Welcome in I-San, land of the Khmer Temples

Isan, also written I-San, is located North-East of Bangkok and covers around 160.000 Skm as far as the Cambodian and Lao borders. It is a huge plateau between 100 and 200 m above the sea level. This is definitely the poorest area of all Thailand, mostly inhabited by farmers with ricefields as far as the eyes can see, and this is also the less visited area of Thailand.

Most of the tourists just cross the area, to reach Laos or Cambodia, a very few of them take the time to slow down and visit it and discover all its hidden marvels, as, indeed, this part of Thailand hosts many Khmers temples which remind the superb site of Angkor in Cambodia. The most beautiful temple is the Wat Phimai, 60km North of Nakhon Ratchasima (or Khorat, as it was formerly called), this is a miniature version of the famous Angkor Wat in Cambodia.

Built one century before Angkor Wat, the legend tells that it actually was its inspiration. South of Khorat, the Prasat hin Phanom Rung is a splendid park on the top of an extinct volcano with a sanctuary which once was a worshipped place hosting satellite temples of Angkor Wat in Cambodia. Not far from Phanum Rung, is the Prasat Muang Tham, a stone temple dedicated to Shiva and richly decorated. A bit further you will find the Prasat Ta Muen Thom, a splendid stone temple South of Surin.

You will find many more Khmers Temples between Surin and Ubon Ratchathani, as far as the Lao border.

But what is really leaving its mark on the travellers visiting Isan is mostly the authenticity of the places and the people, wou will be warmly welcomed everywhere, and some agencies even arrange tours in the Isan to stay as a paying guest. Once you will have visited Isan, you will come back charmed with all the marvels you have seen and the people you met.