a square base and is 24 meters high. The chapel houses the holy Luang Pho Ong Saen Buddha image.
– Visit Phra Thad Narai Cheng Weng sanctuary, built by and named for the wife of a 10th-11th century Khmer ruler. Local people now call it “Phra That Na Weng”. Originally part of a Khmer Hindu complex, the prang has exquisitely carved lintels portraying Shiva and a reclining Vishnu.
– Have Lunch at a local restaurant
– Visit Ban Chiang National Museum near Udon Thani: Ancient artifacts, including tools, utensils, pottery and jewelry, between 4000 and 7000 years old, were unearthed in the immediate vicinity. The distinctive pottery, with its fingerprint whorl decorations, is believed to be the world’s oldest decorative earthenware. Nearby burial pits, left as they were after excavation, in the compound of Wat Po Si Nai, show how valuables, including earthenware pots, were buried with the dead. Evidence of primitive bronze casting technology was discovered in the area, and in 1992 UNESCO declared Ban Chiang a World Heritage Site.
– Continue the drive to Udon Thani town for an early dinner prior to your transfer to Udon Thani airport for an evening flight back to Bangkok.
