Begin-in-Bangkok Tours - Isan Explorer

view of Chao Phraya River from a rooftop restaurant

While most of our tours start and end in Khon Kaen, we made these one-way tours through Isan for people who want to start their tour from Bangkok. They follow the same culture-rich slow travel style as all our other tours and both the northern and southern routes stop at handicraft villages, historic temples, Khmer ruins, and local markets. The longer versions travel out to the Mekong River. These tours, like all others, can be customized, such as adding a forest trek inside Khao Yai National Park or a daytrip to see the dinosaur sites around Khon Kaen.

Isan Trails North / 5 Days

This tour travels through the Khao Yai region, including a night safari in the national park, and up to Nong Khai. Phimai Khmer ruins, silk weaving, Ban Chiang pottery, and a surreal sculpture park are other highlights.

Isan Trails North Express / 3 Days

From Khao Yai National Park to Khon Kaen, this short tour travels the same initial route as the full tour, including Phimai and the silk village, but doesn’t have time for Ban Chiang or Nong Khai.

Isan Trails South / 7 Days

A great mix of history and natural beauty, this tour travels to some of Thailand’s most impressive Khmer ruins and ends at a stunning stretch of the Mekong River, with elephants and remarkable handicrafts in between.

Isan Trails South Express / 5 Days

This tour visits most of the same handicraft villages and all of the same Khmer ruins and other historic sites as the full tour, but skips the elephants and Mekong River.