Kalasin is an intriguing province with unique culture and a lot of places for you to explore. This province treats you like a learner that needs new knowledge and a new experience for a change. You can definitely learn a lot of things, see amazing places, and acquire something valuable back home.
General information about Kalasin Thailand
Kalasin is a province that locates in the northeastern region of Thailand in which its history of origin can be traced back to the year 1793. This is the year during the Rattanakosin period. King Rama I the Great later renamed this province from Baan Kaeng Samrong to Muang Nam Dam or Kalasin in which Kala means black and Sin means water.
So, basically Kalasin means black water. This place is significant because of its history and culture from the past that are still here in the present day. You will see a lot of places with cultural significances that you cannot find elsewhere in Thailand. To get here is also fairly easy, the first way is to drive 519 kilometers from Bangkok to this province. You could also take the bus from the Northeastern Bus Terminal or Mo Chit 2 which is quite fast and convenient. Have a happy trip!
Famous attractions in Kalasin
Culture is something that defines every place and it mostly reflects on the structures of that specific place. This goes the same way with all of the famous places in Kalasin. You will be able to see something different and you might learn something new by visiting these places as well.
Sirindhorn Museum
This is a dinosaur research center with the addition of lights, colors, and sounds for entertainment and realism. It is actually the biggest museum of its kind in Thailand and Southeast Asia! This museum has a large digging site of dinosaur fossils and one of the largest in Thailand. It is the place that has real dinosaur fossils that Thailand has discovered which is called Phuwiangosaurus Sirindhornae for you to see.
You will also see showcases of dinosaur bones and a dinosaur learning center which also involves other related species. This place separates into nine different zones such as Paleozoic Era, an era of evolution for ancient living species, and Cenozoic Era, an era of mammals. Not so far from the museum, there is a dinosaur garden with statues of real size dinosaurs that you can visit and take pictures.
Wat Buddha Nimit
Another famous place that you should visit is Wat Buddha Nimit which is an old temple with many interesting things. The first interesting thing is the sleeping Buddha which were crafted on a stone wall with more than 2,000 years old and a length of 2.5 meters. One thing that is unique for this Buddha is that it is the only sleeping Buddha that turns to the left in Thailand as other sleeping Buddhas in Thailand turns to the right.
Another structure is the wooden temple with roofs that were stacked together for three levels. Each door and window were crafted and decorated with beautiful details. Inside of the temple, there is a golden Buddha statue for you to see. The last place is Phra Maha That Chedi with a height of 80 meters built from sandstones which decorated with clay and 30 kilograms of gold.
Lam Pao Dam
Kalasin also has a natural attraction that is great for relaxation which is Lam Pao Dam. It is a big earth dam with freshwater fish farms and a place that you can come for relaxation, especially in the summer from March onwards. During that period, the water level is down which creates a beach known as Dok Ked Beach. The atmosphere resembles a beach that locates next to the sea. You can take a stroll to see the nature, relax on the beach, swim in the water, or ride on a banana boat. If you are hungry, there are shops and restaurants at your service.
Local Tells
When you get to a new place, you must have some curiosity about the place and what history does this place has. One way to do this is to follow what the locals recommend you to go and what they recommend you to observe. So, you will get a more realistic experience than what the tourism authority advertises.
Bung Fai Talai Festival
The first recommended place here is actually not a place, but a festival known as Bung Fai Talai Festival or the Rocket Festival. This festival happens around the month of May of every year. The point of this festival is to asks the God for rain as the farmers need water for their agricultural needs.
However, this festival is unique to other rocket festivals with their rockets and you only find this kind of rocket here in Thailand. They put potassium nitrate into the body of the rocket with a length of three to six meters and they use bamboo woods for the outer body with more than 1,500 kilograms in weight.
To lift the rocket, they ignite the fuel in the middle of the rocket and the rocket will start to spin and fly up to the sky and you will also see the rockets come down gracefully with parachutes.
Wat Wang Kam
When you are visiting Thailand, you have to make sure that you visit at least a couple temples here. Wat Wang Kam is the only temple in Kalasin that has the architectural style of Lan Chang. The inspiration for this came from Wat Chiang Thong of Laos which makes everything in this temple look marvelous.
The actual structure of the temple uses gold paintings, colored mirrors, and patterns that look like Bodhi tree for decorations. This place also has a place that simulates the culture of Phu Thai people which is one of the tribes that lives in the province of Kalasin and you will surely gain some knowledges of them. If you are interested in buying things, there are shops that sell handicraft of the villagers here as well.
Souvenir
Praewa fabric of Baan Pon
If you are looking for something unique, Praewa fabric of Baan Pon is a good choice here. It is a famous export of Kalasin because of its unique details. In fact, the details are so unique that the weaver can tell which village that this fabric came from. Each detail has been passed down from the elder generation to the next and even the weaving process is different from other provinces. One piece of fabric usually takes months to make, so you can tell how much effort they use on this one piece. It is something that you should buy when you are here at Kalasin, especially as a souvenir.
Other Interesting info about Kalasin
The motto for this province is ?Fa Daet Song Yang Ancient City, Pong Lang Folk Music, Phu Thai Culture, Phrae Wa Silk, Pha Saweoi Phu Phan, Lam Pao River, and Million-Year Dinosaurs?.
Get around the city
You can get around this place by using tuktuks or public buses to other districts.
For accommodation,
there are not many hotels to choose from and most of them are budget and mid-range hotels with a price from 200 baht per night to more than a thousand baht per night. Have a nice stay!
Suggested Cities around Kalasin
Buriram ? The City of Two Castles in Thailand
Sisaket ? The Land of Natural Abundance in the Northeastern Region of Thailand
Nakhon Phanom ? A Beautiful City on the Border of Thailand
Udonthani ? Explore the Northeastern Region?s Primary Commercial Centre of Thailand
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