Buri Ram Columnar Basalt

Hexagonal basalt columns line the walls of a former stone quarry at Ban Khok Ma Ka Horn, in Sadao subdistrict outside Nang Rong. Locals compare the rock face to the Gerduberg cliffs in Iceland: lava cooled and contracted into tightly packed six-sided columns as it solidified. The exposed section covers about seven rai (1.1 hectares), with the old quarry pit dropping more than 20 metres. Entry is free and there’s no set closing time — people visit during daylight hours.

A Quarry Site Rediscovered

Older residents of the area, now in their 70s, remember the site as “Khok Goen” long before anyone called it a geological attraction — a patch of ground where outside crews set up camp to break stone and haul it out by ox cart, selling it for around 30 baht a pile. Quarrying exposed the columnar rock face rather than creating it, which is why the basalt looks freshly cut in places even though the lava that formed it is ancient. Buriram Rajabhat University’s local research centre now documents the formation as one of the more complete columnar basalt exposures in northeastern Thailand.

What You’ll See

The columns vary in height and width across the exposed wall, some barely knee-high, others rising several metres from the quarry floor. Cracks between individual columns are tight and regular enough that the wall reads as deliberately built stonework from a distance — only up close does the natural fracturing become obvious. The quarry pit holds water at various points depending on the season, reflecting the columns and doubling their visual effect in photographs.

Atmosphere & Timing

There’s no shade over the main viewing area, so the site gets uncomfortably hot by late morning in the hot season (March-May). Early morning or late afternoon light rakes across the column faces at a low angle, which photographs better than the flat midday sun. Visitor numbers are low outside weekends — this remains a niche stop even within Buriram, well behind Phanom Rung and the Chang International Circuit on most itineraries.

Insider Tip: Combine the visit with Khao Angkhan, an extinct volcano roughly 30 minutes away, to see the wider volcanic landscape that produced both sites in one trip.

Practical

The site sits down local roads off the main Nang Rong routes, with limited signage — a GPS pin or a local guide saves time. There’s no public transport, so a car or motorbike is the only practical way in. Wear closed shoes; the quarry floor is uneven rock, not a paved path.

Watch out: Because the pit holds water seasonally and the rock edges are uneven, keep children away from the drop into the old quarry — there’s no railing.

The formation sits within day-trip range of Phanom Rung Historical Park and Khao Angkhan, making it an easy add-on for anyone already exploring Buriram’s temple and volcano circuit.