Mekong River & Khymer Kingdoms in Isaan & Laos

4 days/3 nights

Routing: Ubon Ratchathani – Pha Taem Historical Park – Mekong Baot Trip – Chong Mek
Border Market (Laos, Visa-On-Arrival Required)– Pakse Laos – Boat Ride –  Champasak – Wat Phou Khmer Temple – Elephant Riding – Chong Mek & Khong Jiam (Thailand) – Khao Phra Viharn Khmer Temple (Cambodia, No Visa Needed) – Ubon Town    Khao Phra Viharn Khmer Temple  And Pha Taem National Park

Note on ‘Getting There & Away’: You may combine this module with others, or enjoy it as a ‘stand alone’ tour.  This tour starts & ends at Ubon Ratchathani airport (several flights a day to & from Bangkok), or town.  Our guide and driver will meet you at the airport unless otherwise instructed.    


DAY 1: UBON RACHATHANI – KHONG JIAM – PHA TAEM HISTORICAL PARK – LOCAL BOAT RIDE – KHONG JIAM   (L,D)
Upon you arrival Ubon Ratchathani, your guide will meet you and drive to Khong Jiam. Check-in at the Tohsaeng Khong Jiam Resort. Relax at your leisure.

In the afternoon, drive to Pha Team Historical Park. Then a 10 minute walk brings us to the
paintings in the cooler late afternoon, when the light allows best viewing. Some of the subject matter depicted is easy to discern and interpret (elephant, fish & people). The subject matter in some other paintings is debatable. Listen to what the Fine Arts Department has to say, and then make your own decision! Enjoy lovely views of the Mekong and Laos.  Afterwards, walk back to the bus, and drive down to the Mekong, where we will board a local boat (with a roof) for the trip to the resort. This part of the Mekong River is especially interesting because it is narrow, and therefore easy for us to
observe life on either side!  Enjoy the ambience of the resort before & after dinner.

Meals: Lunch, Dinner   Accom: Tohsaeng Khong Jiam Resort (www.tohsang.com ) 


CHONG MEK MARKET & WAT PHOU, LAOS

DAY 2: KHONG JIAM – CHONG MEK – PAKSE – CHAMPASAK – WAT PHOU – ELEPHANT RIDING – CHONG MEK – KHONG JIAM   (B,L,D)

After breakfast, drive with your guide to the Thai-Lao border crossing at Chong Mek, continue drive to Pakse. Upon your arrival in Pakse your guide will bring you to local pier to embark a traditional boat down the Mekong River to Champasak. Continue excursion by car or Tuk Tuk to visit the ruins of the Khmer temple of Wat Phou Champasak. Afterward continue by car to Ban Khiet Ngong for elephant riding before returning to Thailand in the late afternoon. Cross border at Chong Mek and transfer to Tohsaeng Khong Jiam Resort for dinner and over night.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner   Accom: Tohsaeng Khong Jiam Resort

 DAY 3: KHONG JIAM – KHAO PHRA VIHARN – SIGHTSEEING – UBON    (B,L,D)

After breakfast, drive with your guide to Khao Phra Viharn. Khao Phra Viharn Khmer temple complex was started even before Angkor Wat in the heart of Cambodia! Unlike other Khmer Temples in Thailand, this one has not undergone the restoration efforts of the Fine Arts Department. If Indiana Jones were real, he would have found this place! Walk up steps to graded causeways through awesome "gopuras" and arrive at the extensive but dilapidated center, which is on a cliff-top overlooking the virgin Cambodian countryside. On the way back, stop off for a look at Maw-I-Daeng cliff carvings. These carvings exhibit many similarities to some of the Hindu subject matter at Khao Phra Viharn, but experts disagree exactly which site preceded the other.

Have lunch at a local restaurant, then continue the drive back to Ubon Ratchathani. Visit a number of city sites in Ubon including Wat Thung Sri Muang, built in a very unusual mixture of Thai, Lao & Burmese styles. Also see the National Museum # 8 (unless the day is a Tuesday, when the museum is closed).  The exhibits here help to put what you have seen over the last days into perspective.  This museum is also home to 3 of the most important known inscription stones in Thai history.  Your guide will have much local knowledge, so if last minute shopping does not interest you, he/she can take to see a few more cultural attractions before driving to your hotel for overnight and dinner.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner     Accom: Lai Thong Hotel (www.laithonghotel.com )