Nakhon Ratchasima Province
Prasat Phimai is one of the most impressive Khmer ruins in Thailand, both in its grand scale and its intricate details. Though built as a Mahayana…
Must-see attractions in Northeastern Thailand
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Nakhon Ratchasima Province
Cool and lush, Khao Yai National Park is an easy escape into the primordial jungle. The 2168-sq-km park, part of a Unesco World Heritage site, spans five…
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Northeastern Thailand
With its network of rickety staircases and walkways built in, on and around a giant sandstone outcrop, Wat Phu Thok is one of the region’s wonders. The…
Udon Thani Province
You'll see pictures of the Red Lotus Sea (really, it's a pink water-lily lake) all over Udon as it's now one of Isan's top attractions, but few Westerners…
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Nong Khai
One of Thailand’s most enigmatic attractions, Sala Kaew Ku can't fail to impress. Built over 20 years by Luang Pu Boun Leua Sourirat, a mystic who died in…
Northeastern Thailand
Wat Pa Non Sawan is home to hundreds of colourful sculptures ranging from merely peculiar to ‘what the…?!’ Whether it’s the immense dragons, waving…
Northeastern Thailand
Officially it’s Wat Pa Maha Chedi Kaeo, but these days nearly everyone calls it Wat Lan Khuat, the ‘Million Bottle Temple’. In 1982 the abbot dreamt…
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Khon Kaen Province
Unheralded Nam Nao National Park is one of Thailand's most wildlife-rich parks, although its remote location means it never gets busy. Good visibility and…
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Udon Thani Province
Steeped in mythical intrigue and peppered with bizarre rock formations, Phu Phrabat Historical Park is one of the region’s highlights. The formations are…
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Northeastern Thailand
You may find the village of Ban Tha Sawang, 8km west of Surin along Rte 4026, a fascinating stop, even if you're not particularly turned on by weaving…
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Khao Yai National Park
Nam Tok Haew Narok ('Hell Gorge Waterfall') is in the far south of Khao Yai National Park, 23km from the visitors centre. Its three levels combine to form…
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Northeastern Thailand
The most atmospheric of Surin's Khmer ruins is a series of three sites in the forest on the Cambodian border known collectively as Prasat Ta Meuan. They…
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Nong Khai
Luang Po Phra Sai, a large Lan Xang–era Buddha image awash with gold, bronze and precious stones, sits at the hub of Nong Khai's holiest temple. The head…
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Northeastern Thailand
Built in the 12th century, Sikhoraphum features five brick prang (Hindi/Khmer-style stupas), two of which still hold their tops (these were later modified…
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Ubon Ratchathani
This temple, also known as Wat Sa Prasan Suk, stands out from other temples in many ways. Most famously, the bòht sits on a boat: a ceramic-encrusted…
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Ubon Ratchathani
English is the primary language of Wat Pa Nanachat, a Western-oriented temple opened in 1975 by Ajahn Chah specifically for non-Thais. There's nothing…
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Khon Kaen Province
The core attraction of Nam Phong National Park and the nearest nature reserve to Khon Kaen city, the Hin Chang Si ('Elephant-Rubbing Rock') area is full…
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Udon Thani Province
With brightly painted statuary that's even more bizarre than Nong Khai's Sala Kaew Ku, this wát is a perfect add-on to Phu Phrabat if you have your own…
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Ubon Ratchathani
This spectacular, gleaming gold-and-white chedi is sure to dazzle. It loosely resembles the Mahabodhi stupa in Bodhgaya, India (where the Buddha reached…
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Nakhon Ratchasima Province
One of the biggest and best museums in Isan, the Phimai National Museum is well worth a visit. Situated on the banks of Sa Kwan, a 12th-century Khmer…
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Udon Thani Province
This excellent museum, developed with some assistance from the Smithsonian Institution, exhibits a wealth of pottery from all Ban Chiang periods, plus…
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Northeastern Thailand
The first thing most people notice about this old temple, which dates from the late Ayuthaya era, is the unusual four-storey stupa at the back, but the…
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Northeastern Thailand
The 11th-century Prasat Ban Phluang, 33km south of Surin, is just a solitary sandstone prang (Hindi/Khmer-style stupa) without its top, but the wonderful…
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Northeastern Thailand
The most endearing neighbourhood in Yasothon is Ban Singha Tha, a collection of quiet residential streets just below Wat Mahathat. It has several classic…
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Northeastern Thailand
Tree-shaded, nicely landscaped and criss-crossed by pathways, this island park and its pretty lake are the focal point of Roi Et and attract picnickers,…
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Khon Kaen Province
The 12th-century Prasat Puay Noi is the largest and most interesting Khmer ruin in northern Isan. About the size of Buriram’s Prasat Meuang Tam but far…
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Udon Thani
Udon's most popular park starts to rev up as the afternoon winds down. It's home to colourful attractions such as a giant Ban Chiang–style pot and a huge…
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Ubon Ratchathani
Built during the reign of Rama III (1824–51), Wat Thung Si Meuang has a classic hŏr đrai (Tripitaka hall) in excellent shape. Like many hŏr đrai, it rests…
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Northeastern Thailand
This eye-catching 65m-tall tower was built for the 50th anniversary of King Rama IX's ascension to the throne. The nine-sided base has a good museum with…
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Northeastern Thailand
Although little more than a speck of a reserve at just 48 sq km, hilly Phu Pha Thoep National Park (also known as Mukdahan National Park) has some…
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Northeastern Thailand
One of the most important wildlife reserves in Isan, Phu Wua is home to more than 40 elephants. It's a ruggedly beautiful area with lots of exposed…
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Ubon Ratchathani National Museum
Ubon Ratchathani
Occupying the former city hall (built in 1918), this is a very informative museum with plenty on show, from Dvaravati-era Buddhas and 2000-year-old Dong…
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Ubon Ratchathani
This temple's lovely, modern bòht has a soaring wing-shaped design that creates a striking scene inside. The delightful murals cover many subjects…
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Khon Kaen Province
A gorgeous view at any time, Phu Khor is mostly visited at sunrise. The big mountain on the horizon is Phu Kradueng. Phu Khor is 5km west of the visitors…
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Khao Yai National Park
This excellent private gallery has three rooms of modern art from some of Thailand's top artists, including Anupong Chantorn and Lampu Kansanoh, and a…
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Northeastern Thailand
The enormous standing Buddha towering above Roi Et's squat skyline is Phra Phuttha Ratana Mongkon Mahamuni (Luang Po Yai for short). Despite being of…
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Khon Kaen Province
Phu Wiang National Park blankets a horseshoe-shaped mountain with beautiful views and waterfalls, but almost everyone comes here for the dinosaurs. This…
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Khon Kaen Province
This 15m waterfall, the best within Phu Wiang National Park, is in such a great setting that it's even beautiful the half of the year it has no water. It…
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Udon Thani Province
Like a little Lopburi, this otherwise ordinary rural market town 50km southeast of Udon Thani has a troop of monkeys living alongside its human residents…
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Khon Kaen Province
Three kilometres before the Phu Wiang National Park, this museum has geology and palaeontology displays, including full-size models of the dinosaur…
