Holiday in Phon district in Khon Kaen province (from 28^th July to 3^rd of August 2023)

We had a long vacation of around a full week due to government holidays at the end of July and the beginning of August 2023. I planned to travel to an Esan province where I have a Thai friend. On the 28^th of July, I took a bus from the Morchit bus terminal and traveled to the Phon district in Khon Kaen province, Thailand, and stayed at SeasonSawat Resort, located in the Phon district, which is a unique attraction for local visitors. The resort features separately constructed houses elevated on steel posts, standing around 2.10 meters above the ground level. The roofs of these houses are designed in a triangular shape. Each house comprises a bedroom, a bathroom, and a balcony at the back, offering visitors a relaxing spot to enjoy meals or coffee while admiring the sunset or night view. The resort features breathtaking night views once the lights are illuminated. However, internet access can be challenging like most hotels and resorts in Mueang Phon. Additionally, the water in the bathroom may be salty.

Eating Esan food

I had the opportunity to sample various types of delicious Esan cuisine from both restaurants and the homes of friends. One of the special meals was the bamboo shoot soup mixed with pumpkin and other vegetables collected from my friend’s garden. It is a common practice among female Thai friends who live in remote provinces to get together and prepare their meals and enjoy together over a lengthy talk filled with jester and amusement. They generally take no care about time or other family matters when it comes to having get-together parties. They said that they hold such parties at least once a week. One day we went to see a local market a few kilometers away from Khon Kaen City. This market is famous for wild food which consists of a kind of Mushroom that is collected from jungles and sold at the market at high prices. In addition, different varieties of insects can be bought at this market. Easan people have extraordinary taste buds for fried insects and ants. People who cannot buy them generally go to jungles and collect them to satisfy their longings. Most village people in Phon district engage in paddy and cattle farming, while some do poultry.

The photos below show some events or places where the writer engaged in or visited.