Experience Khao Yai's beautiful nature, see
how elephants are raised and trained in Surin, sniff the atmosphere
of one of the worlds most beautiful Khmer temple ruins at Phanom
Rung and spend a relaxing day at Khong Chiam where the Mekong
and Moon rivers merge at the border with Laos. This tour begins
and ends in Bangkok.
Day 1. Bangkok - Khao Yai
Today you will go by private minibus from
your hotel in Bangkok to Khao Yai National park. After a relaxing
lunch in your hotel the journey through the park begins. The
tour that we have set out is easy going and can be enjoyed by
nature lovers of all ages. The car will drive you through the
most beautiful parts of Khao Yai and you will have ample time
to relax near the beautiful Haew Suwat waterfalls where you
can even swim if you like. Later you will visit the vulcanic
caves and the bat caves and see more than a million bats swarming
out to hunt for nightly food. Falcons try to seize the bats
as food, a spectacular experience not to be missed. Around 19:00
hr our night tour commences through mountain forests and grasslands.
This is the time that most animals come out of their hiding.
From the car, the nightly animal world is illuminated by special
halogen lights. Many species of deer, cats, wild boar and –with
a bit of luck- elephants at the salt licks can be observed.
Dinner (not included) will be served upon return in the hotel.
Overnight stay in an aircon room. The hotel has a swimming pool,
a large garden and a cozy and good restaurant (L).
Day 2. Phanom Rung
On top of an extinct volcano, on the route
from Khorat to Ankhor Wat in Cambodia lies the historical Khmer
temple ruine of Phanom Rung. It is the largest and best restored
of all Khmer monuments in Thailand. The whole complex and especially
the procession road to the main entrance, the stairs leading
up to the complex and the Naga bridges are beautiful and impressive.
Just being here and absorb the peace and tranquility is a wonderfully
relaxing experience in itself. The whole complex offers magnificent
views over the surrounding area. During Songkran, the Thai new
year, a special occasion takes place as the rising sun can then
be seen through all 15 gates of the western gopura. Uphill processions
are held during daytime and dance drama’s in the evening.
You will also visit Muang Tam, about 8 km away from Phanom Rung
where you can enjoy a totally different setting and layout.
In the evening you will transfer to Surin, a suprisingly cozy
city. Overnight stay in hotel Thong Tharin or Petchakasem (B,
L).
Day 3. Surin elephant village
Surin is world-renowned for its Elephant
Round-up, held on the third weekend in November, putting a focus
on the province’s heritage of raising and training elephants.
Today you will be able to see for yourself how elephants are
trained and educated in the village of Ban Ta Klang. This ancient
Kui village has raised elephants for hundreds of years, since
the time when their ancestors settled down at Wang Talu in the
Dry evergreen forest where the Mun and the Chee rivers converge.
The Kui reject the employment of elephants in hard work, such
as logging which is more popular in the North. Elehants, like
friends or sons, grow side by side with them. Their bond is
indivisible. A show is held on Saturdays from 9:00 till 11:00
a.m. The tour of the village includes a 3-kilometre elephant
ride to Wang Talu. Here as the elephants bathe and frolick in
the river, the tour offers a panoramic view of the scenic landscape.
Also a visit to the museum and the Elephant study centre is
planned. In the afternoon transfer to Khong Chiam, a small village
about 90 km northeast of the city of Ubon Ratchatani. You will
stay in the beautifully located and layed out Tohsaeng hotel
at the banks of the Mekong from where you will have stunning
views over the river and Laos (B, L).
Day 4. Khong Chiam
First you will visit "mae nam song
see" where the blue colored Moon and the muddy Mekong rivers
merge. There are several viewing points where you can enjoy
the scenic view. You will take a boat trip over the Mekong river
to Hat Wichittra where you can see the Mekong style of living.
Fishing and weaving are the most important sources of income.
Later you will visit Pha Taem, a beautifully located national
park with high rock cliffs and prehistoric rock paintings of
minimal 3000 years old that can be reached via a 500 meter long
trail leading from the cliff to the basis. The last anthropological
studies speculate that these paintings are made by shamane priests
either being or just coming out of their state of trance. Here
too you will have magnificent views over the Mekong and over
Laos. In the afternoon transfer to Ubon Ratchatani where you
will have time to explore the city's evening life. Overnight
stay at the Laithong hotel (B, L).
Day 5. Ubon Ratchatani
Ubon Ratchatani is the capital of a quiet
province with the same name that borders with Laos and Cambodia.
Today you can spend at your own free leisure. You can stroll
through the city and taste the city atmosphere or you can visit
one of the many attractions in Ubon's city centre which is on
walking distance of your hotel. For instance to the Kanjanapiset
Art and Cultural centre, a beautiful building with many items
of interest. Or you can visit the giant wax candle in honour
of His Majesty the King or the National Museum. In the evening
transfer to Ubon railway station and by night train back to
Bangkok (B).
Day 6. Bangkok
Arrival Hualamphong Railway Station in
Bangkok and end tour.
Total driving distance approx. 890 km.
Average transfer distance about 178 km or 2½ hours driving
per day.
Longest transfer distance about 280 km or 4½ hours driving
on day 3 ( Surin to Khong Chiam ).
The tour includes: All mentioned transfers as described
in the itinerary, the transfer back to Bangkok by nighttrain,
4 overnight stays in good tourist class hotels, meals: 4 x breakfast,
4 x lunch, the program as described, all entry fees and English
speaking guide. The tour does not include any beverages and
personal expenses.
IS50
- 6 Days / 5 Nights - Southern Isaan ( private tour )
pls
contact us for further information and price
