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3 days 2 nights

(Recommended for children and family)

Start on highway No 304 (Nakhon Ratchasima- Pak Thong Chai). At 108-109 km, you will pass Pak Thong Chai Hospital (044-441-011). Turn right at 121 km, heading in the direction of Suranari University of Technology (Entrance 2) for two km, then turn left to Mittraphap-Nong Pling Road for 7 km. You will see a sign pointing to the Petrified Wood Museum on your left.

The Petrified Wood Museum is located on Mittraphap- Nong Pling Road, Mu 7, Ban Krok Duean Ha, Tambon Suranari, Muang district, Nakhon Ratchasima. It comprises three interesting buildings:

Petrified Wood Museum: This is the first museum of gigantic ancient plants in Asia and one in seven such museums in the world. Located is a petrified wood, 1.3 metres in diameter and also an exhibition of the origin of petrified wood in Khorat, wood petrified turning into gems, petrified wood from the palm family.

Ancient Elephant Museum: Khorat had eight out of 42 genus of ancient elephants around the world. Most of them are older than mammoths in Siberia and North America. You will find a gigantic elephant model with exhibits of genuine elephant trunk and skeleton as well as petrified 1.53-metre long elephant ivory.

Dinosaur Museum: It showcases the real-size multimedia presentation of six varieties of Korat dinosaurs living 100 million years ago, including Iguanodon, Siammotyrannus and Siamosaurus. More than 100 carnivore dinosaur teeth are also displayed.

The museum opens daily from 9am to 4pm.

For more information, call 044-216-617-18, 044-216620-21.

After leaving the Petrified Wood Museum, turn right towards Kham Thale So and Dan Khun Thot districts. When you see the road diversion, take the route on your right. Turn right again and follow the road until you meet Mittraphap Road, then turn left. Follow the sign to highway No 2068 and take the U-turn flyover, then turn left to highway No 2068. Cross over the railway line. The road changes to a two-lane road. You will pass Kham Thale So Police Station (0-4439-7321, 0-4433-3258) after three km.

When you reach 20 km, take a left turn into Dan Khun Thot district. Enjoy the scenery of rice fields on both sides of the road. When passing 4 km, you will pass Luangphorkhoon Prarisuttho Technical College. At the end of the T-junction is the Dan Khun Thot district office. Take a right turn past Dan Khun Thot Hospital (0-4447-9396) into highway No 201.

Cross the bridge and past Chaiyaphum-Ram Hospital (0-4481-3666, 0-4483-6799) around km 116, go straight until you meet Nonhy five-pronged junction. Drive straight past Krung Thai and Siam Commercial Banks, and you will find Phraya Phakdi Chumphon (Lae) monument at Sun Ratchakan roundabout on the way into the city. The people of Chaiyaphum built it to honour the city’s founder. While the Chaiyaphum Police Station is not far away (0-4481-1318), you can visit and pay homage to the monument, before finding accommodation for the night. This monument is at Sun Ratchakan roundabout on the way into the city.

On the second day of the trip, you can experience the atmosphere of the fresh market in the morning and also learn about the lifestyle of the people in Muang district, who live not so far away from the Phraya Phakdi Chumphon (Lae) monument. After that, head for Prang Ku by driving to the left of the monument for about two km. Located in Ban Nong Bua, Tambon Nai Mueang, Prang Ku is a Khmer sanctuary built in 18th Buddhist century as an Arogayasala or Ancient Hospital. Besides supporting evidence of such historical information, lintel pictures and other architecture composition were also found.

Follow the road until you reach highway No 202. Turn left on the main road, passing Chaiyaphum bus station. Take a left turn at the T-junction and follow highway No 201. Turn right at the T-junction past Chaiyaphum Hospital (0-4481-1061, 0-4483-7100-4). Go straight and you will find Cho Raka intersection, and then take highway No 2051. The road will become one-lane on each side. You can see the 6km mark.

When you reach 13 km, you will pass Chaiyaphum Rajabhat University and find a rest area. Go straight and you will enter the Tat Ton National Park. The road is winding uphill and downhill. You need to drive carefully with a lower gear. Watch out for vehicles from the opposite direction, switch to a lower gear and follow the traffic signs.

The entrance fee for the Tat Ton National Park is Bt40 for Thai adults, Bt20 for Thai children, Bt200 for foreign adults and Bt100 for foreign children. The entrance fee for one vehicle is Bt30. Food, consumer products and souvenirs are available in the national park compound. This is a restricted no-littering area. Therefore, food is prohibited in the waterfall areas.

Tat Ton Waterfall is one of the best waterfalls in Thailand. The water here cascades down wide rock plateaus, creating breathtaking scenery. The waterfall is at its best from April to September. The atmosphere is cool and pleasant. Nearby, Chao Pho Tat Ton (Duang) Shrine is also revered by people of Chaiyaphum and adjacent provinces.

From Tat Ton Waterfall, after 22 km, turn right towards Mo Hin Khao (Stonehenge of Thailand). When you turn right, you are on a rural, two-way asphalt road. Parts of the road climb uphill. When you reach 9 km, turn left and follow the road for 10 km. The last 6 km is non-asphalt road.

Mo Hin Khao – the amazing one-million-year-old standing stones – is in the Phu Laen Kha National Park, Ban Wang Kham Kaen Village, Tambon Tha Hin Ngom. It is naturally formed with five well-arrange gigantic standing stones and is about 12 metres high. It would take about 22 people embracing to cover the perimeter of the largest stones of Mo Hin Khao. There are also groups of giant stones forming strange and interesting shapes.

Another stone ground is sometimes called Pha Kluai Mai (the Cliff of Orchids) as it is home to lineages of orchids and wild flowers such as Ueang Mai Na (Crape Ginger), Ueang Mah Wing (Doritis Pulcherrima) and Kradum Ngern(Eriocauulon smitinandii Moldenke). They blossom in the transition period of rainy season and winter from September to October.

Further, you can see Pha Hua Nark (the Cliff of Naga), which is a cliff with a Naga-like head pointing to the West. This is another excellent place to watch the sunset. Many people call Mo Hin Khao the Stonehenge of Thailand. The stones are estimated to be 175 million to 195 million years old formed by the sediment accumulation of silt and clay sediment.

The last 6 km of the road is still a non-asphalt road. The place has not been officially announced as a tourist attraction as many things are under development. However, tourists can visit and stay overnight there.

The vehicles driven there should be four-wheel-drive. Travelling by car, and during rainy season, is not recommended as the vehicle could be stuck in mud holes.

Accommodation

Siam River Resort on Bunnakan Road, Chaiyaphum; Tel 0-4481-1999; Rate: Bt900-2,000

Lert Nimit Hotel, Chaiyaphum; Tel 0-4481-1522-3

Restaurant

Choraka Larb Koi (Choraka Minced Meat) on Bunnakan Road, Chaiyaphum. All dishes cost Bt50 each. Tel 08-7246-7951, 08-4067-7834

Song Lok Suay restaurant on Chaiyaphum-San Chao Pho road; Tel 0-4483-7155-6

Hong Te Noodle House: Tel 0-4487-5607

Tourism Information Service

Chaiyaphum Tourism Information Centre: Tel 0-4481-2516, 0-4481-1376