Phimai Festival and Boat Race

The annual Phimai Festival and Boat Race in Nakhon Ratchasima, held on the second weekend each November, is a wonderful event. It attracts a lot of tourists to join every year. The highlight of the event is the traditional long-boat races which compete in a race that has been taking place here for many years. Other attractions include light and sound presentation at the Phrommathat Ground of the Phimai Historical Park that will tell the story of the glorious period of King Jayavarman VII. There are also the Korat cat competition, Khon or classical Thai mask dance from the Fine Arts Department, a traditional arts and crafts fair, and other cultural performances. There are also lots of stalls selling local products, art objects, pottery, silk etc.

Information: TAT Nakhon Ratchasima Office - Tel. 044 213 666 / 044 213 030

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Wat Sala Loi, Korat's architectural pride

Wat Sala Loi is northeast of the old town, 500 meters from Rop Mueang Road. Lady Mo and her husband built the temple in 1827. Its highlight is the convocation hall that was awarded the prize as the best avantgarde religious building by the Siam Architects Society in 1973. The hall is in an applied Thai style in the shape of a junk riding the waves. Local Dan Kwian clay tiles were used to decorate the building telling the life of Lord Buddha. The door is made of metal with raised designs of the Buddhist tale. The hall houses a large standing white Buddha image. In front of the door is a plaster sculpture of Lady Mo sitting praying in the middle of a pond. Besides the building is a small pagoda that formerly housed the ashes of Lady Mo. A glass wall in heart-shaped temple boundary markers surrounds the hall. 
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Phanom Rung Historical Park

Phanom Rung is another grand and majestic Khmer castle, definitely worth visiting, older than Angkor Wat and extremely well-preserved. It was built more than thousand years ago at 1,320 feet above sea level on an extinct volcano originally as a Hindu religious site, and later became a Buddhist one. It has a very impressive Processional Walkway and staircase leading up to the temple, lined by Nagas.

it is located about 100 km east of Korat in Buriram province, near Nangrong. If you're taking a bus from Korat to Buriram, tell the attendant about your destination, so they can let you off near Nang Rong at the road leading to the castle, where plenty of motorcycle taxis or tuktuks are waiting to take you.

Open daily from 06.00-18.00 hrs, Phone: 044 - 782 715

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