You should not miss the province of Loei in the Isaan
Loei
The Province Loei borders Laos in the north, from the capital Bangkok you can be there within an hour with a domestic flight. In the summer it is quite warm, in the winter the temperature drops to about 10 degrees. Loei belongs to the region called Isaan. Many know the province of Loei from the famous and colorful Phi Ta Khon Festival in Dan Sai, but there is more.
Travelers often head to the north of Thailand when they have had enough of hanging out on the beach on the idyllic islands. The Loei province is a great place to discover a different side of Thailand. In Loei you can make beautiful hikes through the hilly landscape while enjoying the colorful flora and fauna.
Visit Chiang Khan and board a traditional fishing boat to explore the breathtaking Mekong River. Chiang Khan, located on the banks of the Mekong River, is a lively and authentic Isan village where time has stood still. You will not encounter hordes of tourists here. Bring your camera because you can take beautiful pictures.
Phu Ruea National Park
Another literal highlight in Loei is the Phu Ruea National Park. The park is 120 km² in size and the highest point has been the coldest place in Thailand for five years. Besides beautiful routes and beautiful views, there are waterfalls, rock gardens and caves. In addition, there are several resorts and camping spots on the slopes of Phu Ruea, as well as Chateau de Loei Winery, a huge vineyard.
The Phi Ta Khon Festival (Ghost Festival) in Dan Sai (Poring Studio / Shutterstock.com)
And Sai
Do you have it Phi Ta Khon Festival (Spirit Festival) missed? Then travel to Dan Sai anyway and visit the Dan Sai Folk Museum. This museum displays a collection about the culture and tradition of the city of Dan Sai. You can make a selfie with the famous masks used during the ghost festival.
Travel to the top of Phu Pa Po to admire the amazing view of the Mount Fiji-like Phu Ho hill, or visit one of the colorful temples.
Amphoe Chiang Khan, Amphoe Phu Ruea, Amphoe Dai Sai… There are plenty of beautiful places to mention in Loei.
Phu kradueng national park is another gem in Loei.
Absolutely recommended indeed! Been upstairs myself 2X; 1x up and down in one day (15 years ago when I was still "young") and about 7 years ago spent 3 days upstairs. The luggage carriers are an attraction in themselves !!
เลย is pronounced as 'Leuj' (mean tone). The English spelling puts many Dutch people on the wrong track.
Leuj is not only a name but also a word that expresses reinforcement or emphasis. ไปเลย! (pai leuj) can be translated as:
1) (I/he/you/…) go to Leuy
2) (I/he/you/…) go away!! (irritation)
I come to Loei a lot in recent years, because my girlfriend is from there. Loei is indeed beautiful, but I wouldn't recommend staying there for more than a week. Have seen many cases getting sick in Loei because the hygiene and living conditions are quite bad for Europeans compared to the rest of Thailand. There is also quite a lot of dengue fever in changwat Loei..
Beautiful nature, authentic Thailand, surprised (if they encounter 5 tourists a year it's a lot) locals and moreover the original Thai women from the Isan are really fantastic and for me the sweetest and funniest I've encountered.
Climate 10 degrees? At the top of the mountains perhaps… in Loei itself, on “the ground floor”, it is always at least 25 degrees and usually 32/33. I've never seen it colder in all these years.
I have been living in Loei for 5 years and have been coming there for at least 25 years. The coldest I have experienced was 2 degrees and normally in January it is between 10 and 15 degrees. Not in the mountains but just below. However, these temperatures are only in the evening and night. During the day it is indeed about 25 degrees.
In the late 90s, people froze to death at the end of a year in Loei province. That message was in Dagblad De Limburger. But those were people high in the hills, in wooden structures where the wind blows on six sides, above and below and the many chinks made it even colder together with the piercing wind. Then winter can be cold!
I was on a budget tour there and we slept in a cabin just like that, on the bare planks in your sleeping bag, in a big room where the wind howled. The Thai people slept in a 'room' lined with blankets and snuggled together against the cold. The pigs and dogs lived under the house and believe me, that was not pleasant for the western noses. The sanitary stop had to be outside against nature…
Another riot in the middle of the night! There was a glass cabinet in that room with some jars and bones and, we know a lot, we lay with our feet in the direction of that cabinet. A mortal sin, because those were the ancestors! The tour guide managed to calm things down so we were allowed to stay…
Don't forget the production of “Thai Champagne” – sparkling wine in Loei. Is often exported to China.