A high, semi-arid plateau used mainly for cattle and growing crops such as rice and maize. This is the poorest region of Thailand mainly due to some bad droughts in the past.

    Known by Thais as Isaan (prounced ee-san) , the sprawling Northeast Plateau is bordered to the north and east by the Mekong River and Laos, and to the south largely by Kampuchea (Cambodia). The Northeast is a distinctive region thanks to topography of lovely forested mountains and national parks and rolling farmland, as well as, to its colourful inhabitants, who speak their own melodious dialect, have a delicious highly spiced cuisine, and a hospitable, vibrant folk culture; and because of archaeologically significant excavations and shrines - such as Ban Chiang where the world's oldest Bronze Age civilization flourished some 3,600 years ago; and venerable prasart hin (stone castle) temples, legacy of Isaan's former importance to the Angkor-centered Khmer empire.

   Isaan is arguably the least developed region of Thailand, farming being the occupation of a large proportion of its inhabitants. Lots and lots of Isaan people come to Bangkok to earn a living, and you can really see in Bangkok. They usually speak their own dialect, and being fluent in Thai language will not always help you to understand them. Be sure that most of the taxi drivers, street vendors on Bangkok streets originate from Isaan, and we do not want to speak about all the girls working in the nightlife entertainment scene.

   So if you want to see basic rural life, head to Isaan and try to visit some of the smaller villages. Northeastern Thailand does have some urban centers though like Khon Kaen , Udon Thani, Ubon Ratchasima, and Nakhon Ratchasima. While these are important towns, there size is not much compared to the Bangkok metropolis. While most of Isaan is off the track for tourists, we recommend surely to visit the Khmer restored ruins at Phimai (Nakhon Ratchasima), and Phanom Rung. The best way to do this is to travel straight from Bangkok's Northeastern Bus Terminal to Phimai (it will take about 5-6 hours). If you start early, you may be able to visit the ruins at Phimai the same day. Next day try to find an excursion tour to Phanom Rung from Phimai (some guesthouses offer it). It should cost about 1,500-2,000 baht per car. You can visit Phanom Rung, come back to Phimai, and let yourself (and your luggge) be dropped on the way to Nakhon Ratchasima, from where you can take a bus back to Bangkok.
So you are actually able to do all this in two days, although we recommend to enjoy the local scenery and take some more time. Close to Nakhon Ratchasima you could visit Dan Kwian if you are interested in the local colorful ceramics.

   Udon Thani and Nong Khai are visited by people on their way to Laos. If you do happen to get to these towns, do not neglect to cross the Friendship bridge and at least visit Laos' capital of Vientiane. The visa (at the border) will cost you 30 US$. From there, basic transport (tuktuk are taxi) can be found into Vientiane, a 30-40 minutes drive. There are quite a few attractions in Vientiane, worth a visit, so we recommend at least two full days of stay. Be aware that health facilities are pretty poor in Laos.