Living as a Single Farang in the Jungle: Visit to the city of Buriram and its surroundings
There is not much to see in the city itself. The city needs a thorough refurbishment and gives a more or less desolate, outdated impression. The race track is only interesting when a race is taking place. It is a circuit that has received the highest qualification and which is hoped to win a Formula 1 race at world level.
Same with the football stadium, if there is no football match, then there is not much to do there either. It's a nice stadium. In addition to the large parking lot of the football stadium, however, there is a large shopping center, the Castle Shopping Center, but neither Lung addie nor C&A had much use for it. After all, shopping centers can be found everywhere. There was a beautiful park that we did have an eye for. The decoration consisted of statues depicting the Kamazutra. The surrounding park was also beautiful and had a good variety of plants. It was also very well maintained.
A visit to the silkworm museum and a subsequent visit to a silkworm farm was also on the agenda. The museum, which was quickly found, was well worth a visit. The farms were another problem. After some searching and asking, we finally found the village where the caterpillars completed their activity of silk spiders. The entrance to the village was just next to a temple. However, there was no activity in the village. Inquiries taught us that we were in the wrong season. The caterpillars were engaged in activities other than spinning beautiful yarn at this time of the year, so nothing to see…. Shame…
On the way back from the silkworm village to the city, we saw a temple, with a very special color, on top of a hilltop. It was the Wat Pah Khao Noi. A nice addition to our sightseeing trip. This temple is unique because of its color, pink-brown. Also worth a visit.
We can better visit the historical Khmer temples, located in the province of Buriram, later when we stay in Lahan Sai again. From here it is rather too far and from Lahan Sai barely a few km away, so much shorter than from the city of Buriram. There will be more to see in Buriram, but because of the short stay there, we did not really bother to see things known by the local farangs. It was even decided by C&A to leave Buriramstad a day earlier than originally planned. Two days of sightseeing turned out to be enough.
The Roy Hotel itself was good. It gives a well-maintained impression from the outside. The bathrooms could use a makeover and the terraces could also be cleaned. The breakfast was decent, but an identical buffet every day, as in many hotels. Farangs apparently only eat eggs, boiled, scrambled or fried eggs. We had dinner there once and it wasn't really what you would have expected. Lung addie did learn that the cook, who was apparently very good, had traded his desk at the hotel the day before to work elsewhere. Well, les apologies sont faites pour s΄en servir.
The City of Buriram could not really appeal to C&A or Lung Addie. The most famous department stores are represented around the city: Big C, Tesco Lotus, Home Pro, Makro…. so no lack of it.
Tomorrow we leave for Roi Et where C&A will meet a compatriot and, Lung addie, a good friend and last but not least, Lung addie will be able to enjoy culinary delights again. There are very good restaurants there and Lung Addie is looking forward to them.
Personally I think Buri Ram is one of the most pleasant cities in Isaan. Beautiful canals and nice walking around them. Not too busy not too quiet. Few high-rise buildings. Relaxed atmosphere. Not too much traffic.
Nice large swimming pool and good cheap restaurants. But yes, in the end, those towns in the Isaan do not differ that much from each other. Whoever is blindfolded somewhere will never be able to say in which town he is. Same same but different for sure.
Why paint such a negative picture about Buriram? You said it yourself. You were not there enough to give a good picture. Because of the short stay you did not bother.
Reading between the lines, I think it was C&A's fault rather than Lung Addie's failure to take the time and effort to explore further.
I don't see where I am giving a negative description of Buriram. I simply state things as I experience them, do not hide anything and will not value it less than it really is. I'm also not going to base myself on "hearsay" but my own experience and how my guests react to what they see themselves. Lung addie has been living in Thailand long enough and has visited enough cities and rural areas to be able to make an objective picture and compare with other places.
My guests C&A were able to make their own choice about what they wanted to see. They were well prepared even before choosing Buriram as the first city to visit in Isaan. The second choice came from Lung addie who suggested to visit Roi Et, this would also show them a contrast to Buriram.
For the somewhat younger Thailand visitor:
In Buriram you can also go karting (opposite football stadium) and there are several bars and discotheques spread over Buriram.
You can also eat well (especially pizza) at the
Maung Resort Buriram aka Tulip Boutique Hotel Buriram
https://www.booking.com/hotel/th/maung-resort-buriram.nl.html
One of the best rated hotels in Buriram due to its hospitality and where it is said that the players of FC Buriram sometimes come for a bite to eat.
A few years ago when I was there, the hotel was run by a Dutchman. I don't know if this is still the case?
What he did (or still does) very nicely, by the way, is a homemade baguette with herb butter, which he gave for free as an appetizer. Also at the tables occupied by only Thai people. Was appreciated by everyone, having read it from a few surprised but satisfied faces.
The Moto GP will take place in Thailand for the first time at the Buriram Chiang International Circuit in the weekend of October 5 – 7. The Moto GP will also be a guest there in 2019 and 2020.
In the weekend of March 24 – 25, the circuit will host the World Superbike races, this year for the fourth time. In previous years, about 85.000 visitors showed up each time.
If you don't know your way around Buriram and don't inquire or explore, but stay for dinner in your hotel, which is not known for its high culinary cuisine, don't complain about the food in Buriram and then say that you the next day goes to Roi Et (where you probably know the way) so that Lung addie can enjoy culinary again.
There are plenty of very good restaurants here in Buriram with Thai and/or European dishes, where you can enjoy culinary delights, but if you don't take the trouble to find them or take a look at 'Tripadvisor', everything ends.
European-oriented here include Muang Pizza (Dutch owner), La Lom restaurant (Dutch owner), Paddy's Irish bar, Osteria Italia, Oli Wijn bar, Jimmy's Sports café, Schnitzel Wirtin, London Steak, Klim Kitchen, Bus by Oli, etc. and then there are the many very good Thai restaurants.
Dear Joost,
do you really think that tourists, C&A, have the necessary time to look for the restaurants you mentioned? That is all well and good for people who stay there for a longer period of time, but not for a holiday maker who can barely allocate 3 days for Buriram. At a certain age, some people are already happy that after a day of sightseeing they can relax in their hotel and not have to look again for some restaurant recommended by TripAdvisor, which often have a purely commercial background. That there are also very good restaurants in Buriram, I don't even doubt that, I would rather be surprised that it isn't. However, as a casual visitor you do not always know them.
But if you want the blog readers to get to know your region better, then take the trouble to write some fascinating articles about it, then short-term visitors will also possibly make the effort to look them up.
Well, Muaeng Buriram is not that big, with about 45.000 inhabitants and most hotels have a map of the city, which is always the first thing I look at when I arrive in a strange city, with the sights and the most important shops on it and catering establishments, also within walking distance of the Ray hotel, there are plenty of good Thai restaurants and nearby, a 10-minute walk away, is Oli Wine bar, with a very good wine and good French cuisine, run by 2 French brothers.
Unfortunately I am not a good writer, for a good article that is suitable for Thailand blog, my writing style is too limited, but if you want to know more about the sights, shopping and nightlife of Buriram, take a look at the Buriram times blogs or Buriram expats.
But Buriram has been seen and now you are in Roi Et where you will be able to enjoy culinary delights at one of the good restaurants there.
I hope you're not looking forward to the famous The White Elephant, closed due to problems with its Thai sweetheart. Also, I hope you are not looking forward to the famous Pizza Italian, closed due to visa problems. And I could go on like this for a while. Take Care is open and good, unfortunately closed on Mondays. May I know which restaurants you have in mind?