Surin province
Northeastern Surin province is best known for its annual elephant roundup which takes place annually in late November. At this time, the otherwise-sleepy eponymous capital springs to life with hundreds of majestic pachyderms swaying in the paddy fields and wandering around town.
Pachyderm parades aside, as long as you are in town outside of the elephant roundup, you have a good chance of being just about the only traveller in the whole province.
Surin's people are a broad mix of ethnicities, including Thai, Khmer, Lao and the local Suay people, who have been known for generations are known for their expertise in training elephants -- hence the holding of the Elephant Round-up here. Regardless of ethnicity, they're a particularly hospitable bunch and Surin can be a pretty fun town.
Surin also plays host to a range of Khmer ruins, including the atmospheric Prasat Ta Meuan, and several silk villages. Most can be visited from the provincial capital.
