Stone & Silk Tour
Duration
Full-Day
Start/Finish
Khon Kaen to Khon Kaen
Highlights
• Khmer temple ruins of Phimai
• Sai Ngam, Thailand’s largest banyan tree
• Seeing how silk weaving is done
• Rare, historic Isan-style temple murals
Description
Just like our similarly named Silk & Stone tour, this popular tour visits both Khmer ruins and a silk weaving village, but the Khmer ruins are the main focus. Phimai is one of the most impressive and important Khmer sites in Thailand with some excellent carvings remaining. We’ll also take you to visit a silk weaving village and a historic temple with original Isan-style murals, which are far different from the murals found in modern temples.
Add-Ons
Make the most of your trip with our special add-on activities before, during, or after your tour.
We head out early to the impressive and beautifully restored Khmer temple at Phimai. Built beginning in the late 10th century AD, it predates Angkor Wat, and likely inspired its design. Centered on a 28-meter (62 feet) tall prang surrounded by several smaller buildings and solid fortifications, it’s as impressive for its size as it is for its artistic detail: many lintels and other carvings remain intact. We’ll also take a quick look at what’s left of the city gate and walk under Sai Ngam, Thailand’s largest banyan tree covering a 4500-sq-meter (1 acre) island just outside of town.
After lunch, we’ll stop in a typical village to visit some families who raise silkworms, spin silk thread, and hand-weave silk fabric. You’ll have the chance to sit at a loom and try it yourself. Then we’ll stop to admire a historic little temple building featuring original Isan-style murals, which are now very rare.
If our itinerary doesn’t fit your exact needs and desires, please let us know. With advance notice we can usually modify things.
Prices valid until March 2025.
| Group Size | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9+ |
| Price Per Person | 6,450 | 3,300 | 2,600 | 2,000 | 1,650 | 1,400 | 1,250 | 1,150 | Ask |
Price Includes
All sightseeing and activities as specified in the itinerary with English-speaking local guides, entrance fees, transportation in an air-conditioned vehicle, hotel transfers, snacks and cold water in the vehicle, accident insurance, taxes, and pre-departure travel consultation.
Price Does Not Include
Meals and drinks, travel and medical insurance, personal expenses (such as souvenirs, snacks, etc.), tips/gratuities, and any additional expenses incurred due to airline schedule changes, natural disasters, political actions, or other factors beyond our control.
Booking/Cancellation Policies
• For tours longer than one day, a non-refundable deposit of 30% is required as soon as possible after making your reservation.
• The full payment is due before the tour begins. This can be done after you arrive in Thailand, as long as you have access to sufficient funds before you depart on your tour.
• International payments are best done by bank transfer, and the cheapest, fastest, and easiest way is with TransferWise. Credit/debit cards can be used through TransferWise or other online wire transfer services. For people inside Thailand, we accept payment via cash (Thai baht, US dollars, British pounds, and euros), ATM transfer, and counter deposit to Siam Commercial Bank.
• If local taxes and/or fuel prices increase significantly, we reserve the right to add comparable surcharges.