Example Itinerary

Nature, Culture and History in Isaan

Duration
6 days / 5 nights
Price Per Person
Interests
Heritage
Destinations
Thailand

Head to the northern-eastern reaches of Thailand and discover the unique natural, cultural and historical charms of the region known as Isaan. First, you’ll hike through the lush jungles of Khao Yai on the Khorat Plateau, then journey through stunning countryside to Angkorian sandstone temples, an elephant village and to the breathtaking natural landscapes of Pha Taem National Park on the Mekong River. Isaan is famed for its cuisine, and this trip will lead you on a culinary journey through Buriram Night Bazaar to taste the region’s most authentic flavors.  

This itinerary is an example. It’s designed to inspire you and provide you with thoughtfully curated ideas. You can choose to do this exact itinerary or completely personalize it. All trips are 100% bespoke.

Highlights

  • Thailand's Angkor Wat: The ancient Angkorian temples at Buriram date back to the 11th century and once marked the end of the Ancient Khmer Highway, which linked this site with Angkor, now in modern-day Cambodia.
  • Isaan Cuisine: Thai food is divided by regionality and northeastern Isaan cuisine is a national favorite. Think sticky rice, pungent sauces, and fiery chilis!
  • National Parks: Khao Yai and Pha Taem hide waterfalls deep in dense jungle, along with dramatic landscapes and rock formations, as well as encounters with tropical wildlife.

Day-by-Day

Day 1

Khao Yai National Park

Get an early start on the first day of your trip with a morning drive from your hotel in Bangkok to Khao Yai, a scenic three-hour journey. At Khao Yai National Park, you’ll embark on a leisurely hike through impossibly verdant evergreen and deciduous forests, spotting wildlife such as gibbons and muntjac deer. In the afternoon, a wine-tasting tour will take you to a local vineyard to sample Khao Yai’s own varietals. At night, you will head out on a night safari to spy wildlife in their natural habitat.

Hotel Options
About

The Intercontinental Khao Yai Swan Lake Resort is a lakeside destination resort that is part of the mixed-use Swan Lake Project in the UNESCO-protected Khao Yai National Park. The 61-key resort is the designed by award-winning architect Bill Bensley on the theme of railway heritage, with nostalgic suites created from vintage railway cars.

This accommodation has been personally vetted by the Remote Lands team and is the best available in the area. More information on this property is available on the “Hotels” tab at the top of the page.

About

Located in the scenic hills on the edge of Khao Yai National Park, Kirimaya is a high-end nature retreat perfect for exploring the stunning countryside of Khao Yai, playing golf at the resort’s 18-hole Jack Nicklaus-designed course, or simply relaxing. 52 rooms, 7 suites and 4 tented villas with private pools, a spa and a selection of superb restaurants (including the open-air MYTH restaurant with beautiful jungle views) make the Kirimaya an utterly blissful getaway.

This accommodation has been personally vetted by the Remote Lands team and is the best available in the area. More information on this property is available on the “Hotels” tab at the top of the page.

Day 2

Buriram

Enjoy breakfast at your hotel before departing for Khorat. On the way, you will stop at the ancient Prasat Hin Phimai temple site, dating back to the 11th century. The largest sandstone Khmer temple in Thailand, this Angkorian relic recalls the iconic forms of Angkor Wat. After exploring the complex, you will head to your hotel in Buriram, then head out on a food tour of Buriram Night Bazaar where it will become apparent why Isaan cuisine is world renowned.

Hotel Options
About

Situated in the northeast of Thailand, Buriram offers a rich cultural background and beautiful nature for tourists, especially with its abundance of sandstone sanctuaries that remain from the ancient Khmer culture. Located nearby, visitors of pleasure and business alike can enjoy one of the Cresco Hotel's 40 rooms with comfortable, "industrial loft" design elements and balconies or terraces.

This accommodation has been personally vetted by the Remote Lands team and is the best available in the area. More information on this property is available on the “Hotels” tab at the top of the page.

Buriram
Buriram

Day 3

Buriram

Today you will explore the province of Buriram, visiting the Phanom Rung Historical Park and Prasat Muang Tam, where you will discover more fascinating Khmer temple relics from the 10th-13th centuries. After that, see a more modern architectural wonder - the New I-Mobile Stadium - a 32,600-seat football stadium - the largest club-owned stadium in Thailand.

Day 4

Khong Chiam

After breakfast, you will travel to Surin via Ban Ta Klang Elephant Village in Tha Tum, part of an ethnic Suay township, where elephants are an intrinsic part of daily life. After meeting these gentle giants and learning about the Suay people, you will continue on to Ubon Ratchathani, four hours away by car. In Ubon, you will see the beautiful Wat Thung Sri Muang, a wooden temple constructed in the early 19th century in ornate Rattanakosin style. You will stay in Khong Chiam tonight, at a serene resort on the bank of the Mekong River.

Hotel Options
About

Nestled within the deep natural wonders of Thailand's easternmost province, Tohsang Khongjiam Resort is a hidden paradise beside the mighty Mekong river. All rooms and villas at the resort are designed with a mixture of Thai, Khmer, and Balinese architectural elements and furnish opulent balconies with views of the Mekong River.

This accommodation has been personally vetted by the Remote Lands team and is the best available in the area. More information on this property is available on the “Hotels” tab at the top of the page.

Khong Chiam
Khong Chiam

Day 5

Khong Chiam

Today’s explorations will treat you to some of the region’s most spectacular landscapes. First you will head to Pha Taem National Park on the Mekong River and see the striking rock formations of Sao Chaliang, mushroom-shaped figures embedded with shells. Within the park’s borders are 4,000-year-old cave paintings, jagged shale cliffs, towering dipterocarp trees, waterfalls and colorful local wildflowers. Next, you will see the Two-Color River, Mae Nam Song Si, where the Mun River and the Mekong converge. Afterwards, you will visit Sang Chan Waterfall, which glows like a sunbeam as it flows through a rocky overhang.

Day 6

Departure

After breakfast at your hotel, you will head to Ubon Ratchathani Airport for the one-hour flight back to Bangkok, with dreams of your spicy, exciting adventure dancing in your head.

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