GETTING THERE

Buriram Airport is the gateway to Thailand’s lower northeast region, with 50-minute domestic flights connecting it with Bangkok’s Don Mueang International Airport. Together, budget carriers

Thai AirAsia ( airasia.com) and Nok Air ( nokair.com) fly the route five times a day. Hour-long transfers to nearby Surin by airconditioned coach or van can be arranged through either airline. For those who prefer to travel overland, Nakhon Ratchasima (Khorat) is a five-hour train ride from Bangkok. Timetables and fares are posted on the website of the State Railway of Thailand ( railway.co.th).

GETTING AROUND

Taxis are probably the quickest and most convenient way to travel between points of interest. Buriram is well positioned as a hub for explorations of the countryside and neighboring provinces; both Phanom Rung and Surin are just an hour’s drive from town, Phimai is 1.5 hours down the road, and Nakhon Ratchasima is about two hours away by train.

WHEN TO GO

The Phanom Rung Festival takes place in April and October, typically on the first or second weekend of those months. Motorsport enthusiasts should not miss the PTT Thailand Grand Prix ( motogp

.com) at Buriram’s Chang International Circuit from October 4–6. Promising to be bigger and even better than last year’s inaugural run, which marked the first time the MotoGP held a race in Thailand, the event will see Spanish star rider Marc Márquez defending his title against the likes of Valentino Rossi and up-and-coming figures such as Fabio Quartararo.