Nakhon Ratchasima & Phimai

Korat, the gateway to Isan, with Phimai Historical Park — Thailand's largest Khmer temple — to the north, while Dan Kwian pottery village and the Thao Suranari Monument reveal local character.

Nakhon Ratchasima, known locally as "Korat", is the capital of Nakhon Ratchasima Province in northeastern Thailand. One of the most populous cities in Isan, it is called the "Gateway to Isan". The city sits on the southwestern edge of the Khorat Plateau, about 260 km from Bangkok, with Khon Kaen and Udon Thani to the north and Buriram and Surin to the east. The centre is a moated old town; the Thao Suranari Monument in front of Chumphon Gate is the city's symbol, with Wat Phayap, Wat Sala Loi and Saiwan Night Market nearby. Visitors' main goal is Phimai, about 60 km north of the city: Prasat Hin Phimai is the largest Khmer temple in Thailand and can be combined with the Phimai National Museum and the giant banyan grove of Sai Ngam on a half- to full-day trip, stopping at the prehistoric site of Ban Prasat along the way. Dan Kwian pottery village, 15 km southeast of the city, is known for its rust-coloured stoneware, and Prasat Phanom Wan on the northeastern outskirts sees few visitors. To the west lie the ancient city of Mueang Sema with its reclining Buddha and Wat Ban Rai's elephant temple on the water, while Korat Zoo and the fossil museum in the southern suburbs are good for families. The more distant Phanom Rung and Mueang Tam temples, about 115 km southeast in Buriram, and Khao Yai National Park, about 80 km southwest, are covered as separate destinations. The climate is tropical savanna: the dry, comfortable cool season from November to February is the best time to visit the Khmer temples; March–May is scorching and June–October is the rainy season. The Phimai Festival in November features boat races and a light show at the temple, and the Thao Suranari Festival runs from late March to early April. Getting there: from Bangkok it is about 4–5 hours by train or 3–4 hours by bus, and travel times will drop further once the first phase of the China–Thailand high-speed railway (Bangkok–Korat) opens. In town, songthaews and tuk-tuks are the main transport; buses to Phimai leave from Bus Terminal 2, and for other sights outside the city, hiring a car with driver is recommended. Plan on 2 days: one for the city and Dan Kwian, one for Phimai.

Top sights

• Phimai Historical Park – Thailand's largest Khmer stone sanctuary, completed in the late 11th century and facing toward Angkor. It is a core stop on any tour of Isa…
• Thao Suranari Monument & Chumphon Gate – The bronze statue of Ya Mo, the spiritual emblem of Nakhon Ratchasima (Korat), together with the city's only surviving ancient gate behind…
• Phimai National Museum – Houses fine lintels, statues and other Khmer treasures from Phimai and sites across southern Isan, an ideal complement to a visit to the st…
• Sai Ngam Banyan Park – A grove of centuries-old banyan trees outside Phimai, spread from a single mother tree whose aerial roots took hold in the ground, one of t…
• Wat Sala Loi – Said to enshrine the remains of Lady Suranari, with a boat-shaped modern ordination hall that once won a Thai architecture design award.
• Wat Phayap – A royal temple in the city center, famous for its cave-style shrine whose walls and ceilings are covered with precious rocks and coral.
• Dan Kwian Pottery Village – Isan's most famous pottery village, known for unglazed coarse ceramics in rust tones; hundreds of workshops and shops line the highway, whe…
• Prasat Phanom Wan – A quiet Khmer stone sanctuary on the outskirts of Korat, with a well-preserved sandstone main hall and galleries and few visitors.
• Nakhon Ratchasima Zoo (Korat Zoo) – One of Thailand's largest open-air zoos, where you can drive or ride an electric cart through the African savanna zone.
• Wat Ban Rai – Temple of the revered monk Luang Pho Khun, with an elephant-shaped hall built over water, its exterior covered in ceramic mosaic that makes…
• Muang Sema & Wat Thammachak Semaram – Ruins of an ancient Dvaravati-era city; the 13-meter sandstone reclining Buddha inside the temple is one of Thailand's oldest.
• Ban Prasat Archaeological Site – A prehistoric burial site with excavation pits left in place, where you can see human remains and pottery from about 3,000 years ago, locat…
• Korat Fossil Museum (Petrified Wood Museum) – The core venue of the Korat Geopark, with many petrified wood, dinosaur and ancient elephant fossils, suitable for families.
• Save One Market – Korat's largest combined market and night market, with many stalls of Isan snacks, grilled meats and clothing from late afternoon.

Where to eat

• Laab Somphit – Long-established Isan restaurant opened in 1969, with consecutive Michelin Bib Gourmand recommendations; pork laab, gri…
• Nub Charcoal Beef Noodles – Old-style beef noodle shop where the broth is slow-simmered over charcoal, producing a clear, smoky broth; recommended…
• Kai Yang Saeng Thai – Self-described first rotisserie chicken shop in Korat, operating for more than 50 years; a Michelin Bib Gourmand pick t…

Itineraries

• Isan Khmer Ruins & Mekong Loop – An extensive Isan route heading east from Khao Yai to Phimai and Phanom Rung, continuing to the Mekong River, and then…