INFORMATION

It’s a festival of fun and frolic among the locals

HIGHLIGHTS - two for the price of one

Bangkok 3N to Ubon Ratchathani 3N via Nakhon Ratchasima 3N - Phimai 4N - Ban Prasat (Homestay) 1N - Buri Ram 3N and Surin 4N & Khong Chiam 2N

Trader Vic's
Erewan Museum
Elephant Temple
Elephant Round up
Elephant buffet breakfast
Spicy Isaan Cuisine
Moonbeam Waterfall
Pha Taem National Park
Phimai Festival and Boat Race
Ban Prasart Village Homestay
Surin Elephant Round Up
Phanom Rung Historical Park
Home of Buri Ram United
Khao Kradong Forest
Two colour river viewpoint
UNESCO tentative listed Phimai
Thailand's Largest Banyan Tree Grove
Royal Elephant National Museum
Home of the World Famous Korat Cat
Pha Chanadai - First Sunrise in Thailand
4,000 year old Prehistoric cave Paintings
One of the the Grand Canyon's of Thailand
Floating Raft Restaurants

All travel information including hotels etc is at the bottom of this page

You should be able to time this trip so that you can go to both the Phimai Festival and Boat Race and the Surin Elephant Round Up. The Phimai festival features spectacular sound and light shows at the Historical Park as well as Longboat races on the river. Phimai is usually the second weekend in November and Surin is usually the third weekend in November. Like with all of the festivals book everything as early as you can.

Start the trip in Bangkok which is a major transport hub in S E Asia. You can usually find a good price to fly here with one of the airlines. Spend 3 nights here getting orientated. As a lot of the trips start here you will be given a range of activities just in case you've been here before. From seeing the major tourist sights to getting off the beaten track. Thailand is a major destination for food and there will be lots of recommendations.

Have a long and relaxed riverside lunch. If it works out you're here on a Sunday the free flowing brunch with live jazz at Trader Vic's is hard to beat. As this trip is elephant based it would be remiss to skip the Royal Elephant National Museum. This is located in Dusit Palace where the sacred White Elephants belonging to King Rama V lived. In case you didn't know it White Elephants are a big deal in this part of the world and this is a great place to learn about them. Wars have been fought and Kingdoms lost because of them. King Rama IX had eleven of them, more than any other monarch and he ruled longer than any other monarch. Another elephant activity will see you at the three headed Erewan Museum. Wait till you see his insides.

Catch the train to NaKOon RATchasima or as it's commonly called Korat. They are building a high speed line there at the moment which should open in 2023. It is considered the gateway to the North East or Isaan which is the rice bowl and heartland of Thailand. During the Vietnam War it was the site of one of eight US Air Force bases around Thailand. In fact it was the largest was the largest front line facility of the U S Air Force. Some of the people working on the base must have liked the town because they didn't go home. A meal and a few drinks at the VFW Cafeteria (Veterans of Foreign Wars) is a good place to catch up and hear a few stories.

In April 1981 Prem Tinsulanonda who became one of Thailand's most highly regarded leaders thwarted a coup attempt by coming here from Bangkok with King Rama IX. He remained in power until 1988. He is remembered for ending the communist insurgency among other things. He survived four assassination attempts and lived to the ripe old age of 98, having never married.

To continue with the theme of the trip head out to Wat Ban Rai the Elephant Temple. Not surprisingly Korat is where the world famous Korat cat species originated. They were often given in pairs as gifts to newlyweds for good luck and prosperity. There are some excellent golf courses around. Head to the water park at the zoo to see the show. If you're lucky the Thai commentator will do dolphin impressions. You can go out to the lake for picnics and sunsets. The Wat Boon Night Bazaar is the place to go for a cheap feed with lots of variety. Another option is the huge Save One Night Market which also has good food and lots of shopping. There are modern shopping malls such as Terminal 21 and Central Plaza and lot's of cafes. Like Chiang Mai it has an old city moated area. Not many tourists come here but that may change when the new high speed train is completed. This means the hotels are very good value at present.

You will find pubs and bars, live music and Thai style clubs that have dancers and bands and are a lot of fun. There are also several bar areas.

Hopefully the dates have worked out and you're here for the daily Sound and Light Show at the Historical Park, cultural performances and the climax of the event on Sunday, the long boat races. If you have an interest in village life you could do the award winning Ban Prasart Homestay for a night. They put you up in their homes, feed and water you and show you the local village life.

Take a short bus ride to nearby Phimai, Thailand's answer to Angkor Wat. Which was actually a part of Siam for a while before it was ceded to the French. Although all of it was all of the Khmer Empire before the Thais came along. The ruins here look very much like the ones in Cambodia but are actually 100 years older. The two areas were linked by a sacred road.

The other amazing sight here is the amazing banyan Tree Grove. This small forest comes from the roots of one very old (350+ years) tree. This is normally a very relaxed town but it will be going off and full of people enjoying themselves as only the Thai's can. Sanuk is the most important word in the Thai language and it means fun. If it's not fun it's not worth doing. So have FUN. The local specialty is a noodle dish. Try some authentic and fiery Isaan food. There are cafes, pubs and shrimp catching restaurants and also with live music. And of course there will be a Thai Fair providing everything you can imagine to eat and drink and buy. Stay in a bungalow with a balcony and a lake view. This is what Thailand's all about.

Your calm in the eye of the storm in between festivals will be the "Happiness City" Buri Ram which means pleasant city. It all sounds very nice. One of the many great things about coming out to these authentic Thai towns is the amazing value you get for your hotel dollar.

The very popular local soccer team Buri Ram United is famous for having the best record in the Thai League. If there's a game on make sure you get down to their home ground nick-named Thunder Castle due to the loud barracking and chanting. Pick up some merchandise for a unique souvenir. If you're going to adopt a new team it might as well be the best. There is an international motor racing track so you may want to check the event schedule and activities there too.

Climb up the sleeping volcano through the forest park to see the Big Buddha. Definitely take a day trip out to see Phanom Rung Historical Park. This Khmer temple is more impressive than the one in Phimai. It sits on top of an extinct volcano way above the surrounding rice fields. Another impressive ruin Muang Tam is not far away.

Fishermen should head to Buriram Monsters Fishing Park to land the big one. After sunset it's off to the Night Market for dinner and live performances and shows. And on night two you can go to the other Night Market.

The elephants are getting hungry and it's time to go to Surin and start preparing their Buffet breakfast. Get a nice hotel a short walk from the stadium. See details below.

You can catch the train directly to Ubon Ratchathani or Ubon / Ubol for short. This town also had a major USAF base during the Vietnam War which increased it's wealth and size. Settle into your bargain priced 5***** digs with great pool and brekky included.

If you haven't been to a 3D Art gallery you should. It can be great fun taking snaps of each other and it has a strangely therapeutic effect. Located in a beautiful building the Ubon Ratchathani Cultural Center is a good place to learn about the Isaan people. The zoo here is quite good for a zoo. Set in a rainforest with plenty of room and a typically funny Thai show. Zapping around on a golf cart adds to the fun.

In the evening head to the Night Markets, the Riverside Bars (open air with Sang Som) and then the Thai Night Clubs. They have good entertainment with live music and dancers. You can take your own bottle in from outside and just pay for ice and mixers which makes it a cheap experience. Having four Universities means there is plenty of youth and energy injected into the night life.

After a couple of days rent a motorbike or a car and head off to explore some of this amazing province. Have a floating lunch at the dam. Maybe even a round of golf at the Srindhorn Dam Golf Course. Spend a two nights at Khong Chiam near the two colours river at the Lao Border. Follow the walking trail past the incredible prehistoric cave paintings and wonder at the weird rock formations in Pha Taem National Park. Visit the Grand Canyon of Thailand and the beautiful Moonbeam Waterfall.

Head back to Ubon for the night before making your way back to Bangkok. You can fly cheaply. You can take the overnight train for the nostalgia of it. Or a bus if you're a masochist. I hope you enjoyed the trip in this area that you had possibly never even heard of. You might want to have a look at some of the other festivals. A few of them are quite bizarre. Also you have a week left on your visa so you could spend a little time looking around #88 Bangkok and Amphawa.

Photo by RichardMcall on Pixabay

Photo by Kawin Piboonsawat on Pixabay

Photo by kanokwannack19910 on Pixabay

Phimai Historical Park by Manoonp under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Panomroong Castle by Leelaryonkul under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Olifantenfestival Surin Thailand by Luc Ockers under CC BY-SA 3.0

Photo by Suwit Luangpipatsorn on Pixabay

Photo by Pisit Rimthong from on Pixabay

SURIN ROUND UP

DATE -

Usually the third weekend in November

LENGTH -

2 weeks with 3 main days

HISTORY -

The people of Surin have been famous for centuries for their abilities being able to capture and train elephants.
The festival has been running since 1960.
Back in the day when Ayutthaya was still the capital of Siam some white elephants escaped and ended up in a forest in Phimai. White elephants are very rare and priceless and very important to the Kings reign. Wars have been fought over them.
Some soldiers were sent to retrieve them and they came across the Kuy people who were experts with elephants. They helped the soldiers to return the kings elephants. The King was so grateful he bestowed a title on the Kuy leader and he became the first Governor of Surin Province.
The Kuy people and elephants have had a special relationship for many generations.

WHERE -

Si Narong Stadium Surin 432 km NE of Bangkok

ABOUT -

It begins Friday morning at 9 am with over 300 elephants marching from the Railway Station to Elephant roundabout to get their buffet breakfast. The program goes through until the afternoon.
On Saturday morning they assemble at the stadium at dawn and present a day of skills to the public.
Sunday is the day of the big Battle reenactment the good guys (Thailand are in red and the baddies (the Burmese) are in blue. A bit like the shorts in Thai boxing with the champ wearing red..

INCLUDES -

Painting exhibitions, Battle reenactments, 100 soldiers versus one elephant tug of war, elephants playing darts, dancers,
Elephant Parade, skill demonstrations, cultural shows, war techniques, a mini half marathon, soccer games, hula hoop twirling,
Fairs, Music, Festival food, Elephants doing it Gangnam Style, Elephant slam dunk,
Sound and light show, Elephant polo, log demonstration