FEATURED MEMBER OF THE EXPERIENCE MEKONG COLLECTION: ISAN EXPLORER – KHON KAEN, THAILAND

Travel Experience
Isan Explorer, based in Khon Kaen, Thailand, is a small family-run company that travels almost exclusively in the rarely visited Northeastern Thailand region, which is known as Isan. All Isan Explorer daytrips and overnight tours go beyond the usual destinations (Khmer ruins, national parks, etc.) to include stops in ordinary villages where our guests meet locals, see handicrafts being made, and get a first-hand look at local culture. We want our guests to not just see the region, but get to know it, and these simple, but unforgettable encounters are the highlights of many people's tours.
Because we do private tours we allow you the flexibility to spend as much time as you want at each destination and to stop along the way whenever you wish to take photos, sample foods, chat with locals, or check out anything that catches your eye. And before your tour begins we will discuss your interests and travel style in detail because we try to tailor the itinerary to your interests – whether it's music, Buddhist art, silk weaving, herbal medicine, or anything else – and we can add or substitute special stops just for you.
Responsibility

We visit a lot of villages, giving locals the chance to earn a little extra income from showing us around, selling the handicrafts that they make, or preparing our lunch. When possible, we offer our guests the chance to do a village homestay instead of sleeping at a hotel. Besides earning a little money, many older people have thanked us for bringing guests to their villages because they hope these visits can boost the pride of the younger generations in their local culture and traditions. We also hire local guides at nature reserves when this is allowed. Isan Explorer also will arrange volunteer opportunities before, during, or after our tours at no extra cost for any guests who are interested.

Business Case
We have no desire to become a large company. By staying small and doing everything ourselves in our own unique way we can offer high-quality trips in a region that has a far less developed infrastructure than what's available in the rest of the country. And we can do so with prices lower than most Thai tour companies. Our focus on visiting villages and local handicraft artists requires more work on our part, but the number of guests who tell us that their trip wasn't just enjoyable, but special, makes it all worthwhile. And it's why many of our guests return to do a second tour with us.

Isan Explorer – Khon Kaen, Thailand
Year of Establishment - 2011
Address - 7/95 Darun Samran Rd.
Khon Kaen, Khon Kaen 40000
Phone Number - +66-(0)85-3549165
Email - tim@isanexplorer.com
Website - http://www.isanexplorer.com/

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