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Home > Thailand Info > Northeastern Region
Northeastern
Region
| LOEI
 Loei's
unspoilt scenery, cool weather and fabulous national parks
are the reasons so many visitors head here. Phu Kradung
National Park and the area around Chiang Khan are
very popular spots. Phu Kradung is a bell-shaped mountain
with a large plateau on top at 1,300 metres where
there are forests, trekking routes and plentiful animals.
The trek to the top is about 6 kilometres and takes around
4.5 hours, but the views and weather are spectacular.
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his
populous province was an integral part of the kingdom
of Angkor and there are Khmer ruins in abundance. Over
140 sites in various stages of decay have been counted,
and the Fine Arts Department has restored over a dozen.
The most famous of the Khmer monuments, also the largest
and most stunning, is Prasat Hin (stone |
Phu
Rua National Park is a similar mountain hideaway, with trekking
routes
and spectacular scenery, particularly at the summit
where you can see Laos and
the Mekong River. The high plateau of Phu Luang Wildlife
Sanctuary is home to
both forest and savannah, plus a variety of animals
and wild orchids.
Loei
produces high-quality hand-woven cotton products, especially
blankets to withstand the cold. The Cotton Blossom
Festival, held every February, is a popular tourist
attraction. Another big festival draw is the ghostly procession
of Phi Ta Khon at Dan Sai, where villagers wearing
outlandish costumes and brandishing phallic symbols
kick off the rain-making season in June.
MAHA
SARAKHAM
In
the heart of the Northeast, Maha Sarakham is a peaceful
province known
as a centre for education.Main attractions
include the Isan Cultural and Arts Centre, with
displays depicting the history of Northeast Thailand,
its various fabrics, handicrafts and agricultural
traditions.
Ku
Mahathat archaeological site has uncovered relics
over 700 years old and the Fine Arts Department
has recently renovated two earthenware images there.
Loeng
Chan Rapids are becoming popular with tour companies
promoting river rafting and the surrounding
area is good for hiking.
Mukdahan is known for its beautiful
scenery along the Mekong River, with the town
located at the river's widest point opposite Sawannakhet
in Laos.
Wat Si Mongkhon Tai next to the
river enshrines the town's oldest and most revered
Buddha image. It's also the location for the Indochina
market, where you can
buy a whole host of goods from both sides
of the border.
Phu Manorom Hill, a favourite
local picnic spot, provides excellent views over
the town and the river. Mukdahan National
Park is an unusual area of caves and bizarre
rock formations. There are hiking trails,
and the park is gaining popularity for its
wildlife, including barking deer, monkeys,
wild boar and civet cats.
Phu
Sa Dokbua National Park covers three provinces
and is a mixture of rock formations, forest
and lakes. Prehistoric paintings can be
found on Phu Pha Thoep, and it is popular
for its wild flowers. |
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Nong
Khai is a long thin province running along the
Mekong River, providing the main access
to Laos. Originally people went by boat from Tha
Sadet, but the building of the Friendship
Bridge across the Mekong has made Nong Khai a
major centre for transport and trade with
Laos.
Attractions
include Wat Pho Chai, renowned for its large seated
Buddha believed to have been cast
in Lan Chang, and Phra That Nong Khai, an old
chedi that slipped into the river
and can now only be seen completely in the dry
season.
Sala
Kaew Ku is a bizarre sculpture garden packed with
statues of Shiva, Vishnu and Buddha
as well as many other figures from Hindu and Thai
culture. Phu Wua Wildlife Sanctuary
near the Mekong River contains a number of beautiful
waterfalls.
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