Phanom Sawai Forest Park
A Low Hill Near Town with a Big Buddha, Viewpoints and Space to Unwind

🔄 Updated 21 Jun 2026

Surin is mostly flat country, without the big mountains you find up north. So its nature scene leans more toward easy spots near town than hard forest treks, and the first place Surin people think of is Phanom Sawai Forest Park, a low hill in the middle of the fields that you can spot from far off. It has Buddha images to pay respects to, bells to ring and a city viewpoint at the top. Locals drive up in the early morning before the sun gets strong, or come in the evening to catch the breeze.

The name "Phanom Sawai" comes from Khmer: phanom means mountain and sawai means mango, so together it's Mango Hill. Locals shorten it to Khao Sawai. The forest park covers around 1,975 rai, spread across Na Bua and Sawai subdistricts in Mueang district. It's an old volcano that went extinct long ago, with three low connected peaks, which is why people often call it the three-peaked hill.

The Three Peaks — What's on Each One

Phanom Sawai has three peaks, each named in Khmer. The one people climb most is Phanom Pro, or the Male Hill, about 220 metres high, home to the giant Phra Phuttha Surin Mongkol that's the main draw here. Phanom Sarai, or the Female Hill, holds Wat Phanom Silaram with the middle Buddha image, plus an ancient pond tied to the stone-turtle legend. The last peak is Phanom Krol, or the Pen Hill, the smallest of the group.

The good thing here is you don't have to slog up the hill, because there's a road you can drive right up to park near the key spots. If you fancy some exercise you can take the stairs, and if you're with older relatives or kids you can drive up, park at the top and walk just a short way. It suits an easygoing half-day visit.

The Big Buddha, Phra Phuttha Surin Mongkol

What people come to Khao Sawai to pay respects to is Phra Phuttha Surin Mongkol, or as locals call it, the Big Buddha. It's a large white Buddha in the blessing pose, standing prominently on the Male Hill and visible from a distance as you drive in. Stairs lead up to the statue, and a spot many people love is the open area behind it, which doubles as a viewpoint over Surin town and the wide paddy fields in every direction. In the morning or evening when the sun is soft and the breeze is cool, it's the most popular photo spot on the hill.

The way up to the Big Buddha is a long staircase lined on both sides with bells. People like to walk up ringing them one after another for good fortune, and the steady chiming all the way up gives it a different feel from a normal hill climb. Ring every last one and you'll have got in a decent workout too.

The Stone Turtles and the Town's Sacred Sites

Beyond the Big Buddha, Khao Sawai gathers a number of sacred sites that Surin people hold as guardians of the town. Many make a point of paying respects at all nine of them according to belief: the Big Buddha, a replica Buddha footprint, the relics of Luang Pu Dun Atulo, the black Buddha image, the Guan Yin shrine, the Phanom Sawai stone sanctuary and the sacred pond. You can walk and pay respects at each of them in one round.

Another favourite photo stop is the pair of stone turtles on the hillside. As the legend goes, they were sacred turtles that once lived in the ancient pond on the Female Hill. When disaster struck they set off down the hill together, but turned to stone halfway, becoming the two large stone turtles you see today. It's the hill's signature tale, and people like to bring the kids along to hear it.

What You'll Find on Khao Sawai

Opening Hours, Entry Fee and Getting There

Phanom Sawai Forest Park sits in Na Bua subdistrict, Mueang Surin district, about 25 kilometres from the town centre. Drive out of town along the Surin–Prasat road, then turn off at the junction for Khao Sawai; it takes around half an hour. The route is easy to drive with signs all the way. If you're not driving yourself, hiring a car or motorbike from town is the easiest option, since there's no public bus that goes right up to the hill.

• Opening hours — daily, around 8:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.
• Entry fee — about 20 THB per person
• Distance — about 25 km from Surin town, around half an hour by car
• Contact — forest park office, tel. 044 518 132
• Way up — you can drive up to the top, or take the bell-lined stairs up to the Big Buddha

When to Go

Khao Sawai is fine to visit year-round, but the most comfortable times are early morning before 10 a.m. or evening after 3 p.m., when the sun is soft and the breeze comes through nicely. Midday brings strong sun and that hot Isan heat, so the stairs feel tiring. In the rainy season the trees are lush green and the air is cooler, but the steps can get slippery, so take care going up and down.

If you want the lively atmosphere of a merit-making festival, try coming during the Khao Sawai pilgrimage held each year around April. Locals climb up to pay respects to the Buddha and the nine sacred sites, with processions and folk performances, and the mood is very different from an ordinary day. But it gets crowded and the car park fills up, so come a little early.

What to Pair with Phanom Sawai

Khao Sawai really only takes about half a day, so it pairs well with other spots near town to round out a full day. On the way back into town, stop by Huai Saneng Reservoir, which locals call the Surin Sea, to sit by the water in the breeze or watch the sunset. Earlier in the day you might drop in on the Ban Tha Sawang silk-weaving village on the same side, then head back into town for a Lower Isan dinner. It makes for a tidy afternoon half-day plan.