A river runs through it

Boats waits for passengers by Mekong.

People go to Isaan, as Thailand's northeast is familiarly known, for its Khmer temples, Buddhist pilgrimage sites, ancient stupas, dinosaur fossils and spicy local fare.

Few go to chase the Mekong River, the world's ninth longest, probably because they think there is little to see besides the river itself and a few fishing villages. They couldn't be more wrong.

Originating in Tibet, the river flows south to Yunnan, then through Thailand's Chiang Rai before veering east to Luang Prabang in Laos.

It reemerges in Thailand in Isaan where it meanders 850 kilometres along the ThaiLao border through Loei, Nong Khai, Nakhon Phanom, Mukdahan, Amnat Charoen and Ubon Ratchathani. Then it wanders east back to Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam where it empties into the South China Sea.

In Isaan, the river flows past societies, hidden communities, sandy beaches, remnants of French colonialism, market towns, ancient trading posts, majestic temples, scattered islets and national parks - all quintessentially Isaan in style.

As these places are mostly off the beaten track, they remain well-kept secrets. With just over a week in hand, it's possible to cover the six Mekong provinces by car, and if you're well prepared, you can see every province in Isaan too. We did both at the cost of just one drive shaft.

Leaving the capital at 3.30am, we made it to Nakhon Ratchasima's Non Thai district in two hours, then after a short nap, drove on through Chaiyaphum and Khon Kaen to Loei's Chiang Khan district by way of Phukradueng National Park.

Chiang Khan, the very spot where the Mekong reappears, is a quaint town. The small concrete road that cuts through its heart is lined with old two-storey wooden houses broken up by a few Lanna-style temples. Many locals have turned their homes into guesthouses with beautiful river views.

In Chiang Khan, the Mekong flows lazily and on a misty morning, the river seems still and flat. It is magnetic at dusk and a companion in solitude, a place to sit as dusk falls in slow tropical finality. Many come to love Chiang Khan because of that rhythm.

Come the morning, the town's unique glory begins to shine. Women, young and old, wait to scoop balls of sticky rice into the black bowls of saffron-clad monks, a scene that brings to mind the religious fervour of Laos' former capital and reminds the visitor why the town is unofficially known as Little Luang Prabang.

For cyclists and joggers, Chiang Khan is a real haven, with plenty of greenery and a network of long empty roads. Nothing beats its promenade, which is often covered in thick plumes of fog until midmorning. But do be warned: new visitors often end up in road accidents due to the poor visibility, and the nearest hospital is very basic. Beware too of the local teenagers, who have a tendency to ride their motorbikes at high speed through the quiet lanes at night.

Most restaurants serve fish freshly caught in the Mekong and the local tom yum is a good way to battle the morning chill.

Villagers bemoan the fact that the number of fish continues to decline, the result of irregular high and low water levels caused by the opening of dams in China, which last August resulted in an abrupt surge.

From Chiang Khan, the drive to Nong Khai along the bank of the Mekong is rewarded with awesome river views. Kaeng Kudkoo (Kudkoo Rapids) is a favourite stopover for many and further along, Nong Prabuek in Nong Khai's Sangkom district is a great place to relax. Here, boulders and islets serve as a land link to Laos during low tide when one can walk freely across the river - and back.

Two hours from Chiang Khan, the riverside jungle landscape begins thinning out and villages with strands of power lines come into view. On the other side, Laos looks much greener with no signs of human settlement.

Nong Khai stands majestically on the river. Its past and present have always been tangled up in an age-old myth involving a naga serpent king that rules the Mekong.

But the city is best appreciated through its architecture, especially in the old town, where the visitor can admire the many temples as well as classic houses and mansions in French-Vietnamese colonial style.

Thais will head to Wat Phochai to pay respect to its highly revered principal Buddha image and see the magnificent mural that tells the story of a naga.

For tranquillity, go for the newly restored 80yearold mansion, once the home of the Nong Khai Governor. Now a museum, the residence has proudly hosted Their Majesties the King and Queen for lunch on three separate occasions and served as residence to 37 governors between 1929 to 2007.

Nothing beats the lineup of hip and stylish riverside pubs and restaurants at Tha Sadet Market, the best place to savour a range of Mekong fish dishes. The promenade is also an ideal spot to watch the sunset over the Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge.

Frolic in the Mekong at Haad Jommanee, Nong Khai's beach, then drive a few kilometres to Sala Kaewkoo, or Wat Kaek, and admire the towering cement sculptures from Buddhist and Hindu mythologies.

Dominating the 32-year-old park are sculptures of Lord Buddha, Lord Shiva, the SevenHeaded Naga Serpent, Quan Yin, the Chinese god¬dess of mercy and the seven-headed naga serpent that shielded the Buddha during his preaching to his first five disciples. It stands in front of the sculpture of Queen Siri Mahamaya depicted here just as she gives birth to Prince Siddhardha.

After two nights in Nong Khai, we decide to bypass the riverside road that runs from Nong Khai to Nakhon Phanom and opt instead for Highway 2 to downtown Udon Thani then onwards along on Route 22 to the Ban Chiang archaeological site.

We arrive in Sakon Nakhon just before sunset but decide to leave sightseeing of the Phrathat Choeng Chum (Choeng Chum Stupa), the city's spiritual centre that lies beside Nong Harn Lake, until the following day.

By 8pm, it seems as though everyone has already gone to bed so we are happy to find waiters and diners aplenty at Sakon Nakhon's famous restaurant Ran Khao PAD Naem and tuck into khao PAD naem (fried rice with sour pork).

The eerie feeling returns when we check into the old Imperial Hotel in downtown Sakon Nakhon. The towering hotel has hundreds of rooms, with dark hallways, but strangely few guests for the night.