Wat Khao Angkarn

Wat Khao Angkarn sits on the summit of Khao Angkarn, an extinct volcano in Chaloem Phra Kiat district, Buriram province — about 20 km past Phanom Rung Historical Park on the same road, and roughly 60 km from Buriram city. Entry is free and the temple is open daily 08:00-17:00.

The hill’s dark, weathered volcanic rock has been a sacred site since the Dvaravati-Khmer period (8th-9th century), though almost nothing from that era survives above ground. The main sanctuary standing today is a 1980s reconstruction, its exterior busy with colour and gilding in a mixed Thai-Chinese style rather than the plainer Isan temple look found elsewhere in the province. Alongside it sits a 29-metre gold reclining Buddha — a more recent addition — and a small Chinese-style pagoda. A steep stairway climbs from the car park to the summit buildings, past dark volcanic outcrops that give the hill its name (Khao Angkarn translates roughly to “charcoal hill”).

Insider Tip: Combine the visit with Phanom Rung Historical Park earlier in the day — the light for photos at both sites is best in the first couple of hours after sunrise, and you’ll want the cooler air before the stair climb.

Few visitors make it out this far, so the hilltop stays quiet even by temple standards — no queues, no vendors crowding the entrance, just the views over the surrounding rice paddies and plains. That isolation cuts both ways: there’s no restaurant or shop on site, and no shade over most of the stairway.

Watch out: there’s no public transport to Wat Khao Angkarn — you need your own vehicle, and the final approach is a genuine climb, not a stroll. Wear shoes with grip and bring water.

Dress modestly (covered shoulders and knees) and remove shoes before entering any of the temple buildings, as at any Thai wat. Most visitors fold Wat Khao Angkarn into a longer day around Nang Rong, pairing it with the Khmer ruins at Phanom Rung Historical Park and a short stop at Thung Laem Reservoir on the way back toward Buriram city.