Isan and Mekong river, 6 d / 5 n

The Heo Narok Waterfall (Hell Valley waterfall) is the largest in Khao Yai Park. We will go search for éléphants passage traces , especially where they come to lick mineral salts, if we are lucky we will perhaps meet one of them...

Located in the province of {{Nakhon Ratchasima}}, this magnificent and vast lake offers a superb viewpoint and is visible from the side of the road for travelers to the Esan region.

You will have the opportunity to have lunch at a local restaurant that will offer you a typical menu of the region as the famous pat mee khorat, the som tam, a very spicy green papaya salad, accompanied by kai yang, the barbecue chicken that is delicious in this region. Phat mee Khorat (ผัด หมี่ โคราช) is a Thai dish of fried rice noodles, usually served with a papaya salad (som tam). Dried rice noodles of varying colors are a specific ingredient of phat mee khorat. The dish consists of rice noodles, garlic, shallots, pork, soy sauce, fish sauce, beans, palm sugar, red pepper, water, onions and of bean sprouts. The phat mi Khorat was introduced in the province of Nakhon Ratchasima since antiquity. In the past, most inhabitants of Nakhon Ratchasima (Khorat) were generally farmers. They used the rice of old crops by turning it into noodles.

Prasat Hin Phimai is a sanctuary of Mahayana Buddhism and is located in the city of Phimai. All the buildings of this temple have been beautifully preserved by time and date back to the Angkor Wat period.

The expertise of Ban Dan Kwian potters is recognized throughout Thailand.

The Thao Suranari Memorial was built in memory of the exploits of Lady Khunying Mo, wife of the city governor who, in 1826, gathered his people to defeat the Laotian invaders during the reign of King Rama III.

The Khao Phanom Rung Historical Park is the most impressive Khmer monuments of Thailand. Khao Phnom Rung is the name of an extinct volcano about 900,000 years old, on which was built, from the tenth century, the Prasat Phanom Rung temple.

Prasat Mueang Tham means the castle of the southern city. The pilasters, lintels and pediments, richly decorated in the styles of Khleang and Baphûon with their mythical animals (naga and kala), their garlands and their floral motifs, demonstrate the mastery of the Khmer craftsmen. This temple was erected in the 11th century to serve as a residence for the Khmer governor.

The silk weaving center at Ban Tha Sawang is a project sponsored by the Royal House Office and Her Majesty's Queen's Foundation.

In this elephant camp in Surin you can observe the elephants in their daily lives and share with them the sacred moment of the bath.

Wat Sa Kamphaeng Yai, is the largest and most perfectly preserved of the Khmer ruins of the province. It includes three stupas located on the same base, oriented north-south and facing east. The temple were built in the eleventh century in the Khmer Baphuri style and served as a sanctuary for God Shiva before becoming a temple of Mahayana Buddhism in the thirteenth century.

The Prasat Sa Kamphaeng Noi is an old hospital chapel built by Jayavarman VII, located west of the town of Si Saket. The building is in laterite, with doors, windows and lintels of sandstone. According to an inscription discovered at Ta Prom, King Jayavarman VII built a hundred and two hospitals spread throughout the empire along the main roads. Near each hospital was a chapel. It is thought that the hospitals themselves were built of wood. This place is very nice and quiet.

The village of Ban Pa Ao is one of the oldest villages of Ubon Ratchathani. The villagers emigrated from Vientiane, Laos, during the reign of King Siri Bun San. The village has more than two hundred years and a particular identity and its inhabitants have a know-how that has been handed down from generation to generation by their ancestors, as for the manufacture of bronzes and silk weaving.

In 1992, the Department of Fine Arts undertook excavations on the Ban Kan Lueang site in Wat Ban Kan Lueang. Among the discoveries are works of art, instruments, ornaments and jewelery, beads, pottery and iron axes. These objects are thought to be at least two thousand years old.

The OTOP craft center of Ubon Ratchathani is located outside the city. It sells products from the One Tambon One Product Project (OTOP) which is a fair trade project offering specific products for each municipality.

Wat Thung Si Muang in Ubon Ratchathani it houses one of Isan's most unusual buildings, its library is built in a mix of Burmese, Laotian and Thai styles.

The Chong Mek border market is one of Esan's most famous markets, with clothes, antiques and much more. It is on the border with Laos.

The prehistoric paintings of Pha Taem National Park are between five and seven thousand years old. A conference on paintings, their discovery and their origin is proposed by the Department of Fine Arts.

On the very edge of Ubon Ratchathani on the Laos border, Wat Sirindhorn Wararam (วัดสิรินธรวรารามภูพร้าว) glows every night to satisfy hundreds of Instagram addicts. When the sun goes down, parts of the floor and the walls light up due to the fluorescent paint that is used to decorate the temple.

It is the confluence of a blue river, the Mun and a brown river, the Mekong.

Tham Khuha Sawan temple. This ancient temple was built during the Ayutthaya period and was later restored to become the first royal temple in the province. Inside the temple cave is a large reclining Buddha statue and another sitting Buddha statue. The walls and entrance to the cave are filled with the initials of many kings and members of the royal family who visited the temple. This temple is located at the foot of a mountain called Khao Khuha Sawan.

Visit to the market to buy local fruits. Then we will go to the forest park and the sanctuary on the outskirts of the village. This sanctuary belongs to a holy hermit and the park is filled with bandars (Macaca mulatta) or rhesus macaques who will be happy to catch the fruits we have brought for them.

Walk through the Indo chinese market. There are products from the countries bordering the Mekong (China, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam). Beautiful relaxation while walking along the Mekong market.

Prasat Hin Phimai is a sanctuary of Mahayana Buddhism and is located in the city of Phimai. All the buildings of this temple have been beautifully preserved by time and date back to the Angkor Wat period.

The expertise of Ban Dan Kwian potters is recognized throughout Thailand.

The Chet Sao Noi waterfall is a 7 levels waterfall located on the Muak Lek River, a very short walk from the center of the park. Chet Sao Noi means seven little girls, referring to the number of levels in the waterfall, although there is also a legend about seven sisters who drowned together in the pond.