Would like to see some of Issan, but coming in March

[wellred]

As the title suggests I am coming in March. I've got a week, so not long but hoping to see a few places in Issan. I understand this month isn't great for visiting any areas which rely on farming or agriculture due to the burn off, so I was hoping you could advise if there are some provinces where this isn't so much of an issue. 

 

I'm quite flexible, and if it comes to it I'll just explore some central areas instead.

 

How is Korat and Buriram at this time of year? I was thinking maybe spend a few nights in Khao Yai and then Korat followed by Buriram. The Khmer ruins look interesting. 

 

I was advised on TR that river towns are generally a safe bet. Nakhon Phanom, Mukdahan, Nong Khai, Chiang Khan ect...

 

As an alternative I was looking at Loei followed by Phitsanulok, however I'm not clear on what the burning situation is in those provinces.

 

Any advice is welcome thanks. 

[starky]

You understand incorrectly. Burn off in March? Isaan is in the wet season buddy not much burning going on. Mostly happens after the wet season and doesn't effect Isaan that badly perhaps you are confusing Chiang Mai with Isaan? Further to that I never get these posts, here's an idea why don't you go somewhere you would like to go and if it's no good go somewhere else. Instead of someone having to tell you where to go. Isaan is a big place and quite easily accessible for the most part, being 2018 and all. Also Phitsanulok isn't in Isaan.

Edited June 27, 2018 by starky

[wellred]

You understand incorrectly. Burn off in March? Isaan is in the wet season buddy not much burning going on. Mostly happens after the wet season and doesn't effect Isaan that badly perhaps you are confusing Chiang Mai with Isaan? Further to that I never get these posts, here's an idea why don't you go somewhere you would like to go and if it's no good go somewhere else. Instead of someone having to tell you where to go. Isaan is a big place and quite easily accessible for the most part, being 2018 and all. Also Phitsanulok isn't in Isaan.

March is the wet season in the north east? In which country? Everything I've read so far suggests it's dry and hot.

And no I'm not confusing chiang mai with Issan. Burn off may be worst in chiang mai but I know it happens in other places which rely on farming/agriculture, including Issan, which is I why I'm querying it here.

Unless you've missed it I know where I want to go. I'm trying to ascertain if those areas are affected by burn off in neighbouring provinces during that month. Perhaps don't bother reply if you don't have anything useful to say.

[malt25]

Isaan is a huge part of LOS. Maybe if you give an idea of what you'd like to see or a particular area you'd like to visit, members can respond more accurately. I live in far NE Isaan, farming community, & have never been bothered by any burn off. Maybe not the same in other provinces.

I find that the river towns generally have more to offer. But hey, that's just me.

[jackdd]

Here in Udon they burn their fields in March / April, but you can't compare it to the burning in for example Chiang Mai, here it doesn't really affect you, so nothing you have to think about.

[tweedledee2]

I live NE of Surin and there are rice fields in every direction. None of my neighbors burn their fields nor do I.  I have seen a few burnings but the air is not filled with smoke and the skies are clean.  In my area, I estimate less than 5% do any burning.  Most of the rice fields in this area are planted in late March thru April and are harvested in late November thru December.  The so-called rainy season starts in early May. This year it has rained more in the last 2 weeks than the previous six weeks, probably about 4" and my fields have only half the water they need at this point. 

[paulsingle]

15 hours ago, starky said:

Further to that I never get these posts, here's an idea why don't you go somewhere you would like to go and if it's no good go somewhere else. Instead of someone having to tell you where to go.

I think the OP is looking for suggestions and information from those who may be willing to share their experience.

I'm in Khon Kaen and although I love it here, most people would probably consider it to be mundane.

[Tongue Thaid]

I live near Roi Et,a very nice city in Isaan,we get a bit of burn off here and there but it’s not too bad.March and April generally no rain but getting hot and humid.Usually rains when I want to concrete.

[Laza 45]

16 hours ago, starky said:

Isaan is in the wet season buddy

Wet season in March in Isaan?.. How long have you been here?  March is hot & dry.. April is worse though.. Burning off isn't as bad as in the north east.. Chiang Mai etc..  even Pitsanulok can be very hazy due to burning.. 

[jimcarr65]

That time of year I would stay away from the North and visit Buriram, Surin or Sisaket that are is real nice in March. 

[elgenon]

OP- What is TR?

[malt25]

55 minutes ago, elgenon said:

OP- What is TR?

Maybe Travel report ?   

[Enoon]

15 hours ago, wellred said:

 

Unless you've missed it I know where I want to go. I'm trying to ascertain if those areas are affected by burn off in neighbouring provinces during that month. Perhaps don't bother reply if you don't have anything useful to say.

 

"Burn off" is mostly sugar cane related, once the leaves are gone it's easier to harvest (otherwise it's even more like 18th century slave toil in the "Americas").

 

The crop is not so dominant in Isaan, so burn off is not so much of an issue, at least in the two provinces that I frequent (falling burnt leaves keep me inside intermittently).

 

But it is likely to become more problematic as more people jump onto the sugar bandwagon, which will also lead to the third of the plagues (after flood and drought) which regularly strike Isaan: price collapse.

 

S'funny how ones focus changes when one gets to know what the people endure.

 

Be sure not not to "miss" that.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited June 28, 2018 by Enoon

[starky]

9 hours ago, Laza 45 said:

Wet season in March in Isaan?.. How long have you been here?  March is hot & dry.. April is worse though.. Burning off isn't as bad as in the north east.. Chiang Mai etc..  even Pitsanulok can be very hazy due to burning.. 

Maybe you don't comprehend punctuation... I said burning off in March? (new sentence) Isaan is in the wet season buddy. What month is it now.. Oh it's June nearly July.. Is that the wet season?  How long have you been here Thaier than Thai? 

Edited June 28, 2018 by starky

[starky]

19 hours ago, wellred said:

 

March is the wet season in the north east? In which country? Everything I've read so far suggests it's dry and hot.

And no I'm not confusing chiang mai with Issan. Burn off may be worst in chiang mai but I know it happens in other places which rely on farming/agriculture, including Issan, which is I why I'm querying it here.

Unless you've missed it I know where I want to go. I'm trying to ascertain if those areas are affected by burn off in neighbouring provinces during that month. Perhaps don't bother reply if you don't have anything useful to say.

 

Another one that doesn't understand punctuation burning off in March?: Not so much this isn't Chiang Mai. 

Isaan is in the wet season buddy.: we currently are in June nearly July which is the wet season. Fycks sake maybe I should have made separate paragraphs I thought most people would understand that this currently isn't March. That was nearly 4 months ago and no there isn't that much burning off in Isaan. Your posts are as confused as you are. So enjoy North East, Central, North West, not Isaan on your holiday sounds fun.

Edited June 28, 2018 by starky

[wellred]

That time of year I would stay away from the North and visit Buriram, Surin or Sisaket that are is real nice in March. 

 

Thanks. I'm interested in the Khmer ruins so have my eye on Korat and Buriram. Phimai and Phanom Rung historical park. If I had 5 days to see both places, would you advise spending more time in Korat or Buriram? Temples interest me but if there's more to see in one place over the other I'll do 3 nights there and 2 in the other.

 

On the whole it sounds like I should be ok to visit them and I won't have any air quality issues like say in Chiang Mai.

 

OP- What is TR?

Trip advisor.

[wellred]

Another one that doesn't understand punctuation burning off in March?: Not so much this isn't Chiang Mai. 
Isaan is in the wet season buddy.: we currently are in June nearly July which is the wet season. Fycks sake maybe I should have made separate paragraphs I thought most people would understand that this currently isn't March. That was nearly 4 months ago and no there isn't that much burning off in Isaan. Your posts are as confused as you are. So enjoy North East, Central, North West, not Isaan on your holiday sounds fun.

Ok I see what you mean now. The way you wrote it, it looked as if you were inferring March was rainy season. And tbf I wasn't the only one.

Thanks for your input.

[Justfine]

On 6/28/2018 at 7:41 PM, starky said:

Another one that doesn't understand punctuation burning off in March?: Not so much this isn't Chiang Mai. 

Isaan is in the wet season buddy.: we currently are in June nearly July which is the wet season. Fycks sake maybe I should have made separate paragraphs I thought most people would understand that this currently isn't March. That was nearly 4 months ago and no there isn't that much burning off in Isaan. Your posts are as confused as you are. So enjoy North East, Central, North West, not Isaan on your holiday sounds fun.

He's going in March. U claimed it was wet lol

[Jip99]

7 minutes ago, Justfine said:

He's going in March. U claimed it was wet lol

 

It is..... from sweat!

[Jip99]

On 6/28/2018 at 11:00 PM, wellred said:

 

Thanks. I'm interested in the Khmer ruins so have my eye on Korat and Buriram. Phimai and Phanom Rung historical park. If I had 5 days to see both places, would you advise spending more time in Korat or Buriram? Temples interest me but if there's more to see in one place over the other I'll do 3 nights there and 2 in the other.

 

On the whole it sounds like I should be ok to visit them and I won't have any air quality issues like say in Chiang Mai.

 

 

Trip advisor.

 

 

If you are doing Phimai and Phanom Rung (don't forget Prasat Hin Muang Tam)...... you might as well keep the line going down to Siem Reap and Angkor Wat. Near Phanom Rung you re only an hour from a border crossing into Cambodia.

[tweedledee2]

13 hours ago, Justfine said:

He's going in March. U claimed it was wet lol

No, he didn't.  Only your reading comprehension skills make you think that. He stated we are "now" in the wet season (June), replying to a previous post that said March was. 

[SlyAnimal]

Khmer Ruins wise, Phi Mai are decent and on one of the main east/west routes through Isaan so not really out of the way, Phanom Rung are a lot better, quite out of the way though, from memory about a 1h drive or so from Burriram.

The point about just visiting Angor Wat is a fair one, if you're going to be spending a month in Isaan, you probably have the time to take a trip to Siem Reap, as even though Phanom Rung is the largest Khmer Ruins in Thailand, they're an ant hill next to a mountain when compared with Angor Wat, and Siem Reap has other places to visit as well.  There are direct flights from Bangkok to Siem Reap, so you could go there at the end of your trip maybe.

If you do visit Phanom Rung then you should check out some other stuff in Burriram as well.  I'm not sure what else is worth checking out there, but they've been trying to increase it's viability as a tourist destination.

There's a really nice temple in Korat which is worth a look too, I've forgotten it's name, but it's really impressive.

Likewise in RoiEt, if you travel about an hour north of RoiEt itself, there's a really impressive pagoda (Maha Chedi Chaimong khon), I generally rate the RoiEt pagoda & the Korat ones as in the "top 5" temples/pagodas I've seen in Thailand.  There is also a huge standing Buddha in RoiEt city that is worth checking out on the way too, and of course it's worthwhile chilling out for lunch/dinner at one of the restaurants next to the lake (Bung Phalan Chai).

 

In Surin province (But about 1h from Surin, sorta near a lake from memory), there's an elephant village, which has an elephant show and elephant rides etc.  They also used to have a snake show there, although last time I went there they said the guy who ran it had died (bitten by a snake), so it wasn't available.  Not sure if they've found anyone guy willing to put on a show or not.

In Ubon there's a few kinda cool temples, I wasn't super impressed with them given that Thailand has so many amazing temples.  There are meant to be some nice waterfalls there too, although when I visited them (Similar time of year to you), they were dried up so not really worth the trip.

There is the "Emerald Triangle" in Ubon to visit, not particularly amazing but kinda cool to add to the list if you have time (place where Cambodia/Thailand/Laos borders all meet).

 

Nong Khai has this really cool park with all of these Buddhist statues and things which is most definitely worth a visit.  They also have a crocodile show in Nong Khai as well.

 

Udon doesn't have a huge amount to see from memory, I can't think of anything off the top of my head.  Great city/town though, one of those places that would be a reasonable place to live, even if it doesn't have anything spectacular by itself.

Khon Kaen has the King Cobra Village, which has a pretty cool snake show.  It's a little bit out of the way, but a reasonable show.  Ton Tarn Market is quite a nice place to chill out in the city in the evenings too, I can't remember if it's only open on weekends or everyday, but it's worth going for dinner or even just a look if you're staying in Khon Kaen anyway.

Some of the things you can go and visit are nice, and easy to visit too, while others are potentially the things that you'll really remember, even if they are a little bit out of the way (i.e. snake show).  Lots of shows of all descriptions in Thailand though, so a lot will really just come down to what you've already done in Thailand and what you think you'd enjoy.  Everything in Isaan has a bit more of a genuine feel than in the tourist hotspots and although the shows sometimes aren't as polished, they are still of pretty good quality, a lot cheaper and because they are a bit smaller you can potentially get a bit more involved in the action if you want.

[Justfine]

On 6/27/2018 at 6:08 PM, starky said:

You understand incorrectly. Burn off in March? Isaan is in the wet season buddy not much burning going on. Mostly happens after the wet season and doesn't effect Isaan that badly perhaps you are confusing Chiang Mai with Isaan? Further to that I never get these posts, here's an idea why don't you go somewhere you would like to go and if it's no good go somewhere else. Instead of someone having to tell you where to go. Isaan is a big place and quite easily accessible for the most part, being 2018 and all. Also Phitsanulok isn't in Isaan.

"You understand incorrectly. Burn off in March? Isaan is in the wet season buddy not much burning going on."

 

....

 

 

[Justfine]

8 hours ago, tweedledee2 said:

No, he didn't.  Only your reading comprehension skills make you think that. He stated we are "now" in the wet season (June), replying to a previous post that said March was. 

Only the writing made everyone think that lol

 

" He stated we are "now" in the wet season (June)"

 

No he didn't. 

Edited July 1, 2018 by Justfine

[Justfine]

On 6/28/2018 at 7:36 PM, starky said:

Maybe you don't comprehend punctuation... I said burning off in March? (new sentence) Isaan is in the wet season buddy. What month is it now.. Oh it's June nearly July.. Is that the wet season?  How long have you been here Thaier than Thai? 

You never said June.