50 | THE I-SAN REGION OF THAILAND


www.nitravelnews.com


February 2025


FORESTED HIGHLANDS, KHMER RUINS, ELEPHANTS AND THAI WINE!


robin nowaki explore the I-San Region - thailand’s last secret


WITHIN three hours drive north east of Bangkok lies the I-san region of Thailand - as yet unknown to most UK travellers to this exotic Far East kingdom. There are no pristine beaches here to lure tourists from Europe, instead I-san boasts green, culture, cuisine, and wine! The green is represented by the quite wonderful Khao Yai National Park - one of the largest intact rain forests in Asia


- and a Unesco World


Heritage site. For culture fine Khmer ruins as old and as intact as Angkor Wat are to be found, as is a taste of Thailand as it once was - with friendly locals


whose for the lives and


livelihoods are not solely dependent on tourism. As


cuisine, the


legendry Thai traditional style is here to be savoured - but tasting more fresh – with the herbs and spices leaping out of the plate at you.


This is because I-san grows and produces much of what is consumed elsewhere in Thailand and this includes Thai wine!


I-SAN THAI WINE


This was a new concept to me, but vineyards situated close to the foothills of Khao Yai National Park actually produce genuine Thai wines. At a tasting I found some of the red syrahs and white chenin blancs in particular to be very drinkable. Quite an achievement considering the vines have only been established for around 30 years.


KHAO YAI NATIONAL PARK


Khao Yai was proclaimed


a


national park in 1962 and covers 2168 sq kilometres of highlands.


From the fertile


I-san plain, a winding mountain road takes one up though five vegetation


zones:


evergreen rainforest (100m to 400m); semi-evergreen rainforest


to 900m); mixed deciduous


(400m forest


(northern slopes at 400m to 600m); hill evergreen (over


forest 1000m);


and savannah and secondary-growth forest in areas where


agriculture and logging occurred before it was protected. The park rises to 1351 metres at the summit of Khao Rom. Many orchids bloom from the middle of June through the end of July - the rainy-season.


Some 250 wild elephants roam the forests as do sambar deer, barking deer, Malayan sun bears, Asiatic black bears, leopards, otters, gibbons and macaque monkeys.


Over 200 bird species have make the park their home and over 320 have been recorded. Organised activities within the park include canoeing,


trekking though the forests past waterfalls, and mountain biking.


white water rafting,


to snack on - such as fried crickets, stag beetles, and bamboo worms.


BANN PRASAT


About 40 minutes drive from Khorat is the fascinating Bann Prasat village offering the chance to witness the traditional way of daily life for most of the people of I-san just a decade or so ago. Handmade traditional musical instruments made from reeds and coconut shells can be played and be seen made; baskets full of silk worms stand nest to looms weaving silk scarves, and groups of women weave bamboo and reeds into baskets, hats and even sandals. Particularly fascinating is looking inside the


I stayed at the fabulous Kirimaya Golf


Resort & Spa - a luxury boutique hotel within Khao Yai – where many of the rooms have balconies with striking views – particularly at dawn and dusk - over the rainforest canopy.


ELEPHANTS


Close by the Thai Elephant Activity Centre (www.thaielephants.org) offers the opportunity to get up close to and ride these huge but gentle creatures. Financed by the Thai Elephants Research and Conservation Fund, the centre cares for local elephants found wondering into towns, as well as those who have suffered abuse.


PHIMAI HISTORICAL PARK


A thousand years ago this part of the Far East was ruled by the mighty Khmer with the magnificent Angkor Wat as the capital of their empire.


In I-san about an hours drive from Khao Yai some very fine Khmer ruins –


including the 11th


century Mahayana Buddhist Temple – rivalling Angkor Wat, are to be found at Phimai.


KORAT Korat is the I-san capital and Thailand’s second largest city after


Bangkok. It is busy and buzzing place with the streets full of elaborately decorated tricycle taxis for hire. More


than Bangkok,


conservative the


night markets are the place to head for after dusk for a variety of bargains for those prepared to barter. Some stalls challenge our western perceptions of what is considered food by selling local delicacies


villagers traditional houses where it is also possible to pay a small fee and stay overnight with full board.


TIPS


For more information on the I-san region of Thailand visit the Tourism Thailand Website


www.


tourismthailand.org The Thai currency is the Baht and this can be obtained easily from most cash points throughout Thailand using your standard UK bank cash card.


Mobile phones: Be warned, when in Thailand I received 78 minutes of incoming calls on my mobile from people in the UK and was later billed over £80-00 for that privilege.


DUSIT THANI HOTEL BANGKOK


I had


the pleasure before


my return to the UK of staying at arguably Bangkok’s finest hotel - this year celebrating 50 years of excellence in the Thai capital - the Dusit Thani Hotel. Despite the Dusit’s A list


guest book, room rates start are affordable for most traveller.


To find out more and view the superb new Spa facilities visit www.dusit.com.


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