North East Thailand Travel Guide
The Northeast has been largely untouched by the tourism boom. Here it is possible to escape the common run and glimpse a traditional Thailand that is fast vanishing.
I-san, as the region is known in Thai, is the least changed part of the country - it is also the poorest, with an agriculture-based economy blighted by low-yield soil and unpredictable rains. Yet in spite of a relatively low standard of living - or perhaps because of it - cultural traditions are here better preserved than elsewhere, This, together with pronounced Lao and Khmer influences, reinforces distinct regional characteristics - dialect, customs, food, festivals, folk dances and music in particular.
Comprising a vast, semi-arid plateau, the Northeast is bordered in the north and east by the Mekong River, marking the boundary with Laos, and in the south by the Dongrak mountains which divide Thailand from Cambodia. The area covers roughly one-third of Thailand's land mass and contains about one-third of the population. Although village life is characteristic, main towns such as Khorat, Khon Kaen and Ubon Ratchathani are among the most populous in Thailand.
Aside from its welcome breath of fresh air - literal as well as figurative - the Northeast is most remarkable for its Khmer temple ruins. Otherwise it is an area of cumulative interest, of slight but intriguing historical, cultural and scenic sights ideally combined in a leisurely tour by car or motorbike (most conveniently hired in Bangkok or the I-san gateway town of Khorat).
Numerous exuberant annual festivals, traditional to I-san, are additional attractions. You can consider yourself fortunate if a major event coincides with your visit. We describe below a three-day tour of four un-missable Khmer temples, and a circular route for travellers who prefer a more comprehensive view of the region.