Information by: TAT Nakhon Ratchasima Tourist Information Division (Tel. 0 2250 5500 ext. 2141-5) Designed & Printed by: Tourist Information Division, Marketing Services Department. The contents of this publication are subject to change without notice. 2013 Copyright. No commercial reprinting of this material allowed. June 2013 Nakhon Ratchasima Namtok Heo Suwat, Khao Yai National Park 08.00-20.00 hrs. Everyday Tourist information by fax available 24 hrs. Website: www.tourismthailand.org E-mail: [email protected] TOURIST INFORMATION CENTRES TOURISM AUTHORITY OF THAILAND HEAD OFFICE 1600 Phetchaburi Road, Makkasan Ratchathewi, Bangkok 10400 Tel : 0 2250 5500 (120 lines) Fax : 0 2250 5511 E-mail : [email protected] Website : www.tourismthailand.org MINISTRY OF TOURISM AND SPORTS 4 Ratchadamnoen Nok Avenue, Bangkok 10100 Open daily during 8.30 a.m. – 4.30 p.m. SUVARNABHUMI AIRPORT Arrival Floor (Gate 3), Domestic Tel : 0 2134 0040 (open 24 hours). TOURISM AUTHORITY OF THAILAND, NAKHON RATCHASIMA OFFICE 2102-2104 Mitraphap Road , Tambon Nai Mueang, Amphoe Mueang, Nakhon Ratchasima 30000 Tel : 0 4421 3030 , 0 4421 3666 Fax : 0 4421 3667 E-mail Address : [email protected] Website : www.tourismthailand.org/nakhonratchasima Areas of Responsibility : Nakhon Ratchasima, Chaiyaphum Updated June 2013 Bird watching at Khao Yai National Park CONTENTS HOW TO GET THERE 6 ATTRACTIONS 8 Amphoe Mueang Nakhon Ratchasima 8 Amphoe Pak Chong 15 Amphoe Sikhio 26 Amphoe Sung Noen 29 Amphoe Dan Khun Thot 31 Amphoe Pak Thong Chai 32 Amphoe Wang Nam Khiao 33 Amphoe Chok Chai 37 Amphoe Soeng Sang 38 Amphoe Non Sung 39 Amphoe Phimai 40 EVENTS AND FESTIVALS 45 LOCAL PRODUCTS AND SOUVENIRS 48 SOUVENIR SHOP 48 GOLF COURSE 51 EXAMPLES OF TOUR PROGRAMMES 52 FACILITIES 54 Accommodation 54 Restaurants 76 USEFUL CALLS 82 4 5 Thai Term Glossary Amphoe : District Ban : Village Chedi : Stupa or Pagoda Doi : Mountain Hat : Beach Khao : Mountain Khlong : Canal Ko : Island Mu : Village Number Mueang : Town or City Namtok : Waterfall Prang : Pagoda Prasat : Khmer Sanctuary Tambon : Sub-district Tham : Cave Ubosot : Ordination hall in a temple Vihan : Image hall in a temple Wat : Temple Note : English spelling here given tries to approximate Thai pronunciation. Posted signs may be spelled differently. When seeking help from a Thai for direction, point to the Thai spellings given after each place name. Nakhon Ratchasima or “Khorat” is a large province on the northeastern plateau and is like the gateway to other provinces in the Northeast. It is 259 kilometres from Bangkok and has an area of around 20,494 square kilometres. The province is rich in Khmer culture and has a long history. It also has beautiful nature, with many forests, mountains, waterfalls, and reservoirs. Furthermore, it is well known for a variety of Great Hornbill, Khao Yai National Park quality handicrafts that visitors can choose from. Nakhon Ratchasima used to be the site of several ancient prehistoric communities that continued to grow when the Dvaravati culture came in and later when the Khmer culture NAKHON RATCHASIMA replaced it. An important prehistoric site is Ban Prasat. Traces of Dvaravati and Khmer cultures are scattered throughout the province, particularly at Amphoe Sung Noen and Amphoe Phimai. Nakhon Ratchasima has been a key city since ancient times as an administration centre. It was responsible for many northeastern cities in the past. Even now, its status 6 7 has remained unchanged in that it is the Northeast’s main Travelling within the Province transportation hub and economic centre. There are many lines of mini-buses and buses running in the city and nearby areas. A more convenient way to get around BOUNDARIES is to take tricycles and motorized tricycles called Tuk Tuk in North Borders Chaiyaphum and Khon Kaen. the city. The price must be agreed upon before a trip. If South Borders Nakhon Nayok, Prachin Buri and travelling to another district, you can take a bus at Bus Sa Kaeo. Terminal 1 on Burin Road where there are mini-buses and East Borders Buri Ram. buses. At Bus Terminal 2, there are only buses running to West Borders Chaiyaphum, Saraburi and Lop Buri. Amphoe Phimai Dan Kwian-Chok Chai and other province HOW TO GET THERE Inter-province Travel Buses running to other provinces leave from Bus Terminal 2. By car : You can take 3 routes. The most popular one is There are services to the northeastern provinces of from Bangkok; take Highway No. 1 (Phahonyothin) then Chaiyaphum, Khon Kaen, Udon Thani, Nong Khai, Nakhon Highway No. 2 (Mittraphap) at Saraburi to Nakhon Ratchasima. Phanom, Sakon Nakhon, Kalasin, Ubon Ratchathani, Buri The total distance is 259 kilometres. Ram (the old route goes past Nang Rong and the new one Another route is from Bangkok, take Highway No. 304 past past Huai Thalaeng), and Surin (past Nang Rong-Ban Tako). In Min Buri, Chachoengsao, Phanom Sarakham, Kabin Buri, addition, there are buses to Bangkok, Chon Buri, Pattaya, Wang Nam Khiao, Pak Thong Chai, to Nakhon Ratchasima. The Rayong, Chanthaburi, Lop Buri, Sing Buri, Nakhon Sawan, total distance is 273 kilometres. Chiang Mai, and Chiang Rai (up to Mae Sai). Alternatively, take the Bangkok-Rangsit-Nakhon Nayok route then connect to Highway No. 33 to Kabin Buri, then go on to Highway No. 304 past Wang Nam Khiao, Pak Thong Chai Distances from Amphoe Mueang (Town) to Neigh- and into Nakhon Ratchasima. bouring Districts Chaloem Phra Kiat 18 kilometres. By bus : The Transport Co., Ltd. (known as Bo Kho So) has Kham Thale So 22 kilometres. both air-conditioned and non air-conditioned buses departing Non Thai 29 kilometres. from the Bangkok Bus Terminal (Chatuchak), Kamphaeng Non Daeng 30 kilometres. Phet Road daily. For information, call Tel. 0 2936 2852-66 or Chok Chai 31 kilometres. check a current information at www.traco.motc.go.th. Private Pak Thong Chai 34 kilometres. companies that run bus services are Ratchasima Tour Co.,Ltd. Sung Noen 36 kilometres. Tel. 0 4424 5443, Bangkok Tel. 0 2936 1615, Air Khorat Non Sung 37 kilometres. Phatthana Co.,Ltd. Tel. 0 4425 2999 and Suranarai Tour Co., Ltd. Phra Thong Kham 37 kilometres. Tel. 0 4425 4567 or visit www.transport.co.th Chakkarat 40 kilometres. By train : Trains leave from Bangkok Railway Station to Sikhio 45 kilometres. Nakhon Ratchasima everyday. It takes about 6 hours. Kham Sakaesaeng 50 kilometres. For information, call Railway Information of the State Nong Bunmak 52 kilometres. Railways of Thailand at Tel. 1690, 0 2220 4334, 0 2220 4444 Khon Buri 58 kilometres. or visit www.railway.co.th. Phimai 60 kilometres. Haui Thalaeng 65 kilometres. 8 9 Wang Nam Khiao 70 kilometres. an outpost in the shape of a rectangle of 1,000 x 1,700 metres. Khong 79 kilometres. The western Chum Phon Gate is the only 1 of 4 city gates that Dan Khun Thot 84 kilometres. still stands. The other three gates have been rebuilt. Chum Ban Lueam 85 kilometres. Phon Gate is built of large stones and bricks and covered Pak Chong 85 kilometres. with plaster. The top is a watchtower made of wood with a tiled Sida 85 kilometres. roof and decorated in the Thai style. Soeng Sang 88 kilometres. City Pillar is at the corner of Chom Phon and Thepharak 90 kilometres. (ศาลหลักเมือง) Prachak roads. This Chinese-style shrine houses the city pillar Prathai 97 kilometres. that is worshipped by Thais and Chinese. Built in the reign of Chum Phuang 98 kilometres. King Narai the Great during 1656-1688, the shrine and city Bua Yai 101 kilometres. pillar are made of wood. The inner eastern wall is covered Bua Rai 106 kilometres. with fired clay tiles with raised designs of the battle of Thao Mueang Yang 110 kilometres. Suranari and the way of life of Thais in ancient times. Lam Thamenchai 120 kilometres. Kaeng Sanam Nang 130 kilometres. Chao Po Chang Phuak Shrine (ศาลเจ้าพ่อช้างเผือก) is a small shrine on the northern part of the city moat at the corner of Manat and Phon Saen roads. It houses a Takhian Hin ATTRACTIONS tree stump that was where the people of Phu Khiao tied elephants for inspectors to look at before presenting them to Amphoe MueangNakhon Ratchasima King Rama I for his transport. Thao Suranari Monument (อนุสาวรีย์ท้าวสุรนารี) is a memorial to the Thai heroine called ‘Ya Mo’ by locals. Built Rajabhat Nakhon Ratchasima University Arts and in 1934, it is located in the city centre. People from other Cultural Centre (ศูนย์ศิลปวัฒนธรรมมหาวิทยาลัยราชภัฏนครราชสีมา) provinces who visit Khorat and locals usually come to pay is on Suranarai Road. Upon entering Rajabhat Institute, turn homage here and ask for blessings. The statue is made of left at the sign to a two-story wooden house and Khorat black copper. It is 1.85 metres high and is dressed in regalia House where information is collected and kept. Also in a standing posture. The right hand holds a sword and displayed are tools and artefacts that are used to study the the statue faces west towards the capital of Bangkok. The way of life of Khorat and northeastern people of the past. monument base holds her ashes. The centre is divided into sections, such as Khorat city, ancient Thao Suranari was originally Khunying Mo, the wife of the documents, local occupation, Isan fabrics, Khorat goods, Mu Sic, assistant governor of Nakhon Ratchasima. In 1826, Chao and Khorat people. It is open on weekdays during public hours. Anuwong of Vientiane had Khorat under siege but Khunying For information, call 0 Tel. 0 4425 3097 and Fax: 0 4424 4739. Mo rallied villagers to fight againt Chao Anuwong. After the Maha Wirawong National Museum (พิพิธภัณฑสถานแห่งชาติ battle was over, King Rama III promoted her to Thao Suranari.