Traversing Central Isaan

January 18, 2025 – Nakhon Phanom to Sakon Nakhon – 98 kms – @ Sakon Hotel

January 19, 2025 – Sakon Nakhon to Kuchinarai – 95 kms – Chatrudee Parkview

January 20, 2025 – Kuchinarai to near Yang Talat – 93 kms – Baan Home Resort 

January 21, 2025 – Yang Talat to Khon Kaen – 71 kms – J-Boutique Hotel 

January 22, 2025 – Khon Kaen – 5kms day ride – J-Boutique Hotel 

Aided by the tail winds, we have quickly traversed much of central Isaan over the last few days.  This is an area that sees very few foreign visitors: if you see one he is probably male and married to a local woman.  Despite the low tourism profile, we continue to encounter interesting places and people.

Several of the larger towns, such as Sakon Nakhon, Kuchinarai and Khon Kaen, have very attractive and well-used park areas along lakefronts that we wandered along.  It is lovely to see the community out enjoying these amenities.

On our walk back from the park in Sakon Nakhon we had the good fortune to encounter a street market devoted to local weaving and clothing made from this woven cloth.  Much of it was intricately and beautifully made, though it was really only for fans of indigo blue, as that was the pervasive colour.  I did come away with a t-shirt.  (We need to go home soon as our panniers are slowly filling with textiles.)

We have covered some quick kilometres on the large highways, but we have also wandered through rural areas and villages on tiny roads.  Our welcome, except by the dogs, is seldom less than enthusiasticly warm.  It is a joy to stop at a rustic restaurant in a village for a meal.  They pamper us with attention and great food, and we flatter them with our praise of their cooking.  Our hosts sometimes ask to take a picture with us before we leave.  Such pleasant, warm exchanges.

And who knew that there is a large Catholic population in central Isaan?  A local told us that the area around Sakon Nakhon has many Catholic residents.  He asked whether we are Catholic or Protestant, and was delighted to learn that we were also Catholic, as we are in such circumstances.  We did see a number of churches in the area, including an architecturally unusual cathedral.  It would be a good region of the country to spend Christmas, and in fact there were still many seasonal decorations on display.

This evening we splashed out CAD$2 each and had phad thai at a tiny local restaurant that earned a mention in the 2025 Michelin Guide.  It was indeed an outstanding phad thai.  After we finished eating the proprietor asked if she could take our picture, as if we rather than the restaurant had some claim on fame.

All this is to say that we are having a very enjoyable and interesting time in an area that is conventionally considered to have few attractions.

Our tripometer rolled through 2500 kms yesterday.