Have A Fantastic Eastern Adventure In Thailand’s Province Of Sa Kaeo

1. Prasat Sadak Kok Thom

The fairly large complex of Prasat Sadok Kok Thom is one of the province’s biggest and most impressive ancient ruins. Built during the Khmer Kingdom, you may notice that the architectural styles are somewhat different to many other historical sites in Thailand and more alike to those in nearby Cambodia.

The complex contains three buildings as well as well as a sparkling pond. In a fairly remote and peaceful area, and with very few tourists, it really can feel as though you have stumbled upon a forgotten piece of history amongst the shady trees.

Although it is an impressive and interesting site, it is better to keep your expectations fairly low … purists may be very disappointed to see that the old buildings have been extensively, and very noticeably, restored and renovated. Whilst this is great for people who want to see almost exactly how the site was in the past, fans of atmospheric ruins that are gracefully showing the signs of decay and time will not like seeing the stark contrast between the original blocks and newer stones.

A handful of souvenir and snack carts can be found at the main entrance, selling goodies like iced tea, t-shirts, and small stone ornaments of the temple, and there are also public toilets and a large car park. Admission is 50 THB (approximately 1.50 USD) per person.

2. Rong Kluea Market

The enormous and bustling border market of Rong Kluea Market can be found next to the Aranyaprathet (Thailand) and Poipet (Cambodia) border crossing. Covering around 5 kilometres, you’ll certainly be able to spend lots of time browsing a wide and diverse array of goods.

There are cramped indoor shopping areas, where you can escape from the beating down sun as you navigate your way around overflowing stalls selling an assortment of clothing, footwear, bags, and other items.

Other vendors operate from jam-packed shop houses, with their wares spilling out onto the pavement in front. Home items, electronics, clothes, souvenirs, and bicycles show the eclectic assortment of goods that you can expect. There are also those who travel the dusty, grimy, and litter-strewn streets by scooter and sidecar or bicycle in order to ply their trade.

Explore the food market and let your senses really be assaulted by the sights, sounds, and smells. The sweet smelling fruits are in stark contrast to the pungent smelling meats and fish.

One of the busiest border markets in Thailand, each morning sees numerous Cambodians flocking across the border with an array of local goods. Chinese and Vietnamese sellers are also highly noticeable. The market has a very multi-cultural feel. It is also known for its cheap prices and huge selection of counterfeit products. A perfect place to bag a bargain, make sure that you check branded goods if you want the real deal to avoid frustrations later on.

You can also see the three prangs of the Aranyaprathet Victory Gate looming above the immigration and customs areas of the border crossing.

3. Rural and rustic countryside

Take a drive through the Sa Kaeo countryside and soak up the views; it certainly offers a different sight of the city away from the smoggy air, crowds, and traffic!

Lush green fields stretch for as far as the eye can see, with the dusty roadside peppered by small stalls offering fresh produce, drinks, and quick and easy meals such as Som Tam (spicy papaya salad). Small children teeter along precariously on their wobbly bicycles, ready to give a great toothy grin and energetic wave to outsiders. Cattle, such as sturdy buffalo and Brahman cows with their noticeably big and floppy ears, graze nearby. Some are tethered and some are roaming freely. Make sure you are not in a hurry though – you are likely to encounter many hold-ups!

4. Lalu

One of the main reasons to visit Sa Kaeo is to see the unusual Lalu – pillars of earth that create gaping canyons. A natural occurrence that was caused by erosion over thousands of years, the site’s name means “pierced” in the language of nearby Cambodia.

The jagged pinnacles on sandy brown earth are in all manner of fascinating shapes and sizes, some showing natural stripes of various shades of reds, oranges, and browns throughout the compacted soil.

A large site, allow a good couple of hours to wander around and fully enjoy the area’s strange beauty.

Access to the area is by way of tractor and cart, itself a somewhat novel experience as you bump along the pot-holed track and pass by local homes. The dip down into the heart of the Lalu canyon is a little stomach-lurching! The tractor will drive you around part of the site, before parking and allowing you plenty of time to explore by foot and take pictures. Whilst no time limit was specified, most people tend to spend about an hour and a half roaming around. It costs 400 THB (approximately 11 USD) for non-Thais to charter a tractor, a real bargain if split between a group of people!