Travel to Isan Thailand. Provinces of Thailand - centers and administrative divisions. Seasons and weather conditions

Isan is a province in the northeastern part of Thailand. This is a great place to visit if you want to experience the real Thailand in a place that is not overrun with tourists. One of the reasons why relatively few travelers visit this province is that it is inland, far from the Thai coast, and therefore has no beaches. Instead, the area is hilly, even mountainous, full of small towns and villages. Interesting fact o Isan - The local culture has developed from an eclectic fusion of Thai, Laotian and Cambodian traditions. You are unlikely to find large five-star resorts here, but, nevertheless, you can choose a very convenient place for yourself.

Isan is visited mainly by backpackers and tourists looking for adventure. Families with small children will not find offers for organized holiday and the level of comfort they need. Travelers to Isan usually want to see as much as possible while spending only one or two nights in each city. To plan your trip, read about Isan Province and its cities, which offer both a traditional Thai atmosphere and interesting activities for travelers.

Khon Kaen

Mittraphap Road, also known as Highway 2, is the road that brings tourists to Khon Kaen. This city is the center of Thai industry, especially silk production. Khon Kaen is also an educational center, so it is not difficult to find people who speak English here.

Loei

Surrounded beautiful mountains and hills, Loei is located next to the Mekong River. This is the center of winemaking.

Nakhon Phanom

Nakhon Phanom is a fascinating city heavily influenced by Lao culture. This is not at all surprising, given that the city is located next to the Laotian border.

Nakhon Ratchasima

Be sure to visit this city, the bustling capital of Isan Province.

Nong Khai

The beautiful landscape of the Mekong River is what characterizes Nong Khai.

Roi Et

Phra Rattana Phuttha Mongkhon is the largest Buddha statue in the world, located in this city.

Surin

Surin is famous for its Khmer Temple. Every year the city organizes an elephant parade.

Udon Thani

Visit Udon Thani and see the architectural excavations of Ban Chiang.

How to get here

Traveling by air is the fastest and most convenient way to reach these areas from Bangkok. If there are no flights, other options are bus or train. The bus is a cheaper form of transportation, and also regular, but the train is more convenient. It is better to decide the issue of housing in advance, since this province does not have a developed tourism infrastructure. You can find a place to stay in most villages, although it won't be the luxury of a 5-star hotel.

Food

The food in Isan Province is different from what you can find in the rest of Thailand. The influence of traditional Laotian cuisine is obvious. Som Tam is a dish that is very common in this area and consists of a salad made from unripe papaya. Most Thais are accustomed to eating Som Tam with dried fish, but at Isan you'll likely be served it with fresh fish or canned crab. Chicken and rice is another popular dish. Larb - cold meat salad seasoned with mint and citrus fruits. We warn you - local food exceptionally hot and spicy. You could even try adding (a little!) spice to your drink. Only the bravest tourists are ready to try the favorite local mixer with orange juice and hot chili.

Entertainment

One of the most memorable things to do in Isan is getting to know the locals and their culture. Other activities focus mainly on exploring the stunning architecture and nature. There are many temples here, which are considered noteworthy places for tourists. We are talking about the Si Saket temple, built from beer bottles, or the Chiang Khan temple, located in the mountain. Phanom Rung - historical park, which houses several amazing Khmer temples. Phimai is a historical park that also contains interesting examples of Khmer architecture. In Nong Khai, the unique Sala Kaew Ku statues are worth seeing. For a change of pace, you can go to National Park Khao Yai to admire the local flora and fauna and magnificent waterfalls. Isan is definitely worth a visit, but we recommend planning your trip in advance to see as much as possible. There are rumors that traveling to northern Thailand can be dangerous, especially along the Cambodian border near Preah Vihear. Thai soldiers guarding the border periodically enter into confrontations with the Khmers. And it really isn't the best place for civilian walks. Best advice is to learn about Isan Province from the news, be aware of the current political climate, and exercise extreme caution.

Isan (spelling variations: Issan, Isaan, Isarn, Esarn) is a northeastern region of Thailand. It occupies the entire Khorat plateau, is bounded on the north and east by the Mekong River, which separates Thailand and Laos, on the southeast by Cambodia, on the south by the Prachin Buri Mountains, a province adjacent to Nakhon Ratchasima. From the west, Isan is separated from northern and central Thailand mountain range Phetchabun. Isan is not just a territory in Thailand, it is a whole culture that includes the Isan dialect of the language, Isan cuisine and much more.

Geography

The name “Isan”, by which this region has been officially known since the beginning of the twentieth century, comes from the Sanskrit “ishan” (meaning “to the northeast”) or from “Isanapura” - this was the name of the capital of the Chenla kingdom, which was once located in the territory Isana. The predominant occupation of Isan residents is agriculture. Industry here is less developed than in other areas of Thailand - due to a number of socio-economic factors, as well as the extremely hot and dry climate. Despite the progress of the country as a whole, Isan remains poorest area Thailand.

Isan covers an area of 160,000 km2 (62,000 sq mi), which is slightly larger than England and Wales combined, about half the size of Germany, four times the size of Switzerland, twice the size of Austria, and only twice the size of the US state of Maine . The location is roughly bordered by the Khorat Plateau, which slopes away from mountain range Phetchabun, lying in the western part of the region (home to several national parks), down to the Mekong River. The plateau consists of two lowlands: southern plain Korat is drained by the Mun and Chi rivers, while the northern plain of Sakon Nakhon is drained by the Loei and Songkhram rivers. The two lowlands are separated from each other by the Phu Phan Mountains. The soil is mainly sandy with significant salt deposits.

The Mekong forms much of the border between Thailand and Laos in the north and east of Isan, and the region borders Cambodia in the south. The main tributary of the Mekong flowing through Thailand is the Mun River, which overflows its banks at National Park Khao Yai near Korat and flows east to join the Mekong River in Ubon Ratchathani Province. The other main river of Isan is the Chi, which flows through central part region before turning south where it merges with Mun in Sisaket Province. The small Loei and Songkhram rivers are also tributaries of the Mekong, the former flowing north through Loei province, and the latter flowing east through the provinces of Udon Thani, Sakon Nakhon, Nakhon Phanom and Nong Khai.
The average temperature range is from 30.2 C to 19.6 C. The highest recorded temperature was 43.9 C at Udon Thani, the lowest -1.4 C at Sakhon Nakhon Agro Station.

Language and Population

The people of this region are multinational: Lao, Vietnamese, Khmer, Mon, Cham and other peoples of the Thai group.

Main language local population, Isan, is a dialect of Lao, but is written using the Thai alphabet, which is slightly different from Lao. Isan belongs to the Chiang Seng and Lao Phutai language subgroups, which together with Thai form part of the Thai group of the Tai-Kadai family of languages. Most residents of the region speak the Lao language (Laotian), but do not consider themselves Laotians, but they are not fully considered Thais either: they call themselves “Isan” - “Khon Isan” or “Thai Isan”. Some of the population in southern Isan speaks Khmer and Suay; their dialect and customs are much closer to Cambodian than to Thai or Laotian. The Khmer language is widely used in the provinces of Buriram, Surin and Sisaket, bordering Cambodia.

At the same time, almost everyone speaks Thai in Isan. Ethnically, many people in the region are Laotian and aware of this, however Isan has long been an integral part of Thailand - both administratively and culturally - and has even given the country several prime ministers who were originally from Isan.

Seasons and weather conditions

Rainfall is unpredictable but mainly concentrated during the rainy season from May to October. Average annual precipitation ranges from 2000 mm in some regions, and up to 1270 mm in southwestern provinces: Nakhon Ratchasima, Buriram, Maha Sarakham, Khon Kaen and Chaiyaphum. The rainy season begins with rare, short, but heavy downpours; as a result, it rains very heavily for a long period of time and almost every day, usually in the afternoon or at night, until it ends abruptly at the very beginning of the cool season.

Other seasons are the cool season from October to February, when people leave their homes and gather around bonfires in the evenings, and the hot season from February to May, with a sudden peak of high temperatures in April.

Culture

The Isan culture is predominantly taken from the Lao peoples and has many similarities with neighboring Laos. The cultural proximity of the regions can be seen in local cuisine, clothing, temple architecture, festivals and art.

The most characteristic and original cultural characteristics and Isan traditions

"Mor Lam" (local folk music)
Thai boxing "Muay Thai"
Cockfights and colorful festive processions.

The traditional Isan clothing is the sarong. Women's sarongs most often have an embroidered border along the hem, while men's sarongs often have a checkered pattern. Men also wear a pakama, a multi-functional piece of fabric that can be used as a belt, money and document belt, as a hat for sun protection, as a hammock or swimwear. Isan is the main center for the production of Thai silk. The trade received a powerful boost in the post-war years when Jim Thompson popularized Thai silk in the West. One of the most famous types of Isan silk is mut mee, which is made from specially dyed threads to produce geometric patterns.

Hotel Phanthipha Residence 3* is located in Thailand in the city of Khon Kaen. The hotel is 10 minutes' drive from shopping center Central Plaza. Thanks to the hotel's convenient location, you can easily reach the most popular tourist places in the city.

Yellow House Khon Kaen 2*

Yellow House Khon Kaen 2* hotel is located in Thailand, in the city of Khon Kaen. The hotel is centrally located, a 5-minute walk from Central Plaza and the local bus station, and a 15-minute drive from Bueng Kaen Nakhon Lake.