It is easy to see why Thailand has long been a major vacation place for the entire world. The people here are friendly in a way that is in marked contrast to other destinations in Asia, and it gets even better outside of Bangkok and the major tourist areas. It will be a long time, if ever, before Nang Rong and Buriram are considered major tourist destinations. The beautiful environment and pleasant climate are well kept secrets!
On the other hand, Nang Rong is an ancient city of great historical significance. It was an important station along the path of Hindu pilgimage, which begins at Phi Mai in Nakorn Ratchasima Province, passes through Nang Rong to the impressive Phnom Rung Temple and fortress, crosses the nearby border into Cambodia and continues on to the famous Angkor Wat, part of the ancient Hindu Kingdom. Some significant sites, even archeological diggings of villages with human remains and artifacts thousands of years old, are within a few minutes Nang Rong. Not to mention the many long and winding routes through picturesque villages and green countryside fed by numerous rivers and canals.
As you would guess, the pace of everyday life is slow, with the morning and afternoon markets among the social centers of town. You can buy highest quality silk cloth directly from the small co-ops of nearby village women who grow the worms, spin the thread and weave the cloth. Buriram City, the capital of our province, is a little over a half hour away. There you can visit the large chain stores for discount shopping, hamburgers, pizza, etc. Still, if you need to hit a major shopping center, with movies, McDonald and the whole works... an hour’s drive will take you to Korat, with a population of nearly 200,000. It is four lane highway all the way.
The months of April and May can be quite hot. The rainy, or monsoon, season is June to the end of September. Even then it usually rains only once a day, and usually less than a half hour. There are few “rainy days” where it does little else. The winter season from November to March, is outstanding. The daily highs are in the 70’s and 80’s, dry and sunny, and some evenings and nights are crisp.. but never freezing. It is difficult to find better weather anywhere. Those from yellow jacket plagued areas of the U.S. will be surprised to find fewer bothersome insects here. Nearly all restaurants are completely open to the outdoors day and night, but rare is the occasion that insects become guests at a meal.
Nang Rong has some modern conveniences such as ATM’s, but we do not yet have any chain restaurants or stores except for Seven Eleven's and a recently added KFC. Getting Thai food is easy. Nearly all restaurants are Thai restaurants, but they do know how to accommodate foreign visitors! The food is safe. Anything you get in any restaurant that we have experienced, from the food on your plate to the ice in your glass, is safe for consumption.
