Visiting yachts are finding there is more to Thailand than exploring the beautiful islands in the Andaman Sea and Gulf of Thailand. Venturing further into this exotic country some yacht & superyacht travelers are exploring Isaan, the largest region in Thailand.
Hugging the border with Laos and Cambodia in the country’s northeast, the food of Isaan is remarkable and people here love welcoming visitors, reports Asia Pacific Superyachts (APS) co-founder, Captain Charlie Dwyer, noting, “Now for the first time, Isaan is joining Time Magazine’s ‘50 of The World’s Greatest Places 2023’ as a unique culinary capital”.
This year, Michelin Guide expanded its Thailand selection to include Isaan, with its reputation of a sour, spicy and herbaceous cooking style spreading far and wide, reports Time. The food of Isaan is famous for being very spicy and pungent, seasoned with fresh herbs and fermented fish (pla ra), featuring some of Thailand’s spiciest salads. The cuisine has more in common with that of Laos than the rest of Thailand, as Isaan people historically have been influenced by their neighboring county’s culture and speak a dialect that is closely related to Laos.
Captain Charlie, whose wife is from Isaan, further notes, “Isaan is “Thaithae” … real, authentic Thai. From the stunning rice fields and deliciously spicy food to the ever-smiling people, Isaan is as real as it gets. Isaan does not attract tourists as the much visited Phuket and Koh Samui, but produces Real Thaithae Thai.”
The largest open-air market in Isaan is a 10-minute tuk-tuk ride from the centre of Nakhon Ratchasima, the biggest city in Isaan. Aim to spend a day wandering by the stalls and kiosks or, better still, a night at Saveone, which comes alive after dark when flaming woks flash with after-work street food, and crowds hunt for bargains. Following is some famed Isaan fare, which earned this culinary capital its inclusion on the list.
Isaan Food
The intense flavours of Isaan food are one way of managing an insecure food supply – very hot, flavorful dishes encourage diners to diffuse the flavors with a lot of sticky rice.
Typical Northeast (Isaan) Dishes:
- Som Tam – green, unripe papaya salad made in Thai or Lao style is this region’s most famous dish
- Khao Niao – sticky rice widely preferred over jasmine rice. Served in small covered, bamboo baskets called gktratip, diners roll a small portion into a ball and eat with grilled chicken or naem, a slightly fermented sausage with a mildly sour taste
- Gai Yang – chicken marinated in soy or fish sauce and spices, flattened and grilled
- Pork or beef prepared naam dtok style is charred, then dressed with fresh herbs and fiery dried chilies
- Naam Jaew – a paste-like dip for meat made of dried chilis, tamarind, fresh shallots and shrimp paste
- Laap Bpet – pungent duck salad cooked with or without duck’s blood
- Pla ra, pla som, and pla daek – types of fermented fish are considered the signature elements of Isaan food. Pla ra is the Isaan equivalent of fish sauce and is often used to season curries.
- Chili pastes known as jaew are a combination of spicy chilies, garlic, salt, pla ra and lime juice
Isaan people have a reputation for eating practically anything for protein including frogs, birds, snakes, and even insects! Fresh herbs like dill, basil and mint make a bracing balance to the heat, usually from dried chilies. Mineral salts and pla ra give a distinctive salty flavor while fruits like sour hog plums or tamarind add sourness. Isaan food is relatively simple, employing a smaller range of spices and seasonings than the other regions of Thailand.
Nature & Ancient Sites
What inland Isaan –the largest region in Thailand– lacks in beaches, it more than makes up for with landscapes and sights. It cradles some of the most beautiful temples you’ll encounter in the Land of Smiles in spectacular landscapes. Nicholas Derenzo in Time’s announcement of Isaan joining ‘World’s Greatest Places’, writes, “Those who venture to this off-the-beaten-path region of Thailand teeming with rice fields, are rewarded with national parks and Khmer temple ruins that rival Angkor Wat”.
Last year marked the 60th anniversary of Thailand’s first national park, Khao Yai, which sits largely in Isaan’s Nakhon Ratchasima province and is home to elephants, gibbons, and Asian black bears. Khao Yai National Park is an excellent birdwatching venue that has been listed as an “Important Bird Area” (IBA) as it is home to over 282 bird species, both resident and migratory.
Birds that are easy to see include the Siamese Fireback, Blue-Winged Pitta, Coral-Billed Ground Cuckoo, and the four species of Hornbill: Great Hornbill, Oriental Pied Hornbill, Wreathed Hornbill and Austen’s Brown Hornbill.
Luxury Stay
There are numerous 5-star resorts and hotels in Isaan. In September, the national park welcomed InterContinental Khao Yai Resort, which is inspired by 19th-century train travel. It features upcycled vintage railcars that now double as the hotel’s spa, tearoom, brasserie, and specialty suites. Nearby Roukh Kiri Khao Yai is a collection of a dozen minimalist villas that offer sweeping views of this often-overlooked slice of rural paradise.
Location
Isaan is Thailand’s largest region, located on the Khorat Plateau. It is bordered by the Mekong River (along the Laos–Thailand border) to the north and east, by Cambodia to the southeast and the Sankamphaeng Range south of Nakhon Ratchasima. To the west, it is separated from northern and central Thailand by the Phetchabun Mountains. Isaan covers 167,718 km2 (64,756 sq mi) making it about half the size of Germany and roughly the size of England and Wales.
Come to Isaan for a unique culinary experience and enjoy the culture, warm & gracious people, luxurious properties, natural beauty, and enjoy the ‘real’ Thailand
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