If you plan on visiting Phnom Rung, you’ll most likely also want to visit the Isaan region’s other major Khmer temple, Phimai. Phnom Rung is located in the small town of Nang Rong, Buriram Province (not to be confused with the capital city of Buriram). Phimai, meanwhile, is located in the town of the same name which is an hour bus ride from Nakhon Ratchasima (capital of Nakhon Ratchasima Province and known locally as Khorat).
Nakhon Ratchasima is about 3.5 hours away from Bangkok, while Nang Rong is 4.5 hours away. Buriram Province is further east, closer to the border with Cambodia.
The ideal travel route will largely depend on where you’re headed after. If you’re beginning in Bangkok and then returning to Bangkok, visit in any order you like, as just about every town in Thailand has a direct bus to Bangkok.
In my case, I started in Bangkok but wanted to head onward to Chiang Mai. Therefore, I began by taking a bus from Mo Chit bus station directly to Nang Rong. When buying the ticket, be sure to specify that that’s where you want to get off, as the bus’s final destination will surely be a larger city like Buriram’s capital. (Note: you could also fly directly to Buriram City, or even take a train, and then gradually make your way westward by bus).
The best option is to stay at the P. California Hostel, one of the only English-speaking accommodations in town. Wicha, the hotel owner, will be able to pick you up from the bus station. And to see the temples, you have a couple of options.
You can rent a motorbike from the hotel and ride around to see them on your own. This should cost a few hundred baht. Or, you can have Wicha himself drive you to both Phnom Rung and Muang Tam. Note that the official price is 350 baht per person, but the minimum is 2 people. Therefore, if you’re a solo traveler you’ll have to pay 700 baht. That’s probably still much cheaper than negotiating with a random taxi driver on the street! He can also take you to Wat Khao Angkhan for an additional fee.
Though I stayed at P. California and would recommend it, another English-speaking option in town is Honey Inn.
There are direct buses between Nang Rong and Nakhon Ratchasima. Nakhon Ratchasima is the transport hub of the Isaan region and is in fact one of Thailand’s largest cities. If your main objective is to get to Phimai and then move on from there, you’ll want to base yourself relatively nearby the bus station. As it’s a pretty big city by Thai standards, basing yourself in the city center will make it difficult to access the bus station. But for those wishing to see the sites in town, more centralized accommodation would make sense.
Phimai is easy to get to. Just walk to the bus station, tell them ‘Phimai’ and board a bus which leaves nearly every hour. It’s just about an hour away and the temple and National Museum are walkable from the bus station. Buses come and go frequently, so you won’t have to wait long to find a bus back to the city.
From Nakhon Ratchasima you can get a direct bus to just about anywhere else in Thailand, but try getting a ticket at least a day in advance. The ride to Chiang Mai is a grueling 14 hours, but at least it didn’t involve a transfer!