Prasat Sikhoraphum is the finest Khmer temple ruin in the Surin region, standing about 34km east of the city. The complex centres on five lotus-bud prangs rising from a laterite platform, surrounded by a moat fed by an ancient reservoir. The main sanctuary is dedicated to Shiva and dates from the early 12th century.
The carved sandstone lintels and pediments are remarkably well preserved. Look for the churning of the cosmic ocean scene on the east lintel and the figures of dancing apsaras in the corners. The site sits in an ordinary rice-farming landscape, which only adds to the impact when the towers appear suddenly across the paddy fields.