The other Thailand

Isan 5 days

Home > Dream Holidays > The other Thailand

Thailands northeastern region Isan is the least changed part of Thailand. It offers a fascinating mix of traditional rural life, mountain sceneries and spectacular temple ruins from the Angkor period. Traveling through Isan is like going back in time. The people of the Isan pursue agrarian lifestyles dictated by the annual cycle of the farming seasons and unchanged by the passage of time. The region's ancient cultural traditions and customs in music, folk dances, legends and festivals are better preserved here than anywhere else in Thailand. You will visit the national park of Khao Yai and the beautiful old Angkor temple of Phimai. You will stay at home with a charming Thai hostfamily in a quiet Isan countryvillage and take part in authentic daily village life. Experience first hand how life on the quiet Thai countryside still is.

Booking form

Day 1. Bangkok - Khao Yai
In the morning transfer from your hotel in Bangkok to Khao Yai National park. After lunch the journey through the park begins. You will drive through the most beautiful parts of Khao Yai with time to relax near the beautiful Haew Suwat waterfalls where you can swim. Later you will visit the volcanic caves and the bat caves and see more than a million bats swarming out to hunt for nightly food. Falcons try to seize the bats as food, an experience not to be missed. In the evening you can optionally visit the friendly night market of Pak Chong. You will stay overnight in a deluxe aircon room at the Khao Yai Garden Lodge Hotel, a spaciously set up nature resort spread out over a large terrain with picturesque accommodation that fits perfectly in the natural landscape of Khao Yai National Park. The hotel has a large garden with orchids, turtles, butterflies and plants, a swimming pool with bar and a cozy restaurant.

Day 2. Khao Yai national park
Drive deep into the mountains and walk through refreshing and scenic landscapes of bizarre mountains where untouched jungle still exists. You will walk along elephant trails and mountain streams and see magnificent waterfalls where you can take a swim. Admire the magnificent views from the cliff at 1270m altitude. Depending on the season you will see flowering trees, wild orchids or beautiful butterflies. Enjoy being in the jungle itself with its uncountable sounds all around you. Animal life include elephants, gaurs, monkeys, deer, bears and birds including the famous hornbill. The park has the biggest elephant population (200) in Thailand. The afternoon is the time that most animals come out of their hiding and we will visit the places where this happens most often. Dinner (not included) will be served upon return in the hotel. Overnight in Khao Yai Garden Lodge.

Day 3. Angkor temple of Phimai
During the Khmer period, large parts of Thailand were conquered by the Angkor empire. Phimai was directly connected by road with the Angkor capital. Prasat Hin Phimai was built at the beginning of the 12th century, when the Khmer empire had its glory period. The monument is of great historic and esthetic importance, it became the example and prototype for the later built and famous Angkor Wat in Cambodia. Prasat Hin Phimai is originally a Brahman temple devoted to the Hindu god Shiva but, at the end of the 12th century, was given a Mahayana-Buddhist destination. The images show Buddhist themes which is unique for a Khmer temple. The main tower of 28m high is made of white sandstone, the surrounding towers of pink sandstone and all of it is covered with many sculptures.

You will have ample time to see all of this complex and the national museum nearby. Don't miss the opportunity to take a short excursion (2 km down the road) to Saai Ngaam, a gigantic 350 year old banyan tree-complex hanging some 2 odd meters above the ground, with hundreds of aerial roots anchoring it into the ground. A good place to have lunch in one of the many food stalls. In the afternoon transfer to your homestay address in the village Khampom. Here you can experience for yourself how the authentic lifestyle on the quiet Thai countryside still is. Before dinner you can stroll through the village at your own leisure or accompanied by your guide. During dinner, prepared by your family host, you will be warmly welcomed by the local Thai village people. The contact with the local people and their warmth and hospitality will be among the most memorable experiences of your holiday.

Day 4. Homestay and village life
Visit on school days the village school. See the ceremonial beginning of a school day with the children singing the national Thai anthem followed by Buddhist prayer. After the ceremony you can enter the classroom. The school children are probably as curious about Western life as you are about Thai life. Your guide will translate everything again. This school visit will be one of your more memorable experiences. Continue with a walk through the village, accompanied by your guide who has a lot of inside information and can tell you anecdotes about village life. You will stop from time to time to see how the villagers leisurely spend their day or earn their living. For instance at a "factory" where rice is being processed to "Lao spaghetti" and at a straw mat production area. Lunch is taken along the route at a local noodle & rice food stall.

In the afternoon you will go into the rice fields. Depending on the season you can see how rice is sown or harvested. If you want then you can help and do some manual labor yourself. Later this day you will buy the ingredients for your evening meal at the village market. This evening, if you want, you can prepare your own dinner. The family host mother will explain how while your guide translates. This often leads to very comical moments and also you will learn how to make an original Thai meal by yourself. During dinner you can observe the village's evening activities and talk with the Thai people in a relaxing way. As this will be your last dinner with the host family, probably half the village will want to say goodbye to you. Following Isan tradition you will receive a lot of good wishes and a wrist full of little ropes. Overnight stay again with the host family.

Day 5. Bangkok
After breakfast you will go to Khonkaen and onward to Bangkok by train or aircon coach. Upon arrival in Bangkok transfer to your hotel. End of tour.

or via the Booking form

View prices in Euro From: U$ 289        per person The other Thailand Number of persons Single Prices per person in USD 2 3 4 + surchg Per person Tour as described here above: $ 535 $ 451 $ 419 $ 79 Economy version (see below) $ 370 $ 315 $ 289 $ 56 From: € 206        per person The other Thailand Number of persons Single Prices per person in Euro 2 3 4 + surchg Per person Tour as described here above: € 382 € 322 € 299 € 56 Economy version (see below) € 264 € 225 € 206 € 40

Start: Day 1 in Bangkok (morning pickup from your hotel); End: Day 5 in Bangkok (upon arrival at your hotel); Included: All transfers by private aircon minibus or public aircon coach, 4 overnight stays based on twin sharing, 4x breakfast, 2x lunch, 2x dinner, all admission fees and an English speaking Thai tourguide. Prices are based on the indicated number of persons. Our terms & conditions and payment terms apply. Not included: International return flight to/from Thailand, airport taxes, insurances, personal expenses. Economy version: This tour is also available in economy version with start in Pak Chong, end in Khonkaen, superior aircon rooms in Khao Yai and not including dinners. You travel on own arrangement to Pak Chong on day 1 and the tour ends in Khonkaen on day 5. From Khonkaen you can move on to your next destination, e.g. Khonkaen to Chiang Mai, Indochina route or the Phu Kradung challenge.