Phanom Sawai Forest Park

Phanom Sawai Forest Park is three hills, not a ruin — a common mix-up given how many Surin listings describe it as an archaeological site. What’s actually here is Buddhist: three linked peaks (Phanom Prao at 220m, Phanom Sarai at 210m, and Phanom Kron at 150m) each topped with its own temple or shrine, about 25km from Surin town. Admission is 20 THB for Thai nationals and 100 THB for foreign visitors, open daily 8:30am to 4:30pm.

The main climb goes up Phanom Prao, a brick staircase lined with 1,080 small bells that visitors ring on the way up — some vendors near the base sell a striking stick for around 50 THB if you don’t want to use your hand. At the top, Wat Phanom Sawai houses Phra Phuttha Surinthara Mongkhon, a large white Buddha image in the blessing gesture, said to enshrine relics at the navel along with King Rama IX’s royal cipher. The views from here run out across Surin’s rice-field countryside rather than jungle canopy — this is farmland, not forest, by the time you reach the summit.

The second peak, Phanom Sarai, holds Wat Phanom Silaram and a more modestly sized Buddha image, plus two ponds that locals describe as home to sacred turtles — feeding them is a common small ritual among visiting pilgrims. The third and lowest peak, Phanom Kron, is where Sala Atthamuk stands: a memorial pavilion built for the Rattanakosin Bicentennial that enshrines a replica of the Buddha’s footprint.

Insider Tip: Come on the first waxing-moon day of the fifth lunar month (usually March or April) and you’ll see the site as locals do — crowds climb all three hills in one visit to pay respects at nine sacred points, a pilgrimage day rather than a quiet forest walk. Any other time of year, the site is far calmer.

Bring water and comfortable shoes for the staircase; there’s little shade on the exposed upper sections. Combine the visit with the genuine Khmer ruins at Prasat Hin Ban Phluang or a stop at the Surin National Museum to round out a day around the province.