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The city of Buriram is a friendly place, but lacks much of interest to tourists. The southern reaches of the province, on the other hand, have some of Thailand's must-see Khmer relics. The countryside is peppered with dozens of ancient ruins, the crowning glory of which is Phanom Rung, a beautifully restored complex climbing to the summit of an extinct volcano. The most spectacular Angkor monument in Thailand, Phanom Rung is well worth the journey and should impress even those who've already experienced Angkor Wat in Cambodia.
These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Buriram Province.
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Prasat Phanom Rung has a knock-you-dead location. Crowning the summit of a spent volcano, this sanctuary sits 200m above the paddy fields below. To the southeast you can see Cambodia’s Dongrek Mountains, and it’s in this direction that the capital of the Angkor empire once lay. The temple was erected as a Hindu monument to Shiva between the 10th and 13th centuries, the bulk of it during the reign of King Suriyavarman II (r AD 1113–50).
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In the little village of Khok Meuang, the restored Khmer temple of Prasat Muang Tam is an ideal bolt-on to any visit to Phanom Rung, which is only 8km to the northwest. Dating back to the late 10th or early 11th century, this is generally considered Isan’s third most interesting temple complex in terms of size, atmosphere and the quality of restoration work, but because so few people visit (you might have it all to yourself) it is some people's favourite.
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This 'information centre' is more of a museum really, and is located at the start of the climb up to the temple. It houses artefacts found at the site and displays about the construction and restoration of the complex. There's also one wing with general information about the region's pre-Khmer history. You can pick up a free informative brochure about Phanom Rung and arrange a Thai-speaking guide (fees are negotiable) here.
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Although this peaceful temple atop an extinct volcano has an ancient past, as evidenced by the 8th- or 9th-century Dvaravati sandstone boundary markers, it's the modern constructions that make Wat Khao Angkhan worth a visit. The bòht (ordination hall) and several other flamboyant buildings were erected in 1982 in an unusual nouveau-Khmer style that sort of harks back to the age of empire. Inside the bòht, the Jataka murals, painted by Burmese artists, have English captions.