Prasat Hin Phimai, heritage of Khmer civilisation

Phimai, nestled in the province of Nakhon Ratchasima in north-east Thailand, was given an outpost during the Khmer Empire around 1000 AD, and remained so for 300 years. Today, the town is famous for its marvellous Khmer ruins and the Sai Ngam, Thailand's largest banyan tree.

Prasat Phimai, one of the most important temples of its time, is aligned in the direction of Angkor and is linked to the capital by a 225km road.

The remaining buildings of Phimai temple date from the 11th and 12th centuries and follow the traditional Khmer architectural style. The ancient history of these sites begins with King Jayavarman II and ends with the reign of King Jayavarman VIII. During this period, the Khmer empire spread from the banks of the Tonle Sap and, at its height, covered much of what is now known as South Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and Thailand.

Prasat Phimai temple combines older rock carving techniques inspired by Indian art. The current temple is the result of a well-executed restoration project in the 1960s.

Phimai is the largest Khmer temple in Thailand, and the complex is over 1,000 metres long and almost 600 metres wide. Phimai, unlike most Khmer temples, faces south rather than east, but historians still don't know why. The site is oriented towards Angkor Wat as its cardinal direction.

You enter the complex from the south, crossing the Naga Bridge, named after the statues of snake-like mythological beings guarding the entrance. The large building to the west is thought to have been a rest house used by the king in preparation for religious ceremonies.

After crossing the bridge, you will pass through the southern Gopura, the largest remaining gate in the complex, and into the temple courtyard. Follow the northern causeway to the inner gallery surrounding the central shrine, the most impressive part of the site.

The central prang(tower) is carved from sandstone and is considered the oldest structure in the temple, probably older than Angkor Wat. The two towers to the south-west and south-east of the central prang were built slightly later.

Phimai National Museum

If you're interested in Khmer history or archaeology, you shouldn't miss the Phimai National Museum, which features numerous statues and architectural elements from both Prasat Phimai and several other Khmer sites in eastern Thailand. The museum boasts a fine collection of gilded Buddha statues, as well as an entire room full of beautifully carved stone fragments of doors and columns. The museum lies to the north-east of the temple on the banks of a small rectangular reservoir (also dating from the Khmer period).

The Sai Ngam Banyan Tree

The country's largest banyan tree can be found about 1.5 km east of Sa Phleng. The 350-year-old tree is so huge that it forms its own small forest.

Archaeological sites

Near the town of Phimai, other Khmer architectural ruins are scattered around, including the three city gates of the ancient town, including Pratu Chai, which protected the important road leading to Angkor. A few hundred metres further south is Kuti Ruesi Noi, the remains of a 13th-century doctor's office. About a kilometre from the southern gate is Tha Nang Sa Phom, an ancient boat jetty. Finally, to the south-east of Prasat Phimai and slightly south of the clock tower, you will find the remains of Meru Brahmathat, an 18th-century brick chedi (religious building) of the Ayutthaya kingdom.