Day Trip....... With just seven days left before I return to the UK, I can declare that enough has been achieved despite very little activity for the first three weeks of my stay in Thailand. Yet I could still achieve 30 days of touring by adding two more days but where to go? Once again, I'm torn between adding more site visits or just relaxing for a change on some sandy beach. In the end I make a decision to add more attractions to my already massive list. That being the case, I have a location in mind and after some careful thought, turn it into a day trip. As this removes the need for packing and repacking it should allow for a quite productive day.
Saraburi Province....... In the morning we will head for Saraburi, a province that holds many memories for me and one of the very first provinces I visited on my maiden trip to Thailand in 1986. It's strange that after all these years I've never really been back to explore. It's also the case that being only one and a half hours from where we stay it's not been high on my priority list. Now, as I start to make a list of attractions in Saraburi province, I realize just how much I have missed. The province has 13 districts and even the provisional list identifies some thirty locations. Covering all of these in one day just isn't gonna happen so I will concentrate on just a few districts and ear mark the rest for a future visit to Thailand.
Wednesday 19 April
By the Way....... After breakfast we get a good start leaving around 9am. That should put us in a position to start exploring around 11am. Oddly, while I'm armed with a substantial list of locations in Saraburi Province, the first stop isn't on this list, but I consider it should be as it's a great piece of civil engineering. Saraburi is an interesting province often regarded as the gateway to Isan being one of the most easterly of Thailand's central provinces. Accordingly, it has a combination of low-lying land in the Chao Phraya Basin and its tributaries as well as high plains and plateaus in the eastern part. This makes life difficult for those planning transport infrastructure.
Buddha Chai Tunnel....... Buddha Chai Tunnel is a small but essential tunnel in Wihan Daeng district. Presently this tunnel is on a line which connects Chachoengsao with Kaeng Khoi, two important railway junctions. Running south from Keang Khoi the railway line passes through this tunnel and eventually connects at Khlong Sip Kao Junction to the Eastern Line from Bangkok to Aranyaprathet near the Cambodian border. This section of track is only used for freight but substantial upgrades to this line is indicative of plans to create a major logistics route all the way from China to the port of Leam Chabang in Chonburi province. This route is important to China to expand its reach for trade in Southeast Asia.
Off Road....... The important thing to know about visiting this tunnel is that there is only a dirt and gravel road built to get access for heavy equipment and transport materials to the site for construction. It certainly wasn't designed for our Toyota Vios and although the track should be bone dry, curiously there are damp patches which may be caused by discharge from heavy vehicles still transporting sand and ballast. This is bad news for my companion who has only yesterday had the car cleaned including the underside.
Trying to find a good viewing point to take photographs of the tunnel takes some time and I know there is a question mark as to how to proceed. Although I have broken my list down into districts, the nature of the terrain is restricting easy access and we believe that returning back to the main highway is the only option but then I get a break locating the northern end of the tunnel. This requires passing through the hills along a similar gravel road which proves no worse than retracing our steps. Very soon we locate the northern entrance to the tunnel and a railway station not far away.
Bu Yai Railway Station....... Bu Yai Railway Station is a simple and recently constructed station which begs the question 'why it's here', since there is no passenger service on this line? That means there is no ticket office only a control room which I presume is for monitoring signalling and safety. Clearly a lot of care and thought has gone into creating infrastructure here and take account of future needs. Now, having made the effort to reach this station we are in a good position to move on to another location and one with which I am more familiar.
Keang Khoi Railway Junction....... Keang Khoi Railway Junction is one of the best candidates for repeat visits, it's that familiar. In fact, it's been the second time I've visited here on this trip to Thailand. However, this visit is more coincidental than intentional but of course I take advantage of the opportunity to check in the maintenance depot and the main station.
My list for today indicates there are a few interesting attractions in Kaeng Khoi district and we'll start in the city itself.
Wat Keang Khoi (Naka Cave)....... Before I left for this trip, I knew that I'd visited Wat Kheang Khoi before but the information I recorded for it many years ago seems to have disappeared. As we're already in the city I'll treat it as a revisit. However, this temple proves that there are times when revisits are necessary for here in the last 10 years they've added the Naka Cave, a man made but interesting cavern full of interesting images and religious art which has enhanced its popularity. The temple itself, located in a peaceful location beside the Pasak River has a delightful bell-shaped chedi as well as the ornate wihan (sermon hall).
Keang Khoi War Memorial....... On thing that hasn't changed is the WWII memorial beside the temple. Every year from April 2nd to 4th an event featuring a 'sound and light show' recalls the lives of the people of Kaeng Khoi during the war. Kaeng Khoi is an important railway junction and was a major Japanese military base during the war. It was infamously bombed by allied air forces on 3rd April 1945 killing many Japanese soldiers and local people. The event also commemorates those who died in air raids, both Thai and Japanese. It's time to visit more attractions in Keang Khoi district after a stop for lunch.
Navigation Error....... Trying to locate the next attraction proves how frustrating finding attractions can be and we end up in the middle of nowhere along a farm track. Whoever dropped a pin on Google Map has done a botched job. Having wasted half an hour and asked about three times we finally find what we are looking for nowhere near where the map app said it should be. It turns out that Google lists it under a different name contradicting the name used on the Tourism of Thailand website.
Phra Bowon Si Tha Ratchawang Archaeological Site (Wang Sitha)........Phra Bowon Ratchawang Si Tha is located in Song Khon sub-district. King Pinklao had this palace constructed on the western side of the Pa Sa Sak River in the similar period to when King Rama IV had Phra Narai Ratchaiwet constructed in Lopburi. Due to the search for a location suitable for a retreat in wartime, King Rama IV commanded King Pinklao (his brother) to find a suitable site for the construction of his palace. He chose Ban Si Tha sub-district because from there Khao Khok was easily accessible. King Pinklao thereafter resided at the palace throughout his life. The structure of the residence was all made of wood. Some parts were used to construct a palace for his children and others were destroyed and lost. At the present time, the location of the palace is inhabited by local people. The compound of the residence is large, covering an area of more than 150 rai (59 acres).
It's now well into afternoon and it's taken until now to finally tick one of my boxes. It isn't what I envisaged but then things never are.
Khao Phra Phutthabat Noi....... Khao Phra Phutthabat Noi is located at the base of an area of rocky cliffs that stand out from the surrounding landscape. It contains an important Buddha footprint and a place where King Pinklao, brother of Rama IV, regularly visited after he built his palace nearby. It subsequently became a place of worship for Royalty including King Rama V, who left his handprint here, and his son.
Surprisingly, despite its historic importance the footprint and enshrining Buddha image are currently unprotected except for a tin roof while a mondrop is currently being constructed.
Back in the Modern Age....... As we move further around the mountain an out of the temple grounds, we find ourselves back in the real world where there's some high-quality accommodation taking advantage of the majestic Phra Phutthabat Noi mountain scenery. Here you will find The Soul Resort, an up-market resort and function venue. When I Googled it, I found that to stay here costs at least 5,700 baht per night. WOW!
Manasikarn Hall....... Right next to Soul Resort is Manasikarn Hall, an 'unseen' and unique cultural tourist attraction. Visitors will be amazed at its splendid contemporary architecture. Manasikarn Hall comprises buildings and areas for visitors to learn about Buddhism as well as to relax in the natural serenity of the mountain.
With these couple of attractions not on my list I need to move on quickly to the next which certainly is.
Wat Tham Bo Pla....... So used to visiting temples with caves with little more than rock overhangs inhabited by monks, arriving at Wat Tham Bo Pla I'm in for a surprise. I find a quite manageable flight of steps leading to the entrance of a cavern. When a monk emerges and switches the lights on, I just know there's more here than I expected. He urges me to continue along a passageway which is pretty narrow with a low ceiling height in places with guide lines to aid orientation. I soon realise that there are several chambers with fishponds, stalactites and stalagmites that look like corals. In the caverns are images of Kwan Yin and other Chinese deities.
Visiting this cave has forced me to go beyond basic description and declare that this is certainly the most beautiful cave I've visited in Thailand. The main chamber is cathedralesque with incredible beauty and colour and I would recommend it to anyone.
Huai Hin Khao....... Within distant view of Khao Phra Phutthabat is Huai Hin Khao, a small but appealing reservoir in Khao Din Phatthana, Chaloem Phra Kiat District. It provides a relaxing and peaceful drive-by in a district we've yet to discover but that's for another time.
Out of Time....... It's gone 4pm and while I can sit back and ponder what few attractions I have managed to visit today, I can certainly say that the ones I have visited have been really interesting and of high quality. Of course, there's still two hours of daylight left but from our location now nothing is within easy reach. Heading for another district will use more fuel for no great reward so I decide to head back to Bangkok. There is one more attraction however, I can attempt to reach quite accessible on the route back. South of Saraburi we turn off the Phahonyothin Road towards another hilltop temple despite being aware that after 5pm it will be closed.
Wat Phra Putthachai....... Arriving at Wat Phra Putthachai, we see that the gate to the access road is in fact closed but is there another option? After initial despair we are told there are two roads up to the temple, one for up and one for down. We are told that we can use the down road since there will be no traffic on it anyway. This works and soon we are at the base of the temple and it's now that those memories I mentioned earlier come flooding back although the details are really vague after such a long period of time probably more than 30 years. One thing I did know was that there were monkeys and the first thing I learn today is that there still are. Negotiating quite a few steps up to the chedi, I'm greeted with glorious views and a gorgeous orange sun low on the horizon signalling the dusk is only an hour away.
Wat Phra Putthachai enshrines Phra Phuttachai or Lord Buddha's footprint on a stone at the cliff face. The Buddha's footprint is covered by an ornate mondrop. According to the legend, it was discovered in the reign of Phra Chao Songtham, the king of Ayutthaya. He sent out an order to search for Lord Budda footprints in every corner of the mountains. Then, on this hill, a footprint and Lord Buddha's mark was found. Phra Chao Songtham therefore built a chedi and covered the footprint with an elaborate mondrop. He also constructed a monastery for Buddhists to come and worship. After 400 years, the old mondrop was renovated and the reproduced Buddha footprint removed. Due to a breakage during the restoration, the right Buddha footprint was found under a rough dune. Nowadays, this footprint is enshrined in the small mondrop on the top of the mountain.
Reflections....... It's time to head back to Bangkok and I can reflect on a day that certainly has passed in no way I could have predicted. There have been so many pros and cons about this trip to Saraburi. The most obvious point to mention is that I've completely underestimated this province has after neglecting it for so many years, seemingly having just scratched the surface. Of course, we arrive back in Bangkok well after dark and have to search for an evening meal. My conclusion is that the visit to Saraburi didn't lend itself well to a day trip. Finding budget accommodation would have yielded far, far more for not much extra cost but perhaps it's just better to reflect on the day's events and be grateful for the opportunity to look around this interesting province however provisionally. I can certainly see myself returning to find out more.
Saraburi Province....... In the morning we will head for Saraburi, a province that holds many memories for me and one of the very first provinces I visited on my maiden trip to Thailand in 1986. It's strange that after all these years I've never really been back to explore. It's also the case that being only one and a half hours from where we stay it's not been high on my priority list. Now, as I start to make a list of attractions in Saraburi province, I realize just how much I have missed. The province has 13 districts and even the provisional list identifies some thirty locations. Covering all of these in one day just isn't gonna happen so I will concentrate on just a few districts and ear mark the rest for a future visit to Thailand.
Wednesday 19 April
By the Way....... After breakfast we get a good start leaving around 9am. That should put us in a position to start exploring around 11am. Oddly, while I'm armed with a substantial list of locations in Saraburi Province, the first stop isn't on this list, but I consider it should be as it's a great piece of civil engineering. Saraburi is an interesting province often regarded as the gateway to Isan being one of the most easterly of Thailand's central provinces. Accordingly, it has a combination of low-lying land in the Chao Phraya Basin and its tributaries as well as high plains and plateaus in the eastern part. This makes life difficult for those planning transport infrastructure.
Buddha Chai Tunnel....... Buddha Chai Tunnel is a small but essential tunnel in Wihan Daeng district. Presently this tunnel is on a line which connects Chachoengsao with Kaeng Khoi, two important railway junctions. Running south from Keang Khoi the railway line passes through this tunnel and eventually connects at Khlong Sip Kao Junction to the Eastern Line from Bangkok to Aranyaprathet near the Cambodian border. This section of track is only used for freight but substantial upgrades to this line is indicative of plans to create a major logistics route all the way from China to the port of Leam Chabang in Chonburi province. This route is important to China to expand its reach for trade in Southeast Asia.
Off Road....... The important thing to know about visiting this tunnel is that there is only a dirt and gravel road built to get access for heavy equipment and transport materials to the site for construction. It certainly wasn't designed for our Toyota Vios and although the track should be bone dry, curiously there are damp patches which may be caused by discharge from heavy vehicles still transporting sand and ballast. This is bad news for my companion who has only yesterday had the car cleaned including the underside.
Trying to find a good viewing point to take photographs of the tunnel takes some time and I know there is a question mark as to how to proceed. Although I have broken my list down into districts, the nature of the terrain is restricting easy access and we believe that returning back to the main highway is the only option but then I get a break locating the northern end of the tunnel. This requires passing through the hills along a similar gravel road which proves no worse than retracing our steps. Very soon we locate the northern entrance to the tunnel and a railway station not far away.
Bu Yai Railway Station....... Bu Yai Railway Station is a simple and recently constructed station which begs the question 'why it's here', since there is no passenger service on this line? That means there is no ticket office only a control room which I presume is for monitoring signalling and safety. Clearly a lot of care and thought has gone into creating infrastructure here and take account of future needs. Now, having made the effort to reach this station we are in a good position to move on to another location and one with which I am more familiar.
Keang Khoi Railway Junction....... Keang Khoi Railway Junction is one of the best candidates for repeat visits, it's that familiar. In fact, it's been the second time I've visited here on this trip to Thailand. However, this visit is more coincidental than intentional but of course I take advantage of the opportunity to check in the maintenance depot and the main station.
My list for today indicates there are a few interesting attractions in Kaeng Khoi district and we'll start in the city itself.
Wat Keang Khoi (Naka Cave)....... Before I left for this trip, I knew that I'd visited Wat Kheang Khoi before but the information I recorded for it many years ago seems to have disappeared. As we're already in the city I'll treat it as a revisit. However, this temple proves that there are times when revisits are necessary for here in the last 10 years they've added the Naka Cave, a man made but interesting cavern full of interesting images and religious art which has enhanced its popularity. The temple itself, located in a peaceful location beside the Pasak River has a delightful bell-shaped chedi as well as the ornate wihan (sermon hall).
Keang Khoi War Memorial....... On thing that hasn't changed is the WWII memorial beside the temple. Every year from April 2nd to 4th an event featuring a 'sound and light show' recalls the lives of the people of Kaeng Khoi during the war. Kaeng Khoi is an important railway junction and was a major Japanese military base during the war. It was infamously bombed by allied air forces on 3rd April 1945 killing many Japanese soldiers and local people. The event also commemorates those who died in air raids, both Thai and Japanese. It's time to visit more attractions in Keang Khoi district after a stop for lunch.
Navigation Error....... Trying to locate the next attraction proves how frustrating finding attractions can be and we end up in the middle of nowhere along a farm track. Whoever dropped a pin on Google Map has done a botched job. Having wasted half an hour and asked about three times we finally find what we are looking for nowhere near where the map app said it should be. It turns out that Google lists it under a different name contradicting the name used on the Tourism of Thailand website.
Phra Bowon Si Tha Ratchawang Archaeological Site (Wang Sitha)........Phra Bowon Ratchawang Si Tha is located in Song Khon sub-district. King Pinklao had this palace constructed on the western side of the Pa Sa Sak River in the similar period to when King Rama IV had Phra Narai Ratchaiwet constructed in Lopburi. Due to the search for a location suitable for a retreat in wartime, King Rama IV commanded King Pinklao (his brother) to find a suitable site for the construction of his palace. He chose Ban Si Tha sub-district because from there Khao Khok was easily accessible. King Pinklao thereafter resided at the palace throughout his life. The structure of the residence was all made of wood. Some parts were used to construct a palace for his children and others were destroyed and lost. At the present time, the location of the palace is inhabited by local people. The compound of the residence is large, covering an area of more than 150 rai (59 acres).
It's now well into afternoon and it's taken until now to finally tick one of my boxes. It isn't what I envisaged but then things never are.
Khao Phra Phutthabat Noi....... Khao Phra Phutthabat Noi is located at the base of an area of rocky cliffs that stand out from the surrounding landscape. It contains an important Buddha footprint and a place where King Pinklao, brother of Rama IV, regularly visited after he built his palace nearby. It subsequently became a place of worship for Royalty including King Rama V, who left his handprint here, and his son.
Surprisingly, despite its historic importance the footprint and enshrining Buddha image are currently unprotected except for a tin roof while a mondrop is currently being constructed.
Back in the Modern Age....... As we move further around the mountain an out of the temple grounds, we find ourselves back in the real world where there's some high-quality accommodation taking advantage of the majestic Phra Phutthabat Noi mountain scenery. Here you will find The Soul Resort, an up-market resort and function venue. When I Googled it, I found that to stay here costs at least 5,700 baht per night. WOW!
Manasikarn Hall....... Right next to Soul Resort is Manasikarn Hall, an 'unseen' and unique cultural tourist attraction. Visitors will be amazed at its splendid contemporary architecture. Manasikarn Hall comprises buildings and areas for visitors to learn about Buddhism as well as to relax in the natural serenity of the mountain.
With these couple of attractions not on my list I need to move on quickly to the next which certainly is.
Wat Tham Bo Pla....... So used to visiting temples with caves with little more than rock overhangs inhabited by monks, arriving at Wat Tham Bo Pla I'm in for a surprise. I find a quite manageable flight of steps leading to the entrance of a cavern. When a monk emerges and switches the lights on, I just know there's more here than I expected. He urges me to continue along a passageway which is pretty narrow with a low ceiling height in places with guide lines to aid orientation. I soon realise that there are several chambers with fishponds, stalactites and stalagmites that look like corals. In the caverns are images of Kwan Yin and other Chinese deities.
Visiting this cave has forced me to go beyond basic description and declare that this is certainly the most beautiful cave I've visited in Thailand. The main chamber is cathedralesque with incredible beauty and colour and I would recommend it to anyone.
Huai Hin Khao....... Within distant view of Khao Phra Phutthabat is Huai Hin Khao, a small but appealing reservoir in Khao Din Phatthana, Chaloem Phra Kiat District. It provides a relaxing and peaceful drive-by in a district we've yet to discover but that's for another time.
Out of Time....... It's gone 4pm and while I can sit back and ponder what few attractions I have managed to visit today, I can certainly say that the ones I have visited have been really interesting and of high quality. Of course, there's still two hours of daylight left but from our location now nothing is within easy reach. Heading for another district will use more fuel for no great reward so I decide to head back to Bangkok. There is one more attraction however, I can attempt to reach quite accessible on the route back. South of Saraburi we turn off the Phahonyothin Road towards another hilltop temple despite being aware that after 5pm it will be closed.
Wat Phra Putthachai....... Arriving at Wat Phra Putthachai, we see that the gate to the access road is in fact closed but is there another option? After initial despair we are told there are two roads up to the temple, one for up and one for down. We are told that we can use the down road since there will be no traffic on it anyway. This works and soon we are at the base of the temple and it's now that those memories I mentioned earlier come flooding back although the details are really vague after such a long period of time probably more than 30 years. One thing I did know was that there were monkeys and the first thing I learn today is that there still are. Negotiating quite a few steps up to the chedi, I'm greeted with glorious views and a gorgeous orange sun low on the horizon signalling the dusk is only an hour away.
Wat Phra Putthachai enshrines Phra Phuttachai or Lord Buddha's footprint on a stone at the cliff face. The Buddha's footprint is covered by an ornate mondrop. According to the legend, it was discovered in the reign of Phra Chao Songtham, the king of Ayutthaya. He sent out an order to search for Lord Budda footprints in every corner of the mountains. Then, on this hill, a footprint and Lord Buddha's mark was found. Phra Chao Songtham therefore built a chedi and covered the footprint with an elaborate mondrop. He also constructed a monastery for Buddhists to come and worship. After 400 years, the old mondrop was renovated and the reproduced Buddha footprint removed. Due to a breakage during the restoration, the right Buddha footprint was found under a rough dune. Nowadays, this footprint is enshrined in the small mondrop on the top of the mountain.
Reflections....... It's time to head back to Bangkok and I can reflect on a day that certainly has passed in no way I could have predicted. There have been so many pros and cons about this trip to Saraburi. The most obvious point to mention is that I've completely underestimated this province has after neglecting it for so many years, seemingly having just scratched the surface. Of course, we arrive back in Bangkok well after dark and have to search for an evening meal. My conclusion is that the visit to Saraburi didn't lend itself well to a day trip. Finding budget accommodation would have yielded far, far more for not much extra cost but perhaps it's just better to reflect on the day's events and be grateful for the opportunity to look around this interesting province however provisionally. I can certainly see myself returning to find out more.
Saraburi Province
On to Saraburi (Highway 1)
Buddha Chai Tunnel, Charoentham,
Wihan Daeng District
Bu Yai Railway Station, Huai Haeng,
Kaeng Khoi District
Keang Khoi Railway Junction, Kaeng Khoi, Kaeng Khoi District
Wat Keang Khoi, Kaeng Khoi,
Kaeng Khoi District
Naka Cave, Wat Keang Khoi, Kaeng Khoi, Kaeng Khoi District
Keang Khoi War Memorial, Wat Keang Khoi, Kaeng Khoi, Kaeng Khoi District
Phra Bowon Si Tha Ratchawang Archaeological Site (Wang Sitha),
Song Khon, Kaeng Khoi District
Khao Phra Phutthabat Noi, Song Khon,
Kaeng Khoi District
Manasikarn Hall, Song Khon,
Kaeng Khoi District
Wat Tham Bo Pla, Song Khon,
Kaeng Khoi District
Huai Hin Khao, Khao Din Phatthana,
Chaloem Phra Kiat District
Wat Phra Putthachai, Nong Pla Lai,
Mueang Saraburi District