Sikhio Stone Quarry Site

A sandstone hill beside Wat Khao Thong Wanaram on Mittraphap Road still carries the tool marks of the Khmer stonecutters who quarried it roughly 800-1,100 years ago. The blocks cut here went into regional temple complexes — Prasat Muang Khaek and Prasat Hua Sa among them — before the quarry fell silent when Khmer temple-building in the area stopped in the early 13th century. Entry is free.

The rock face is scored with rows of chisel grooves where workers cut channels, then split the stone into rectangular blocks — some square, some more like cubes. Several pot-shaped depressions, the deepest around 120 cm and up to 165 cm across, mark spots where extraction was abandoned partway through. A handful of blocks sit half-cut and never removed, left exactly where the last chisel stroke landed. The site covers roughly a thousand square metres of exposed stone, recognised today as a geosite within the Khorat UNESCO Global Geopark for its combined archaeological and geological value.

There’s no ticket gate, no gift shop, and usually no other visitors — this is a quiet stop rather than a staged attraction. Walking the quarry face takes twenty minutes or so; the appeal is in reading the tool marks rather than covering ground. Shade is limited on the exposed rock, so the cooler hours either side of midday make for a more comfortable visit.

Insider Tip: The grooves are easiest to read in low, raking light — early morning or late afternoon sun picks out the chisel marks far better than the flat light of midday.

Watch out: The stone surface is uneven and can be slick after rain — wear shoes with grip rather than sandals.

The quarry sits on Mittraphap Road (Highway 2) between km 205 and 207 in Sikhio District, an easy detour by car or motorbike from Pak Chong or the Khao Yai area, and close to the Lumtakong Dam and Wat Khao Chan Ngam if you’re building out a Sikhio-area loop. Pair it with a temple stop rather than treating it as a half-day destination — most visitors are done in under an hour.