The golden temple of Wat Phra That

To the northwest, the Isaan region is one of the most fascinating and little-explored parts of Thailand, an exhilarating mix of Thai, Lao and Cambodian cultures.

East of the provincial capital Nakhon Phanom along the Mekong River, Wat Phra That is a huge Lao temple, its 50 metre chedi (spire) capped with over a hundred kilos of 24-carat gold.

Further east still, the stunning archaeological site of Ban Chiang and its attached museum are evidence of an ancient proto-Khmer culture going back nearly 6,000 years. If so, then Ban Chiang may be just the tip of a very big historical iceberg, with many more Isaan treasures still waiting to be revealed.