Isaan & The Northern Explorer

📍 Bangkok city – Prasat Hin Phimai, Korat (322 km): 4.01 hr Prasat Hin Phimai – Korat town (61.2 km): 53 min Korat town – Kirimaya Golf Resort & Spa (112 km): 1.37 hr

Depart from Bangkok and drive through the mountains to Korat, the gateway to Thailand’s northeast plateau. Largely agricultural, Korat is the largest province in northeastern Thailand, with its own unique culture, architecture, and cuisine.

The first stop on the journey is Prasat Hin Phimai, the largest sandstone Khmer temple complex in Thailand, dating back to the Angkorian period when the Khmer Empire extended across the region. The sanctuary has been magnificently restored and is preserved as a National Historical Park.

Then proceed to Korat town for lunch. Guests are encouraged to try the famous local version of Pad Thai, pad mee Korat, as well as papaya salad and barbecued chicken.

Depart for Khao Yai in the afternoon. The area surrounding Khao Yai National Park provides an ideal climate for grapevine cultivation, and wines from Khao Yai are gaining a global reputation.

Explore one of the region’s vineyards, set in a beautiful tropical hillside overlooking the Khao Yai mountains, and enjoy a wine-tasting session with a local expert.

In the evening, enjoy dinner at Lookkai Restaurant, a local fine-dining establishment in Khao Yai.

Optional: Night Safari

Depart the resort around 18:20 for a transfer to the national park, and embark on a night drive to spot wildlife of all sizes. Possible sightings include Asian elephants, Indian palm civets, porcupines, wild dogs, deer, slow lorises, and more. Return to the resort around 20:30.

Price: 3,590 THB per person (minimum 2 persons)

Overnight in Khao Yai

Inclusions:

🥘 Lunch, 🍗 Dinner

📍 Kirimaya Golf Resort & Spa – Ban Khwao District Chaiyaphum (198 km): 2.59 hr Ban Khwao District – Phu Wiang Dinosaur Museum (158 km): 2.48 hr Phu Wiang Dinosaur Museum – Mekin Farm (51.2 km): 51 min Mekin Farm – Khon Kaen town (47.9 km): 52 min

After breakfast at the hotel, guests depart for Ban Khwao in Chaiyaphum, famous for the quality of its silk and cotton weaving. Unique to the town is the art of “mud mee silk,” a craft that has been practiced in the area for generations.

Stop at a local home to observe how traditional Isaan (northeast Thai) sausages are made. Guests will have the opportunity to see the production process and learn how these sausages have become popular throughout Thailand.

Continue to Phu Wiang, where the first dinosaur fossil in Thailand was discovered. Visit the Dinosaur Museum, a geological learning center featuring a wide range of fossils and educational exhibits. Lunch is served at a local restaurant before guests continue to Khon Kaen in the afternoon.

Khon Kaen is the commercial, administrative, and educational center of the Upper Isaan region and is often used by travelers as a base for exploring other parts of northeastern Thailand and Indochina.

Visit Mekin Farm, one of Khon Kaen’s renowned organic farms, recognized by the Michelin Bib Gourmand for two consecutive years, 2023 and 2024. Tour the farm to learn about its story, then enjoy a private cooking class, followed by an early dinner featuring the dishes you have prepared.

Overnight in Khon Kaen.

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Inclusions:

☕ Breakfast, 🥘 Lunch, 🍗 Dinner

📍 Khon Kaen – Khao Suan Kwang District (58.6 km): 1.11 hr Khao Suan Kwang District – Ban Chiang Udon Thani (106 km): 2.13 hr

Depart early to visit the local morning market and sample some special local delights, such as grilled sticky rice cakes and grilled pork.

Then, take a walk through Khon Kaen town and visit Phra That Kham Kaen at Wat Chetiyaphum, where the city of Khon Kaen is believed to have been founded in ancient times. Next, visit Nong Wang Temple and climb the nine flights of stairs in the temple's pagoda to enjoy panoramic views of the city and Kaen Nakorn Lake.

Afterwards, depart for Khao Suan Kwang for lunch and enjoy Isaan’s famous roasted chicken and papaya salad.

Then, continue to Baan Chiang Village, an archaeological site located in Udon Thani Province. Baan Chiang was discovered in 1957 by Stephen Young, a Harvard sociology graduate, but a major excavation of the site only began in the 1970s.

The excavation revealed evidence of prehistoric settlements dating back between 1,800 and 5,600 years. Baan Chiang is best known for the beautiful pottery made by the ancient villagers, but many other artifacts have also been discovered, including metals, charcoal, animal bones, and human skeletons. UNESCO registered Baan Chiang as a World Heritage Site in 1992.

Return to the resort for dinner.

Overnight in Udon Thani

Inclusions:

☕ Breakfast, 🥘 Lunch, 🍗 Dinner

📍 Udon Thani City– Phu Phra Bath Historical Park (73.6 km): 1.30 hr Phu Phra Bath Historical Park – Chiang Khan (136 km): 2.30 hr Chiang Khan - PhuNaCome Resort (123 km): 2.15 hr

After breakfast at the hotel, drive to Phu Phra Bat Historical Park. Situated in Ban Phue District, this archaeological site features a large number of ancient ruins and artifacts dating from prehistoric times. Most of them are from the Dvaravati, Lop Buri, and Lan Xang periods. The site is located in a lush forest called Pa Khua Nam and contains many rocks of peculiar shapes, formed by a slow-moving glacier millions of years ago.

Continue driving to Loei Province. Stop for a boat trip along the Mekong River at Chiang Khan (Kaeng Khut Khu) and explore the charming riverside town, characterized by rows of teak shop houses.

Have lunch at a local restaurant. Then continue to Dan Sai District in Loei for an overnight stay.

Dinner at Dan Sai.

Overnight in Dan Sai

Inclusions:

☕ Breakfast, 🥘 Lunch, 🍗 Dinner

📍 Dan Sai District – Phu Ruea National Park (44 km): 60 min

Breakfast at the hotel. The first visit of the day is Phra That Sri Song Rak, located on the bank of the Mun River. This large Lao-style pagoda, similar to Phra That Phanom, houses relics of the Lord Buddha. Although it is a great place to visit throughout the year, it truly comes to life during the Phi Ta Khon celebration, held annually in May or June.

Next, visit the Dansai Folk Museum, which offers an excellent display of the history, culture, and costumes of the Phi Ta Khon Festival, as well as the old traditions of Dansai District. Getting hands-on experience with mask painting is an exciting way to learn more and also provides a memorable handmade souvenir to take home.

Take a short stop at Wat Neramit Vipassana, featuring a beautiful hall and pagoda, both constructed of laterite (red soil), along with products created by the monks and novices.

Lunch at a local restaurant.

Drive to Phu Rua High Altitude Agricultural Research Station, which offers some superb views. Phu Rua's summit features a large plain at 1,365 meters above sea level. After visiting the viewpoint, return to the hotel.

Dinner at Dan Sai.

Overnight in Dan Sai

Inclusions:

☕ Breakfast, 🥘 Lunch, 🍗 Dinner

📍 Dan Sai District - Phitsanulok (147 km): 2.30 hr Phitsanulok – Sukhothai Historical Park (84.2 km): 1.15 hr

Breakfast at the hotel, followed by a drive through spectacular mountain scenery to Phitsanulok. Visit Wat Phra Si Rattana Mahathat, commonly known by locals as "Wat Yai," which is the most important monastery in Phitsanulok and home to the famous Phra Phuttha Chinnarat. The monastery was built during the reign of Phra Maha Thamma Racha I (Phraya Lithai) in 1357 A.D. It houses Phra Phuttha Chinnarat, regarded as the most beautiful Buddha image in Thailand.

In the afternoon, travel to Sukhothai, whose name means "dawn of happiness." Founded in the 13th century, it became the kingdom's first capital and is considered the golden age of Thai history. Explore Sukhothai Historical Park by electric tuk-tuk. Once a walled city surrounded by a moat, the park contains almost 200 ruined chedis in remarkable condition. Visit the main sites, including Wat Mahathat, Wat Sri Chum, Wat Sri Sawai, Wat

Trapang Ngoen, and the Ramkhamhaeng Museum, before checking into your hotel. A bike ride around the historical park is also available for a supplement—a pleasant and easy way to stroll among the ruins.

Overnight in Sukhothai

Inclusions:

☕ Breakfast, 🥘 Lunch

📍 Sukothai – Si Satchanalai (59.8 km) 1.08 hr Si Satchanalai – Lampang (153 km): 2.16 hr

Wear a distinctive indigo-colored cotton Thai farmer uniform and get your hands dirty on an organic rice farm, transplanting rice seedlings, harvesting, or milling rice. There is also an opportunity to plough the paddies with water buffalo. (Note: Closed on Wednesdays.)

Then, venture off the beaten track to Baan Na Thon Chan Community in Si Satchanalai District. This location is not something you will find in guidebooks or most holiday brochures, and our guests will have the opportunity to see how locals live and experience a typical day in the life of an average grassroots Thai family.

Enjoy a very basic but delicious Sukhothai-style noodle soup served in a local cook shop.

After lunch, guests can try fruit picking (longan) in an orchard, visit a local silk-weaving house, observe the process of fermented cloth production, and see a wooden toy manufacturer at work.

You will clearly see how the community applies a more progressive attitude toward sustainable living than people in more developed areas. A key feature of this tour is that locals open their doors to foreign guests and share the intimacy of their home lives. The tour then continues on to Lampang.

Overnight in Lampang

Inclusions:

☕ Breakfast, 🥘 Lunch

📍 Lampang – Lamphun (76 km) 1.08 hr Lamphun – Chiang Mai city (22 km):Train no. 407, departing 14:16, arriving 14:35

After breakfast, drive to visit Wat Phra That Lampang Luang, one of the most spectacular temples in Thailand. Dating back to 1486, it is believed to be one of the oldest wooden buildings in the country.

Continue driving to the northern capital, Chiang Mai, with a stop along the way to visit Wat Phra That Hariphunchai and its associated National Museum in Lamphun, before taking a short train ride to Chiang Mai.

Arrive at Chiang Mai train station in the late afternoon, and be picked up for drop-off at either your Chiang Mai hotel or Chiang Mai Airport.

Inclusions:

☕ Breakfast