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Home > Thailand Info > Northeastern Region
Northeastern
Region
NAKHON
RATCHASIMA
 Nakhon
Ratchasima (also known as Khorat) is considered the gateway
into the Northeast. There are a number of fascinating
attractions, with the best known being Khao Yai
National Park.
Covering
four provinces, this popular park is a forested sandstone
plateau, packed with an enormous variety of
animals, birds and flora. Numerous hiking trails crisscross
the park and there are 20 waterfalls to visit, including
the spectacular Heo Narok and Heo Sawat.
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The
Khmers made Khorat their home, building the superb
sanctuary at Phimai that has been beautifully restored
as a Historical Park. The
main structure is a tall tower (prasat) surrounded
by four porches and anti-chambers. There's lots of
intricate sandstone carvings and a small museum of
relics unearthed during restoration. Another historical
site is found at Ban Prasat on the way to Khon Kaen.
Archaeological digs have unearthed skeletons, artifacts
and pottery dating back 3,000 years.
Khorat
is well known for its villagers skill in silk weaving.
The best fabrics are produced in Pak Thong Chai. Other
skills are shown at Dan Kwian, a village noted for
its unique pottery
made
from a special clay found in the area. |
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The
close proximity to Laos has had a major influence
on the province, evident in the numerous Lao-style
temples with curved, four-sided chedis.
Situated
on the banks of the Mekong River, the city has an
attractive riverside promenade, flanked by souvenir
shops selling silver and handicrafts from Laos. A
small temple complex, Wat Si Thep houses many paintings
depicting the life of Buddha and kings of the Chakri
Dynasty.
Phra
That Phanom, 50 kilometres from the town, is the most
revered shrine in the Northeast, with a 52-metre Laotian-style
tower said to enshrine a breastbone of Lord Buddha.
Its age is the
stuff of legends, most likely over 1,500 years old.
The tower was restored in 1977 when it collapsed
due to flooding.
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The
nearby town of Renu Nakhon, which is famous for its silks
and cottons, also has a phra that similar
to Phra That Phanom but on a smaller scale.
Split
off from Udon Thani in 1993, Nong Bua Lam Phu is a scenic
province famous for its prehistoric sites.
Fossilised shells about 140 million years old can be seen
in the cliffs 10 kilometres outside the main town;
archaeological sites at Kudkormuey and Kudkwangsoi
villages are also attractions.
Well
worth a visit is the huge Erawan Cave, full of beautiful
stalagmites and stalactites. A very long stairway
leads up to the cavern, where a large Buddha sits
at the entrance.
Wat
Tham Klong Phen, a tranquil |
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revered
as the home of the famous meditation monk, Luang Phu Khao
Analayo. A museum in the compound is dedicated to
the monk. A beautiful nature reserve is found at
Phu Kao-Phupan Kham National Park covering 320 square
kilometres, including a large lake formed by Ubon
Ratana Dam, which is a popular fishing area.
Roi
Et town is built around a large artificial lake, Bung
Phlan Chai, where a large, walking Buddha standson
a small island in its centre. Tall Buddhas are
popular in Roi Et as Wat Buraphaphiram features
a 68-metre walking Buddha, with
a staircase that enables visitors to climb to
knee-high level. Sixty kilometres outside
of town, Ku Kasing is a large Khmer sanctuary
dating from the 11th century, and under restoration.
Handicrafts
are the province's main product, particularly the
Isan khaen, a kind
of panpipe made from wood and reeds. These are
best made in the small village of
Si Kaew. Thanon Phadung Phanit is a good place
to buy silk and cotton fabric.
Sakhon Nakhon town sits at the edge
of the 32-square-kilometre Nong Han Lake (Thailand's
largest natural lake). The whole province is filled
with lakes and rivers, offering a different
in landscape to the rest of the Northeast.
Temple
attractions include Wat Phra Thatm Choeng Chum, one
of the Northeast's most sacred spots,
whose main chedi was built over 10th century Khmer
prang. Wat Pa Suthawat has a small museum dedicated
to the famous meditation monk, Phra Acharn Man
Bhuritatto. Wat Phra That Narai Cheng Weng has
an old Khmer prang, and many stone carvings
The
province marks the end of Buddhist Lent with great
festivity, involving a procession of intricately
carved wax shrines (castles) and exciting boat racing
on Nong Han Lake. Phu Phan National Park, close
to the border with Kalasin, has
some well-maintained hiking trails through its
mountains, two popular waterfalls and a variety
of birdlife.
Surin
is world-renowned for its Elephant Round-up,
held on the third weekend in November,
putting a focus on the province's heritage
of raising and training elephants The
fair features pageants, elephant football,
tug-of-war and other fun events. After the
fair, the elephants go to live in villages
like Ban Ta Klang, where the Suaypeople
live and work with their jumbos, welcoming
visitors to watch their daily activities.
Like
many of the Cambodia border provinces, Surin
has numerous Khmer ruins. Recently restored
is the 11th century.
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