Chaco Culture National Historical Park
Chaco Culture National Historical Park, often referred to as Chaco Canyon National Park, is a U.S. national park located in New Mexico. It preserves the ancient Puebloan cultural heritage and is significant for its monumental architecture and archaeological sites from 850 to 1250 AD.
The park is situated in San Juan County and McKinley County, New Mexico, and covers an area of 33,977.8 acres (137.50 km²). It is managed by the National Park Service and was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987.
Chaco Canyon was a major center of Puebloan culture and is considered the ancestral homeland of the Pueblo Indian peoples of New Mexico, the Hopi Indians of Arizona, and the Navajo Indians of the Southwest.
The park is known for its dark skies, earning the title of an International Dark Sky Park in 2013, which makes it an ideal location for astronomy and astrophotography.
Visitors to the park can explore the monumental structures and breathtaking ...
The Phimai Light and Sound Show is a captivating highlight of the annual Phimai Festival, transforming the ancient Khmer ruins of Phimai Historical Park into a living tableau of Thailand’s Khmer heritage.
Held in the heart of Phimai District, Nakhon Ratchasima Province (Isaan region), the show uses state-of-the-art projections, lasers, music, and narration to vividly recreate the history of the Khmer Empire, focusing on the era of King Jayavarman VII (1181–1220).
The park itself, centered around Prasat Hin Phimai—the largest and most intact Khmer temple in Thailand—serves as the dramatic backdrop, with lights illuminating its towering sandstone prangs (towers) and intricate lintels, evoking the grandeur of Angkor Wat’s northern outpost.
As part of the Phimai Festival 2025, the light and sound show runs nightly from November 5 to 9, 2025, starting at approximately 7:00 PM and lasting 30–45 minutes per performance. Shows typically begin after sunset (around 6:30 PM in November).
The ...
The Phimai Festival, also known as the Phimai Boat Race Festival, is an annual cultural extravaganza held in Phimai, Nakhon Ratchasima Province (Isaan region, Thailand). It celebrates the area’s Khmer heritage, centered around the 1,000-year-old Phimai Historical Park (Prasat Hin Phimai).
The 2025 edition is expected to occur during the first weekend of November, 5-9th 2025. Key highlights include long-boat races on the Chakrat River, light-and-sound shows depicting Khmer history, traditional performances, and cultural markets. The festival draws thousands of visitors, transforming the quiet town into a vibrant hub of Isaan traditions.
The night market, often styled as an “ancient market” during the festival, is one of the event’s most enchanting features. It turns the streets surrounding Phimai Historical Park into a lively, bamboo-constructed bazaar evoking ancient Khmer trading hubs, blending historical reenactment with modern street vibes.
Centered near the Clock Tower and the ...
The Khmer Empire was a powerful Kingdom in South-East Asia. Its major architectural works (temples and sculptures) are located in present day Cambodia, where the capital of the empire was located. However, during long periods of time the Khmer ruled over parts of present day Thailand, Laos and Vietnam.
Like other major ethnic groups in the history of South-East Asia (the Thais, the Mons, The Chams) the Khmer are thought to have descended in the prehistoric period from the river valleys in Eastern Tibet and Southwest China. The Khmer appear first on the scene (in Chinese records) in the second half of the 6th century A.D. with the Kingdom known as Chenla.
Since the Khmer reigned for long periods over extended areas of present day Thailand, Thailand has a substantial number of important Khmer monuments on its territory, mainly in its Northeastern Region (such as Phonom Rung and Muang Tam in Buriram Province, Phimai in Nakhon Ratchasima province, Muang Singh in Kanchanaburi province). Any look around the...
