Things to See in Lopburi, Thailand; Five Suggestions

Lopburi is a typical Thai provincial capital, just 1.5 to 2 hours drive from central Bangkok. Although it receives a trickle of foreign tourists, mainly backpackers, visitors will not run into crowds of people like they will at many of the more famous Thai tourist cities such as Ayuttaya, Sukothai or Chiang Mai. Additionally, vitiors to Lopburi will get a chance to see a “real” Thai town, one which does not have tourism as its main focus.

For those with time, a visit to Lopburi really is rewarding. Here are five suggestions of things to see in Lopburi.

1. The Monkeys: The monkeys of Lopburi are famous throughout Thailand. Hoards of Long-tailed Macaques roam around the city feasting on fruit which is placed at various temples. They are funny to watch but it seems that some of the local people are not so amused.

2. Prang Sam Yord: Prang Sam Yord is probably Lopburi’s most obvious landmark, a three-towered Khmer-style temple on a large traffic roundabout. It makes a fine sight and is very photogenic; it is also where many of the city’s monkeys spend the day relaxing.

3. Lopburi Night Market:In the evening an interesting food night market sets up next to the railway line in the old part of Lopburi. Lopburi night market is a typical Thai night market that caters to local people, although enough foreigners show up for it not to be a problem when ordering food. Go ahead and try some of the things for sale, some are great, some are not so great but nothing is very expensive.

4. Wat Sr Rattana Mahthat: Wat Sri Rattana Mahathatis the largest of Lopburi’s ancient temples. Whilst it is not the most spectacular of the ancient temples of Thailand, it is a very pleasant sight and it was the royal temple when Lopburi was the centre of the court of King Narai The Great in the 1600s. Visiting in the morning or late afternoon will probably see you on your own at this nice temple.

5. Wat Pra Phuttabaht:This temple is about 20 kilometres east of the city of Lopburi. It is a very colourful temple set amongst some limestone outcrops and caters to many Thai tourists. The main attraction for Thai buddhists is the “Buddha footprint” which is enshrined in the temple. It is a curious thing, go and take a look.

I hope that this short article has made you consider visiting Lopburi when you travel to Thailand; it is not perhaps the most spectacular destination but quite authentic and it has a unique charm of its own. Thos who wish to know more about Lopburi’s attractions should visit this page – Thailand Travel Advice: Lopburi, A Town of Temples and Monkeys.