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Thailand's Isan Region

Part 3 of 4

Visiting the morning market in Udon Thani

Wat Tham Padan in Sakorn Nakhon Province is a relatively new forest temple with incredible statues, beautiful vistas and a gold stupa sitting on a rock.

Sakorn Nakhon is famous for raIsing beef cattle. This fellow was staring at us during lunch in a nearby restaurant.

Tha Rae village is a small area of Thai-Vietnamese mansions. Some are abandoned, some are crumbling and some are covered in overgrown roots, similar to the temples at Angkor Wat.

Overnight in Nakorn Phanom at the River Hotel. Top: the view of the Mekong and Laos, from our balcony. Right: the 'booze' cruise along the Mekong at sunset...very enjoyable

Laotian fisherman

The Laotian side of the Mekong

Exploring the main temple in Nakorn Phanom

Mekong Walking Street is a vibrant night market

Nakorn Phanom Morning Market

Breakfast at the local 'instant coffee'

shop

Selling local "wine"

We are in Nakhon Phanom!

Wat Phra That Phanom It is one of the most important Theravada Buddhist structures in the region based on the legend that the temple contains The Buddha's breast bone. It was originally built in the 16th century by the Laotian King Setthathirath of Lanxang, and rebuilt in 1975.

The ritual is to walk around the stupa three times, the first time to reflect on the Buddha, the second time to reflect on sacred scriptures, and the third time to reflect on the

monks.

Printing the name of loved ones on a cloth and then circumambulating the stupa three times, brings blessings to all.

LLunch in Mukhahan, a few streets away from the Indochina Market

Stop along the highway to see the threshing machine...

...and see the kids playing (and getting dirty) in the harvested rice fields...

...and presenting each with a colourful finger puppet!

Sam Pun Boak (3,000 Holes) is known as the Grand Canyon of Thailand.Sam Pan Boak is a rock islet in the Mekong River. In the floods, it is covered by water and combining with the pressure of the whirlpool the rock islet turns into more than 3,000 shallow lakes or "Sam Pan Boak".

The word Boak in local dialect means shallow lake. During the dry season, Sam Pan Boak appears like a hill in the middle of the River.

Our River boat guide on the Mekong to explore other areas of islet at Sam Pun Boak.

Colourful rocks and shallow lakes at Sam Pun Boak

Docking the boat after the cruise at Sam Pun Boak....just as the sun is setting.

Morning market scene in Khong Jiam

Please see Part 4 for the final days of the journey in Isan