The capital of one of the most populated provinces in the northeast, Buriram is a typical soundscape of urban Isaan life, where the constant din of motorbike engines and chattering students masks the quiet decay of the surrounding Khmer-era ruins. Buriram serves as a regional transportation hub for northeastern Thailand, but also sports an active nightlife catalyzed by the large university in the city. Buriram is also home to a large number of Western expats. Buriram’s most impressive quality is its proximity to one of the most visually stunning Khmer sites in all of Thailand: Phanom Rung Historical Park. An annual festival makes March or April in Buriram a good time to visit.
Most activity in Buriram centers around the train station and Romburi Road. The station and tracks form the northern and western edges of the city. An oval-shaped moat to the east of Romburi Rd. encompasses an area that includes the post office and police station. Two upscale hotels flank the city’s eastern and western edges off Jira Road, a mainfare running east-west. The bus station is on the western end of town, a few blocks north of Buriram Ram Ratchaphat University, in an area with a number of inexpensive eateries patronized by students.
Buriram has a handful of hotels catering to the budget crowd, along with a few options that offer a higher level of comfort for a few more baht.
The day market on the south side of Jira Rd., just off Romburi Rd., overflows with mangosteens (3-18฿ per kg) and fatty pork leg over rice (25฿). Buriram also has an array of good restaurant choices. Palad Muang Road, between Thani Rd., Niwas Rd., and Bulamduang Rd., is loaded with open-air restaurants frequented by locals, and devoid of English signs. Within Buriram city proper lies a raging nightlife scene in a large parking lot off Romburi Road, near the train station, where a number of bars and discos can be heard.
Buriram serves as a convenient base for daytrips to the Khmer ruins at Phanom Rung, about 120km south of the city. The most impressive sights closer to the city are the Khao Kradung Forest Park and the Kradong Reservoir, both only 6km from Buriram. The centerpiece of the park is a large white statue of Phra Suphatbohit Buddha, a figure sacred to the people of Buriram. It sits atop Khao Kradung, an extinct volcano, and is accessible by a 265m-high staircase or a paved road lined with Buddha statues. The reservoir below provides an ideal picnicking spot and has a great view of the large Buddha on the mountain above. (To get to the park, catch a songthaew, a motorcycle taxi (1-way 60฿), or a bus heading toward Prak Hon Chai.)
Catch a bus from Khorat (Bus Terminal 2) or Surin, and get off at Ban Ta-Ko (2hr., 53-74฿), which is marked as the turn-off for Phanom Rung (16km). If you’re just going to Phanom Rung, you may be able to catch a songthaew heading right to the base (around 30฿), but you’ll more likely have to take one to Ban Don Nong Nai (Tepek), which is 6km closer to Phanom Rung. Alternatively, bus #522 from Buriram heading to Chanthaburi passes by Ban Don Nong Nai (1hr., every hr. 5:30am-2pm, 60฿). From Ban Don Nong Nai, motorcycle taxis will take you the 12km to Phanom Rung and back (120-150฿, includes 1hr. at the ruins). This is the best option during the low season and on weekdays, when transportation is unpredictable. To return by bus to Khorat (80-220฿) wait on the northern side of the highway; for Surin (70฿), Ubon Ratchathani (220฿) or Buriram (60฿) wait on the southern side. Buses come about every 30min. Get back to Ban Ta-Ko before 5pm, as buses run less frequently after that. Returning to Ban Ta-Ko by motorbike is an additional 30฿. From Ban Don Nong Nai you can pick up the Buriram-bound bus if you arrive before 2pm.
Prasat Hin Khao Phanom Rung Historical Park is home to one of the largest surviving Khmer monuments in the region, a majestic temple that was built here between the 10th and 13th centuries. Standing atop an extinct volcano 383m above sea level, it commands dramatic vistas of the surrounding plain, broken in the southeast by the Dongrek Mountains of Cambodia. Inside the complex, three terraced platforms lead up to the robing room, a partially reconstructed stone structure on the right, where the king prepared himself before performing religious ceremonies. The 160m promenade lined with lotus bud shaped pillars leads to the main complex and its stairway, guarded by five-headed nagas (mythical snakes). The stairs that follow lead to the main temple. At the top is a second bridge and the main gallery. Once you’re through the hallway of the gallery, you’ll be on the third bridge, facing a portico of the chamber leading to the main sanctuary. The lintel above this entrance, the Phrai Narai Lintel, depicts a Hindu creation myth featuring Lord Narayana, an avatar (incarnation) of Vishnu. It was once stolen, resurfaced in the Art Institute of Chicago, and then returned in 1988. A perfect time to visit the park is during the Climbing Up Khao Phanom Rung Festival, usually held in late March or early April. During this time people flock to the park to climb up the hill and pay tribute to the Buddha images at the top. (☎044 631 746. Open daily 6am-6pm. 40฿. Tourist information center open daily 9am-4pm.)
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For 52 years, we have published the world’s favorite budget travel guides, written entirely by students and updated every year. With pen and notebook in hand and a few changes of underwear stuffed in our backpacks, we spend months roaming the globe in search of travel bargains.
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