We arrived around 9am in Nakhon Ratchasima and we did not have to wait long until we could catch a bus to Phimai (Bh50 air-con, 1h15 trip). In Phimai we dropped our bags at Old Phimai guesthouse, a place we will recommend for who wants to stay for a night in Phimai. The house is basic but well kept and the lady who can speak a bit of English is lovely.
The Prasat Hin Phimai, a Khmer temple that has been well restored, is very nice (entrance fee Bh40). Another thing to see in Phimai is a 350 years old giant Banian (Ficus Religiosa) called Sai Ngam, located 2km out of town. We got a ride on one of the bicycle with a seat at the back for Bh50 return. It was a bit squeezy for two but it was fun. We expected a big tree but we found out that this Banian is in fact a park on its own as it covers a very big area (see picture) where people come to relax or pray. Back in Phimai we caught a bus to Nakhon Ratchasima and in Nakhon Rachasima we straight caught a bus to Nang Rong our final destination for the day (Bh70, 2h trip). This trip was very painful as we had already been in buses for 15 hours in the last 24 hours! Moreover the TV was playing Karaoke and the volume was very high. All the songs have the same melodies and are about love stories....even if we cannot understand Thai the stories are very easy to guess from the videos. We were glad to arrive in Nang Rong even if the town is far from being an exciting destination. There is only one guesthouse in town, Honey Inn, a clean place managed by a nice family (10min walk from the bus station). It was great to finally rest after all this time spent in buses!
The Prasat Hin Phimai, a Khmer temple that has been well restored, is very nice (entrance fee Bh40). Another thing to see in Phimai is a 350 years old giant Banian (Ficus Religiosa) called Sai Ngam, located 2km out of town. We got a ride on one of the bicycle with a seat at the back for Bh50 return. It was a bit squeezy for two but it was fun. We expected a big tree but we found out that this Banian is in fact a park on its own as it covers a very big area (see picture) where people come to relax or pray. Back in Phimai we caught a bus to Nakhon Ratchasima and in Nakhon Rachasima we straight caught a bus to Nang Rong our final destination for the day (Bh70, 2h trip). This trip was very painful as we had already been in buses for 15 hours in the last 24 hours! Moreover the TV was playing Karaoke and the volume was very high. All the songs have the same melodies and are about love stories....even if we cannot understand Thai the stories are very easy to guess from the videos. We were glad to arrive in Nang Rong even if the town is far from being an exciting destination. There is only one guesthouse in town, Honey Inn, a clean place managed by a nice family (10min walk from the bus station). It was great to finally rest after all this time spent in buses!
