BANGKOK, Thailand -- Midway through its epic 5,000-kilometer journey from the Tibetan Plateau to the South China Sea, the Mekong River forms the border between Laos and northeast Thailand. This stretch of the river, heading east and then south for about 650 km, is flanked by minor roads that provide an unmissable opportunity to explore this rarely visited part of Thailand, known as Isan.
Besides revealing the river's many moods, the four-day trip by car or motorbike passes rural towns that act as jumping-off points for visits to some eye-catching sights, and the lack of traffic on the minor roads makes traveling a treat.
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