Living in Bangkok, run the Bangkok Casuals Football league and work for GKI Ventures, owners of Gemk...
Living in Bangkok, run the Bangkok Casuals Football league and work for GKI Ventures, owners of Gemkey.com and Mondera.com. Born in the UK, educated in Scandinavia and now lived in Thailand for over 8 years.
Member since:22.06.2000
Reviews:31
Members who trust:1
Prasit Hin Khao Phanom Rung Historical Park is the best temple in Thailand, it is out of the way from many of the more popular tourist places but worth the trip if you can get their especially if you're heading to Surin or the East of Thailand.
The information provided about getting to the temple in the Epinions intro is not at all the best way, don't take a bus to Khorat.
Getting to Phanom Rung from Bangkok takes about 6 hours by Train to Buri Ram (the express train that is) and then about 1 hour from Buri Ram to the temple, you'll need to bargain with local taxis and songthaew drivers to get there. Or take a local bus from Buri Ram to Pakornchai and take songthaew from there. It takes about 4-6 hours if you go by car or motorbike from Bangkok, the roads are generally in good condition all the way.
The drive up the volcano is pretty exciting as you'll dodge down coming traffic hurtling toward you at great speed with little concern for anyones safety but once you reach the top then the view and the temple are very much worth it.
Around the temple is a large market selling handicrafts, local herbs, medicines and general stuff and just outside the carpark is a huge area of restaurants serving Isan and Laos food, As hot and spicy as you dare!!!
The temple is split into two areas really, the walk up to the temple which is a long "road" with stairs and carvings and the like until you finally climb the last bit of stairs to the temple itself, which is magnificant. too bad US GIs couldn't keep their fingers to themselves when they were on R&R and stripped off a lot of the facade...a lot of which has been returned.
Avoid the afternoons if you can when a lot of Tour coaches arrive on day trips from Bangkok and the heat can be at its most ferocious.
If you only visit one temple in Thailand this should be the one, forget the gaudy temples of Bangkok and the tumble down ruins of Ayuttaya. This is the place to go.
As with many places in Thailand it is not at all wheelchair friendly and the very old or infirm will find getting to the temle a challange but not impossible, entry was about 30 Baht last time I went (less than a dollar) there is a small museum near the entry area too, it is air conditioned so if you're dying from the heat after the climb up to the temple this is a perfect place to relax in and take a look at some of the exhibits.
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I visited Phanom Rung in February this year. I found this opinion to be accurate. It well worth taking the time to visit this site, an indeed to spend some time exploring Issan (North Eastern Thailand). It is a beautiful part of the country and is not so much geared to Western tourism as more well known areas. The people are very friendly but English is not widely spoken so it's best if you have a Thai friend who can travel with you.
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