Phetchaburi

Travelling south from Bangkok by road or rail, Phetchaburi (Thai’s call it Phet Buri) is the first town of note, although most travelers pass it by in their hurry to get to the beach resorts beyond. This is a pity as the town located 126km south of Bangkok on the banks of the Phet Buri River, offers a surprising wealth of historical and architectural sights.

An established settlement in the pre-Thai Khmer period, Phetchaburi later developed as an important artistic centre during the Ayutthaya era. Regal status was bestowed in the mid-19^th century when King Mongkut, Rama IV, built Phra Nakhon Khiri (Khao Wang) on the hill outside town, although after the monarchs death in 1868 the palace fell into disuse and Phetchaburi sank into obscurity. With a mostly unattractive modern overlay, the town today looks scruffy and lacks good hotels. But it is not necessary to stay overnight; half a days sightseeing is sufficient before continuing on to the beach resorts less than an hours drive away.

Phra Nakhon Khiri (Khao Wang)

Dominating Pretchaburis northern outskirts, this hilltop palace can be reached by cable car or by a winding pathway edged with frangipani.

The restored palace buildings, including an astronomical observatory, are interesting for their blend of Thai and Western influences a stylistic trend further reflected in furniture and other domestic artifacts exhibited in a small museum. Possibly more impressive are the superlative views of the town and of the surrounding countryside.

Khao Luang Cave Shrine

Some 3km from Khao Wang is the cave shrine of Khao Luang. A steep staircase leads down to the sunlight to illuminate the huge central chamber, which enshrines numerous Buddha statues, the principal one being Luang Poh Tham Luang, a large seated image dating from King Mongkuts reign.

Wat Yai Suwannaram

In town, Wat Yai Suwannaramdates from the 17^th century, having been built during the reign of Rama V, and presents a splendid collection of finely proportioned and richly adorned buildings which make it one of the most beautiful temples in Thailand. Additional interest lies in the well preserved mural paintings covering the interior walls of the temples main hall.

Wat Ko Keo Suttharam

This is another of Phetchaburis venerable temples, and is similarly important for its murals. Dated to 1734, the paintings display a different inspiration to those of Wat Yai Suwannaram and despite a more restricted range of colors, are striking in their detail and unusual composition.

Wat Mahathat

The central spire of Wat Mahathat is an unmistakable Pretchaburi landmark. This towering prang rises from the middle of a cloister lines with Buddha images (the temple is home to 198 Buddha statues in all), and is surrounded by smaller prangs, each with a small chapel. Inside the temples main hall are three large presiding Buddhas, each on a different level, with the tallest one being characterized by Ayutthaya style of statuary. The interior walls are covered wit murals which, although not as good as those at Wat Yai Suwannaram and at Wak Ko Keo Suttharam, are worthy of note. Wat Mahathat is a popular local focal point and the daily activity is attracts is fascinating to observe.

Wat Kamphaeng Laeng

The ruins of this Khmer-period temple are not an s impressive as those found in Northeast Thailand. Constrained within partially surviving original walls are a large central prang, three smaller towers of similar design is various stages of collapse, and the remains of gopura (ornamental covered gateway). This is the oldest site in Phetchaburi, dating from the 13^th century.