Practical Information
The temple compound is open every day except Monday:
*** Tuesday to Friday from 10 to 16
*** Saturday, Sunday, and Thai holidays from 9 to 17
*** Monday: closed
The Elephant Temple is new addition to the compound. Construction of the temple lasted almost three years, from 2011 to 2013.
Entrance to the Elephant Temple is free, but you are invited to make a donation to the temple and to buy some of the products which are on sale.
When you get to the entrance, you will be asked to sit in a waiting area. At short intervals a guide will lead a group of 20-30 visitors across the bridge to the temple.
The tour begins with a walk along the circular façade. The next stage takes you inside the temple: a walk along the spiral ramp which leads to the upper floors of the temple. From the top floor you descend again via the spiral ramp.
When you are back on the ground floor, you can visit the great hall with the lotus flower and six huge paintings on the walls. The final stage of the tour is a visit to the underground room.
You may follow the guide all the way, but you do not have to. Once you are inside the temple, you may leave the group and walk around to study the impressive decorations at your own pace.
Please note: the guiding is only in Thai. There is no English guide is available here. Most labels are written only in Thai, but occasionally there is a bi-lingual label with text in Thai and English.
It is recommended that you visit this destination in the company of one or several Thai persons who can read the labels for you and explain the importance of the place to you.
Entrance to the museum is free, but you are invited to make a donation before you enter the main building.
There is a lot to see and do here. Set aside two or three hours to visit the Elephant Temple and one hour to visit the museum. Add one hour if you wish to have lunch here.
Wat Ban Rai is a popular destination, but parking is no problem. There is a huge car park and security guides will direct visitors to a vacant area of the car park as they arrive. There are public toilets next to the car park. Next to the temple compound there are several shops and a restaurant.
Directions
Wat Ban Rai is located in Dan Khun Thot district, ca. 80 km northwest of Nakhon Ratchasima, usually known as Khorat (the nickname is formed by taking the last syllable of the first word and the first syllable of the last word). This place is worth a visit, if you are in Thailand. However, you must be aware that it is difficult to get there by public transport. You will need to have your own car to get to this destination.
Leave Khorat from the northeast corner of the city, going north towards Chayaphum on route 205. After a while you will see a sign for Kham Thale So. Turn left here and follow route 2198 towards this town. Just before Kham Thale So you will see a sign for Dan Khun Thot. Turn right here and follow route 2068, later 2148, towards this town.
In Dan Khun Thot you will pass a charming park next to a lake on your left-hand side and then reach a T-junction with a traffic light. Turn right here and follow route 201 for a short while, maybe only 200 m. Now turn left and follow route 2217 to the temple. The distance from Dan Khun Thot to the temple is 11 km.
Please note: most road signs are bi-lingual, i.e. they are written in Thai and English (with Latin letters), but some signs are written only in Thai. In Dan Khun Thot the sign for Wat Ban Rai is only written in Thai.
Here is my recommendation: drive from Khorat to Wat Ban Rai from 09 to 11. Visit the temple compound and have lunch there from 11 to 16. Drive back to Khorat from 16 to 18.
The temple compound is open every day except Monday:
*** Tuesday to Friday from 10 to 16
*** Saturday, Sunday, and Thai holidays from 9 to 17
*** Monday: closed
The Elephant Temple is new addition to the compound. Construction of the temple lasted almost three years, from 2011 to 2013.
Entrance to the Elephant Temple is free, but you are invited to make a donation to the temple and to buy some of the products which are on sale.
When you get to the entrance, you will be asked to sit in a waiting area. At short intervals a guide will lead a group of 20-30 visitors across the bridge to the temple.
The tour begins with a walk along the circular façade. The next stage takes you inside the temple: a walk along the spiral ramp which leads to the upper floors of the temple. From the top floor you descend again via the spiral ramp.
When you are back on the ground floor, you can visit the great hall with the lotus flower and six huge paintings on the walls. The final stage of the tour is a visit to the underground room.
You may follow the guide all the way, but you do not have to. Once you are inside the temple, you may leave the group and walk around to study the impressive decorations at your own pace.
Please note: the guiding is only in Thai. There is no English guide is available here. Most labels are written only in Thai, but occasionally there is a bi-lingual label with text in Thai and English.
It is recommended that you visit this destination in the company of one or several Thai persons who can read the labels for you and explain the importance of the place to you.
Entrance to the museum is free, but you are invited to make a donation before you enter the main building.
There is a lot to see and do here. Set aside two or three hours to visit the Elephant Temple and one hour to visit the museum. Add one hour if you wish to have lunch here.
Wat Ban Rai is a popular destination, but parking is no problem. There is a huge car park and security guides will direct visitors to a vacant area of the car park as they arrive. There are public toilets next to the car park. Next to the temple compound there are several shops and a restaurant.
Directions
Wat Ban Rai is located in Dan Khun Thot district, ca. 80 km northwest of Nakhon Ratchasima, usually known as Khorat (the nickname is formed by taking the last syllable of the first word and the first syllable of the last word). This place is worth a visit, if you are in Thailand. However, you must be aware that it is difficult to get there by public transport. You will need to have your own car to get to this destination.
Leave Khorat from the northeast corner of the city, going north towards Chayaphum on route 205. After a while you will see a sign for Kham Thale So. Turn left here and follow route 2198 towards this town. Just before Kham Thale So you will see a sign for Dan Khun Thot. Turn right here and follow route 2068, later 2148, towards this town.
In Dan Khun Thot you will pass a charming park next to a lake on your left-hand side and then reach a T-junction with a traffic light. Turn right here and follow route 201 for a short while, maybe only 200 m. Now turn left and follow route 2217 to the temple. The distance from Dan Khun Thot to the temple is 11 km.
Please note: most road signs are bi-lingual, i.e. they are written in Thai and English (with Latin letters), but some signs are written only in Thai. In Dan Khun Thot the sign for Wat Ban Rai is only written in Thai.
Here is my recommendation: drive from Khorat to Wat Ban Rai from 09 to 11. Visit the temple compound and have lunch there from 11 to 16. Drive back to Khorat from 16 to 18.
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