🔄 Updated 21 Jun 2026
Korat's attractions are spread out, because the province is huge. The inner ring is the city itself, home to the Ya Mo monument, temples, and food districts. Head north and you reach Phimai with its Khmer stone sanctuary; to the southwest is Khao Yai and the nature routes along the Pak Chong district line. The most enjoyable way to plan is by zone — don't try to dash across the province and back in a single day, since the distances are longer than they look.
Top things to do in Korat (ordered by how often they come up)
The list below isn't a ranking of which place is better than another — it's ordered by how often first-time visitors to Korat tend not to skip them. Pick and mix to build your days around your own style. Entry fees and opening hours are rough figures, so double-check before you go since they can change.
Khao Yai National Park
A vast forest known worldwide as a natural World Heritage site. The air turns cool at the end of the rainy season into early winter, and the highlights are Haew Suwat Waterfall, the Pha Diao Dai viewpoint, and the evening wildlife-spotting routes. The main entrance is on the Pak Chong side, and you can easily fill a full day here.
Phimai Historical Park (Phimai stone sanctuary)
The largest Khmer stone sanctuary in Thailand, around a thousand years old, and a template for the layout used before Angkor Wat. You can take your time walking the sandstone main prang and the carved reliefs. It sits in the middle of Phimai town, and since the midday sun is harsh, go in the morning or late afternoon.
Thao Suranari Monument (Ya Mo)
The monument that Korat locals hold dear, standing in front of Chumphon Gate in the city center. People come to make vows and give thanks here every day, and the surrounding area is full of food stalls and markets, so you can pay your respects and then move straight on to Isan food in the same spot.
Wat Ban Rai (Luang Pho Khun)
A famous temple tied to the revered monk Luang Pho Khun Parisuttho, in Dan Khun Thot district. The highlight is the Thep Witthayakhom shrine, shaped like a naga and covered in mosaics depicting the life of the Buddha across its entire surface. People come to make merit and pray for fortune and luck. It's fairly far from the city.
Petrified Wood Museum
One of only a few petrified wood museums in the world, displaying fossils, ancient elephants, and dinosaurs unearthed in the Korat area. It's part of the Khorat UNESCO Global Geopark and is a good place to bring kids to learn. It's not far from the city.
Prasat Phanom Wan
A sandstone Khmer sanctuary out in the fields at Ban Pho subdistrict. It's another large Khmer ruin that fewer people make it to, with a calmer atmosphere than Phimai. It suits anyone who likes photographing ruins without the crowds, and it's on the way to Phimai.
Lam Takhong Dam
A large dam along the Mittraphap Highway around the Sikhio–Pak Chong stretch, with a wide reservoir view backed by mountains. There's the Lam Takhong wind-turbine viewpoint and cafes by the dam, making it a good stop to break the drive up to Khao Yai — take photos and catch the cool breeze.
Nakhon Ratchasima Zoo (Korat Zoo)
A large open zoo in Mueang district, with both a drive-through safari zone and a walking zone. Animals range from giraffes and zebras to rhinos, and it suits families and kids for a full day out. A shuttle takes you around the grounds.
Vineyards and farms around Pak Chong–Khao Yai
The Pak Chong area is a hub of wineries and farms open to visitors — grape vineyards making wine, sheep farms, and mushroom farms. You can walk the plots, taste the produce, and photograph the mountain views. It pairs well with a Khao Yai and cafe trip.
Old town and Chumphon Gate
The only old city gate left in Korat, paired with the Ya Mo monument. Around it are the Ya Mo plaza, markets, and traditional food shops. It's a nice place to stroll and take in the town in the evening, with both savory dishes and sweets to try.
Waterfalls in Khao Yai (Haew Suwat–Haew Narok)
Several tiered waterfalls inside Khao Yai. Haew Suwat is an easy walk and great for photos, while Haew Narok is a tall waterfall that takes a bit of hiking to reach. The end of the rainy season has the most water and the best look. Pair them with a Khao Yai day trip.
Pak Thong Chai silk village
A well-known silk-weaving district in Pak Thong Chai. Watch the weaving process and buy silk and handmade gifts at source prices. It suits anyone who loves craft work and wants souvenirs with a story behind them. It's to the south of the city.
Planning tip
Korat is a big province and the attractions lie in different directions. Phimai is to the north, Khao Yai is to the southwest near Pak Chong, and Wat Ban Rai is to the northwest. Plan your trip zone by zone, one zone per day, and don't bounce back and forth — you'll spend more time in the car than sightseeing. Without your own vehicle, Khao Yai and Phimai are best done with a rental car or a join-in tour.
Want more out of Nakhon Ratchasima? Book tours & activities
Booking online ahead on Klook or GetYourGuide is usually cheaper than the gate and skips the queue. Pick only the experiences you actually want — prices and availability are shown live on each site.
For nature lovers and Khao Yai
If you're leaning toward nature, Khao Yai is the heart of Korat — a vast forest with cool air in winter, waterfalls, viewpoints, and wildlife-spotting routes. The surrounding Pak Chong area is packed with wineries, farms, and cafes with mountain views. Choose based on the energy and time you have.
Khao Yai (Pak Chong entrance)
A World Heritage forest with Haew Suwat Waterfall, Pha Diao Dai, and evening wildlife spotting — good for a full day. The air is cool from late rainy season into early winter.
Lam Takhong Dam
A wide reservoir view backed by mountains, with wind turbines and cafes by the dam. A handy stop to break the drive up to Khao Yai.
Pak Chong farms and wineries
Grape vineyards making wine, sheep farms, and mushroom farms — taste the produce and photograph the mountain views. Easy to combine with a cafe trip.
Petrified Wood Museum
Fossils, ancient elephants, and Korat dinosaurs — part of the global geopark and a good place to bring kids to learn.
For stone sanctuaries and culture
Korat is a land of Khmer civilization, with stone sanctuaries scattered in several places. Phimai stone sanctuary is the most striking and the largest in Thailand, while Prasat Phanom Wan is quieter and suits history lovers. For faith and luck, there's Wat Ban Rai and the Ya Mo monument to pray at — dress respectfully when entering religious sites.
- Phimai stone sanctuary — the largest Khmer sanctuary in Thailand, around a thousand years old, a template built before Angkor Wat
- Prasat Phanom Wan — a sandstone sanctuary out in the fields, quiet and less visited
- Wat Ban Rai — Luang Pho Khun's naga shrine, popular for praying for fortune and luck
- Thao Suranari Monument — Ya Mo, the city's guardian figure, in the city center, busy with people giving thanks every day
For city life, markets, and food
The other side of Korat is easygoing city life. The Ya Mo area is the hub, with markets, traditional food shops, and the famous local dish, pad mee Korat. Strolling around Chumphon Gate in the evening has a nice atmosphere, and it's a good fit for a day when you want to rest your legs from longer trips.
- Ya Mo plaza–Chumphon Gate — the city center, nice for an evening stroll, with food around the plaza
- Save One Market (night) — a big night market with food and shopping covered
- Pad mee Korat — the city's signature dish, stir-fried rice vermicelli with a well-balanced flavor, found all over town
- Korat souvenirs — Korat noodles, Chinese sausage, and Pak Thong Chai silk to take home
Try an easy day-by-day plan
Here's a sample three-day plan split clearly by zone: a city-and-sanctuary day, a full Khao Yai day, and a faith-and-luck day. Adjust the timings to suit you on the ground. Having your own car or a rental makes it far smoother, since the attractions are spread far apart.
Old town + Phimai
A full day at Khao Yai
Faith and luck + souvenirs
Getting around the province
In the city, songthaews and Grab are good enough, but attractions like Khao Yai, Phimai, and Wat Ban Rai are far out and public transport is inconvenient. We'd recommend renting a car or joining a day tour. If you're coming from Bangkok, driving yourself is the smoothest option, since the Mittraphap Highway reaches every zone.
Want a full day-by-day plan for Korat?
See the Korat travel guide →