Pak Chong

Pak Chong is a small town in the south of Issan, Thailand's northeastern region. It's mostly known for being the gateway to Khao Yai, the kingdom's oldest and most famous national park, but our plan to visit the park itself didn't exactly work out.

Pak Chong

We woke up early in Bangkok, after our failed adventure with the train to Hua Hin. I guess we could have gotten a bus and been in the town in time for brunch, but we took our delays and cancellations as a sign to try visiting somewhere else. In our exhausted minds, we somehow decided on Pak Chong.

northeastern flora

We saw our hotel from the main road, and hopped off of the bus before it got to the station. This ended up being a really good idea, because as it turns out there is little to no public transportation options in this tiny provincial town, and it would have been difficult to get around.

Issan mountains

Issan is Thailand's northeastern region. Largely rural, isolated, and more remote than north, south, or central, Issan has it's own culture distinct from the rest of the country. The Issan Thai actually speak a dialect of Lao (which is already quite close to standard Thai), and have their own food (sticky rice, papaya salad) and customs.

up in the hills

We got to Pak Chong with big ideas to spend some time at the national park, but when it came down to it, we were both too tired and it was too difficult to get there. We had been up so late the night before, and I was still sick. Without any kind of public transportation, we would have had to rent motorbikes for the 40km ride into the park. In the end, we decided to stay at our hotel, relax, and explore the hills in the surrounding area.

the Gates of Issan

One big site in town is the Gates of Issan, I suppose the entryway into the Issan region. Of the four, Issan is the region I know least about. I know that it's poorer, more agrarian, and much more isolated than the rest. I've only been in the region once, a few years ago when I took a day trip with some colleagues to visit the Jim Thompson Farm.

spirit house

So in the end we spent the night, had a late morning, and came back to Bangkok early Sunday afternoon. It was an odd trip, and kind of pointless, though we both agreed that it was a nice visit! I guess we should have gone on to Hua Hin, but anyway, I liked seeing a new province and a new place that I have never been before. And the fresh air and beautiful scenery in themselves were worth the trip out there!

Cafe Amazon, ready to head home