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All you need to know to visit Surin
Northeastern Thailand
457 km from Bangkok
Province of Surin
Thai prononciation : Soureen
Travel guide to visit Surin
The city of Surin (we are talking about the city in Northeast Thailand, Isan, not to be confused with Surin near Phuket) is best known for its famous Elephant Festival (Round Up Festival) which is held annually on the third week of November. This is the time of year when there are many many visitors. I am not a big fan of this event since the elephant aprticipating are trained and would prefer to live peacefully. The rest of the year, tourism is quite quiet. I must say that if the Surin Province has many vestiges of Khmer temples, they are all outside of the city and it is often difficult or impossible to get there by local transportation. Besides they do not bear comparison with the temple of Phanom Rung, Muang Tham or Prasat Phimai in the neighboring provinces of Buriram and Nakhon Ratchassima. Here, they are often very modest mostly interesting for history and architecture fans but not really justify the trip to the others. The monuments inside the city itself have nothing special but the museum is intrestingand there is a nice little night market.If you come here, especially if you have children, spend a day at the Elephant Study Center in Ban Ta Klang, you will have a pleasant day that your kids will remember for sure thanks to the elephant show that takes place twice a day. Note that the center is quite desert during the festival since all the elephant are in urin city during that event.
To see all optiosn to get around in Surin, read our dedicated paragraph about getting around in Surin.
Accommodations in Surin
Hotels and guest houses in Surin are somewhat scattered throughout the city, there is ,ot really an area where they are more numerous than another. The city also has many old hotels not always as confortable as the newest hotels which have a better quality/price ratio. To sleep in Surin, you can find more accommodation near the market or the bus station.Find accommodation in Surin
My recommandations
Practical information about Surin
If you plan to come to Surin for the Elephant Festival, it is highly advised to book your hotel room in advance or you will risk to have to sleep far away from Surin. On this occasion, accommodations take the opportunity to raise their prices by 20 to 30%. Here is a selection of hotels in Surin you can book online.As for us, except for Round Up Festival, we prefer to stay in Si Saket, a smaller and more pleasant city. But once again, I am not a big fan of this festival showing trained elephants which often have wounds and would be happier living in peace in a sanctuary.
How to go to Surin ?
Surin is on the Northeastern line of Thai Railway. Buses leave Bangkok from Mochit Northern Bangkok Bus Terminal and join the city in 7-8 hours. There is approximatly bus every 1h30. From Buriram (bus 281) or Nakhon Ratchasima (bus 274), there is one bus per hour to Surin which stops in Nang Rong 24 km from Phanom Rung temple. From Ubon Ratchathani, bus 285 and some buses to Bangkok go to Surin Surin.How to get around in Surin ?
To go around in Surin and neighboring cities, there is a wide choice of songthaews. The two routes served by pink songthaews mainly go around the city and a few kilometers away, the others connect Surin to surrounding towns and generally stop at least at Surin bus terminal and the market and sometimes at Big C supermarket. A ride in Surin will cost 10 baht regardless of the distance traveled and whether you travel with a pink songthaew or another. For more personalized trips, you can hire samlaws (bicycle taxis), or motorcycle taxis. A trip in Surin city should not exceed 40-50 baht. Otherwise, there are also very rare taxis mainly at the Terminal bus but even if they have "taximeter" on their roof, they probably do not use the meter.
Festivals in Surin ?
Here is a list of the main festivals taking place every year in Surin. I mention their dates as soon as they are official on Thai Festivals page.
Surin Long Boat Race for Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Trophy
This festival generally takes place in the month of October
Plus d'infos sur Surin Long Boat Race for Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Trophy
Other places to see in Surin
Wat Burapharam
the most important temple in the city, it houses including Buddha statue the most revered Surin
Wat Sala Loy
which is especially noticed for its Khmer-style building that was built in a recent past
Elephant Surin Project
which also hosts the Surin Elephant Study Center. It is approximatly 60 kilometers away from Surin and offers a remarquable show with the elephants twice a day
Prasat Sikhoraphum
small ruin of a 12th century Khmer temple situated about 30 kilometers from Surin
Wat Ra Ngaeng
temple opposite to the train station Sikhoraphum (34 km from Surin) with a nice walking Buddha statue that is worth visiting only if you are already in Sikhoraphum to visit its Khmer temple
Surin National Museum
which the city is very proud. 4 km to the south from the city, it includes collections of objects that reveal the history and ethnic groups in the province.
Weather & climate in
Surin has a tropical savanna climate. The winters are dry and warm. Temperatures rise until April, the hottest month of the year. The rainy season (monsoon) runs from late April to early October, with heavy showers and cooler temperatures during the day.The best time to come to Surin is from November to March but you can come here all year round and enjoy it. August and September being the rainiest months, this is the least suitable period to come to Surin.
How to ask in Thai to go to Surin ?
I want to go to Surin / Yak paï ti Soureen.Where is Surin ? / Soureen you ti naï ?
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