Thailand Northeastern Region I-San 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 I-San is like going back in time. The
people of the I-San 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 host family in a quiet I-San country village and take a part in authentic
daily village life. Experience first hands how life on the quiet Thai countryside still is.
See also our other journey Highlights of East I-San in which you explore the Eastern
part of I-San with a lovely journey along the Mekong River and the border with Laos.
Both journeys are example journeys and can be adapted to your individual
requirements.
Day 1 : Cooking Class at Nakhon Nayok / Khao Yai National Park (210 KM.)
First day of the tour, pick up from your hotel in Bangkok.
Drive to Nakhon Nayok, then come the highlight of the
tour, enjoy your first hand experience on cooking Thai
food at the garden house. Lunch
will be provided. After lunch
continue to pottery and wicker
work villages to see the traditional methods of making the
products. After make sightseeing tour through the National
park of Khao Yai. It is a beautiful route. Depending on the
season you will see growing trees, wild orchids and rare
butterflies. The experience of being in the jungle with its
countless noises is unique. The park has an extensive fauna,
among which Thailand largest population of elephants, many
kinds of deer, cats, gibbons, wild bears and birds among
which the hornbill. Follow elephant trails along mountain
streams and see magnificent waterfalls where you can take a swim. Haew Narok is a
spectacular waterfall, particularly in the rainy season. The views from the Khao Khiew
mountain are breathtaking. The Haew Suwat waterfall can be admired from the top
and the bottom. Evening drive to hotel for overnight
Overnight : The Greenery Resort Khao Yai - 4 star (Greenery room) or similar class
Address : 188/1 Thanarat Rd., Moo See, Pakchong, Nakhon Ratchasima
30130 Thailand
Meal (1) : Dinner
Day 2 : Angkor Temple Phanom Rung - Prasart Muang Tam / Ban Ta Klang
Surin Elephant Village (360 KM.)
On top of an extinct volcano, on the route from Khaoyai
National Park via Khorat to Angkor Wat in Cambodia lies the
impressive Khmer temple complex of Phanom Rung. It is the
largest and best restored of all Khmer monuments in Thailand.
Phanom Rung, together with the other temple of Phimai, has
been the examples for the later built and world famous Angkor
Wat in Cambodia. The whole complex and especially the
procession road to the main entrance, the stairs leading up to
the complex and the Naga bridges are beautiful and
impressive. Just being here and absorb the peace and
tranquility is a wonderfully relaxing experience in itself.
Afternoon visit Muang Tam Sanctuary or Prasart Muang Tam is located in Prakhonchai
District. It is only 8 kilometers from famous Phanom Rung Historical Park. Muang Tam
Sanctuary is a large community religious site in
Hinduism presumably built for worshipping Shiva. From
archaeological excavations, clear evidence revealed that
human settlements had been established in this area. It
is significantly situated on the main communication
route that runs from Muang Phra Nakhon, the center of
the ancient Khmer Kingdom (Siem Reap). It is assumed
that the ancient community at Muang Tam Sanctuary
had a vital relationship with other communities on
Khmer Civilization Route to the Northeast of Thailand.
After visit drive to Surin Province for visiting Elephant
Village, Many of the locals here at Ban Ta Klang Elephant
Village are of the Suay ethnic minority. They are skilled
in capturing, training and raising Asian elephants, a
national Thai symbol. Unlike in northern Thailand where elephants are kept for labor,
locals consider elephants their companions, and often share their homes. We will drive
to the village can observe the way of life of the Suay people, or speak with veteran
elephant specialists. Often, the sluggish local economy drives elephants and their
mahouts to work outside the village. Rice paddies and forests, good elephant habitats,
surround the village. Then drive to hotel for overnight.
Overnight
Address
Meals (2)
: Surin Majestic Hotel - 3.8 star hotel (Superior) or similar class
: 99 Chitbamrung Road, Amphoe Muang, Surin
: Breakfast / Dinner
Day 3 : Ban Tha Sawang Silk Weaving Village / Ubon Ratchathani / Khong Chiam
(300 KM.)
Before leaving from Surin we will visit Ban Tha Sawang Silk Weaving Village, this
village is widely recognized for utilizing looms with over a hundred heddles to weave
gold brocade silk of the highest quality, offered to Her Majesty the Queen as well as
previous royal courts. Since its founding, the village has also been tasked with weaving
fabric for 21 APEC (Asia Pacific Economic Co-operation) country leaders in 2003. The
dazzling quality of the Chansoma golden brocade is a result of selecting fine and
delicate silk threads from the innermost part of the silk cocoon, which are then
bleached, boiled, and colored with natural dyes. More than one hundred heddles and
supplementary weft threads are used to create patterns. In the weaving process, 4-5
people are needed: 2-3 people to raise the heddles, one to insert the wooden marker,
and one to weave. Because of the complicated weaving techniques, only 6-7
centimeters of fabric can be woven each day on each loom. After drive to Ubon
Ratchathani, a City of Beautiful Lotuses for visit Wat Thung Si Muang, it was
constructed during the reign of King Rama III (1824-1851) to houses a replica of
Buddha’s footprint. Aside from that, the most beautiful structure in the temple is
perhaps the wooden Tripitaka Library (Ho Trai) that was designed to sit on the stilts
in the middle of the pool to prevent the materials from insects (ants and termites). The
architecture here is a mixture of Laos and Rattanakosin styles (Rattanakosin refers to
the era after 1782, when Bangkok was the capital of Thailand). Next to the Tripitaka
Library is the Ho Phra Buddha Bot and the Vihan (ordination hall). Then visit Ubon
Ratchathani National Museum is located on Thanon Kuentanee interconnected with
Thanon Uparacha. It is the former city hall built in 1918 in the reign of King Rama VI
on the land of HRH Prince Supsittiprasong, the King Rama V’s regent in Laogao
Precinct (Southeastern Precinct). He asked this land from his descendant of his son Sui
Butrlobol, Jiengkam Chumpon Na Ayudhaya for interest of the general public and
government. Moreover, the museum is established in response to the local demand as
a learning center promoting local cultures and arts in line with modern museum
management. The exhibition focuses on Ubon Rachathani, especially its geography,
geology, history, archaeology, local cultures as well as ethnics. After visit Drive back to
Khong Chiam.
Overnight : Tohsang Khong Jiam Resort – 4 star (Superior) or similar class
Address: 68 Mu 7, Huay Mark Tai Khongjiam, Khong Chiam, Khong Chiam District,
Ubon Ratchathani 34220
Meals (2) : Breakfast / Dinner
Day 4 : Khong Chiam / Pha Taem / Ubon Ratchathani (200 KM.)
On this Morning we will take a long tail Boat for visit
Maenam Song Si, the two-colored river or the Mun Rivers
alluvium which is the spot where the brown of Mekong
River and the blue of Mun River are joined. After drive to
Pha Taem National Park, Covering the area of 140 square
kilometers, this National
Park features the plateaus,
hills, deciduous dipterocarp
forest, sheer cliffs resulted from the earthquakes,
irregular shaped of sandstone which scattered around
and the beautiful wild flowers growing among the rocky
ground. Highlight of the Park are Pha Taem and Pha Kam
which located near the National park headquarters.
Surface of the cliffs are filled with numerous prehistoric
cave paintings dated back 3,000-4,000 years ago that explores the traditional way of
life of people who once lived here during the prehistoric days. Scenes in paintings
include fishing, rice farming, human figures, animals, hands and geometric designs. As
a result, Pha Team becomes one of the world’s oldest agrarian communities and given
Ubon Ratchathani be cradle of Northeastern civilization. Also, the site recently
discovered more archaeological evidences suggested that human settled in this area
between 14,000-6,000 years ago. Afternoon drive for cruising through the wondrous
power of nature "Sam Phan Bok" a large sandstone rapids at the end of the Phu Phan
Mountain Range that stretches along the banks of the Mekong River between Thailand
and Lao PDR. It is a winding and narrow part of the river. This area of the Mekong
River banks is lined with rock formations. It is considered to be the largest known
natural fish spawning area of the Mekong. The wondrous power of nature is
sometimes fantastic beyond description. The swirling rapids sweep sand, gravel,
stone, and wood debris to scrub and erode the sandstone bar into a pan containing
more than 3,000 large and small holes, culminating in the fine beauty beneath, and
creating works of art in the middle of the Mekong. A heart, a star, and various animal
shapes can be seen as they emerge from the water with their strangeness and strength
during the dry season; from around November until March.
Overnight : Sunee Grand Hotel and Convention Center – 4 star (Superior) or similar
class
Address
: 512/8 Chayangkul Road. Nai-Muang District. Muang District, Ubon
Ratchathani
Meals (2) : Breakfast / Dinner
Day 5 : Khong Chiam / Chong Mek (50 KM.)
After Breakfast transfer from hotel to Airport or Chong Mek border.
Meal (1) : Breakfast
Prices : Per person
Share TWIN ROOM / Joint Min. 2 Travelers & gasoline maximum cost = THB-32.00 /
litre
Party of group
Price / Pax
(SHR “Twin-room”)
Surcharge of
(SGL-accommodation)
02 PAX
THB 37,985 / Pax
THB 4,640 / Pax
03 PAX
THB 29,650 / Pax
“
04 PAX
THB 25,485 / Pax
“
05 PAX
THB 22,985 / Pax
“
06 PAX
THB 21,320 / Pax
“
Remark
EXCLUDE (1) All personal cost
INCLUDE :
Prices include accommodation,
entrance fee, air-condition vehicle,
meals as indicate and “German
Speaking-guide”
EXCLUDE (2)
All additional cost of “Compulsory”
Dinner either Gala Dinner to be
separate charge per person as per
below date and subject to change
depend on policy of hotels that
concern
EXCLUDE (3)
All cost of surcharge on “Peak Season”
either “Festival” to be separate
charges per room per night during
below date and subject to change
depend on policy of hotels that
concern