Korat - or Nakhon Ratchasima, as it is known locally - is a little over three hours' drive from Bangkok, but couldn't be more different. It is still a bustling town, but little or no English is spoken and few white faces are seen, so you feel you are having a truly Thai experience.
A trip to the nightly flea markets will confirm this; we were coached in hand signals before we entered, to make sure we would be able to haggle over prices despite the language barrier. But I was still wary walking in, for fear of being harassed and hounded, as is the norm in every other Thai market I've ever visited.
Not so in Korat. There was no pushiness, no heavy-handed hawkers, just friendly curiosity. And some really good deals.
There are not many souvenir-type items but everything is so cheap, I had to buy a second bag before my return flight to hold all my purchases.
Our visits to the ceramics village of Dan Kwian and the Pak Thong Chai silk-weaving village didn't help my excess baggage concerns either.
Aside from satisfying shopaholic urges, these visits opened my eyes to the ancient cottage industries still well established in rural areas. Some of the methods used in these villages have not changed in generations -- and the local people are more than happy to show you how they operate the looms in their front rooms, or where they collect the clay for their pottery.
Exploring off the tourist track also opens you up to new culinary experiences. Instead of the Western-friendly menus in tourist hotspots, we tried the special roasted ducks of Korat, the grilled fish prepared metres from the vast Lamtakong Dam, the fried fish served in betel leaves and the coconut milk pancakes sold everywhere.
Among my favourite finds were Thai doughnuts served at breakfast at the Dusit Princess Korat. These look like two conjoined mini-churros, served with condensed milk and a dubiously green but delicious pandan syrup.
The Dusit Princess is certainly not an uber flash hotel, but it feels as though it once was. It is clean, spacious, with an impressive breakfast (those doughnuts) and a beautiful, cool pool. But, if you want glamorous accommodation, you don't have to go far. In the Khao Yai National Park foothills is Botanica -- a new five-star resort that offers all the luxury a discerning traveller could want, at a fraction of the cost of equivalent resorts in more popular tourist spots.
A quick two-and-a-half hours from downtown Bangkok, Botanica is a true retreat. There is plenty to entertain you - an excellent restaurant, a pool bar, infinity pool, gym and library - and guests feel like they have escaped to a tropical haven.
The resort abuts jungle and this bank of lush green surrounded me when I enjoyed an outdoor bath on my balcony at twilight. Botanica is a great sightseeing base - try a hike to Haew Narok waterfall, a night safari, or a tasting at PB Valley Khao Yai Winery. Or how about a two-hour Thai massage for $15, including a tip?
This part of Thailand is a gem that won't stay hidden for long.
CHECKLIST
Getting there: Thai Airways flies daily from Auckland to Bangkok.
Accommodation: The Dusit Princess Korat hotel is just over three hours' drive from Bangkok.
The Botanica Resort at KhaoYai is about two and a half hours from Bangkok.
- AAP
