Day 2, Saturday 22 April - Bang Khen (Bangkok)
OK at OK....... My impressions of OK resort overnight have been OK, seriously OK with no discomfort whatsoever. Considerably more than OK is the value for money. So just to remind myself why I'm here, there is unfinished business in this district despite the provincial town of Lopburi being well under an hour away. We waste no time to getting ready to depart for our first site visit today which is in a remote location.
Khao Phraya Doenthong Viewpoint....... Khao Phraya Doenthong Viewpoint which as the name suggests is a viewpoint which means another trip into the mountains. Khao Phraya Doenthong was established in 2017 to be a new landmark with various Buddha images but also a Luang Poh Hin image, the former abbot of Wat Nong Na built on the mountain. The Khao Phraya Doen Thong peak culminates at 800 meters above sea level offering a wonderful view on a good day over the valley towards the water reservoir formed by Pasak Cholasit Dam and its long railway bridge. Unfortunately, right now with temperatures soaring above 40 degrees Celsius there is just too much heat haze to provide this location with an absolutely wonderful view. From here we can backtrack and head in the general direction of Lopburi.
Single or Double?...... At this point it's still not clear whether this will be a single night stopover or converted to two nights. It depends on what else we get done today including of course a visit to the city itself. Back on the main highway, a signboard attracts as to an unscheduled attraction.
Huai Som....... Huai Som is a small lake in Mueang (city) Lopburi district, a location for a picnic or to just jump into the lake to cool off which isn't a bad idea in this heat. There's not too much else to get excited about here as we head back to Hwy 3017 and to a second attraction on my list.
Ban Din Mot Deang....... Ban Din Mot Deang translates as 'a home of red ant hills' but while there are probably red ant hills around this location, this is an attraction which is not natural. Lopburi is the ‘land of white clay' and here is an outlet for clay pottery of all types from functional charcoal burners and household items to garden ornaments of immense variety. From Flintstones to Avatar models this outlet seems to have it all and of course not forgetting models of the red ants. The whole area is located within the shade of trees and shrubs and as well as the pottery locals use this for their farmer's market as well.
Phu Sap Lek....... Just a little closer to the city is Phu Sap Lek. It is another freshwater lake a bit larger than the last but currently google map hasn't located a suitable viewpoint. The system has dropped a pin but there is little to view here just two minor temples, Wat Pa Tham Sue and Wat Tham Muang Thammayut indicating that there are caves in the hills here beside the lake. But we really need to make progress now and try along another road. We then come within gorgeous views of the lake and find the reason for Google Maps inaccuracy as here much work is underway to create a recreation area with not only good views of the lake but the amazing mountains in the distance and it's towards these mountains, we must head next. However, first there's the matter of lunch.
Piracu Cafe....... Arriving at Piracu Cafe provides us with one of those opportunistic moments: We only stopped to view the grazing sheep that are something of a rarity in Thailand. But hidden amongst the trees is a restaurant in a gorgeous setting amongst bamboo thickets. You wouldn't have known it was here. Piracu Cafe has managed to perfectly combine nature with functionality. How many places in the world can you find a restaurant with sheep moving around eager for you to give them milk? It's a really welcome surprise and a chance to get out of the sun and chill out just for a while but all too soon we need to move on to explore this interesting landscape. From further back around the lake, we noticed a temple located on the side of one of the spire shaped hills.
Wat Suwan Khiri Pidok....... Wat Suwan Khiri Pidok, a quiet temple up against Kao Ta Kra Thong Mountain is known for its bat cave. Every night shortly before sunset it disgorges hundreds of thousands of bats heading out for their nocturnal hunt. The cave is next to a stupa at the parking area, outside the temple's main grounds.
Other Options....... Regrettably, due to the fierce heat again today, I'm going to hang my bat up and not attempt to climb up to this cave. With temperatures now off the scale all we can do is drive around this fascinating area aware there are more attractions here including Wat Pasuwannahong and Wat Weluwan on Khao Chin Lae. None of these locations near the Phu Sap Lek are on my visit list and we still have a decision to make. As we leave this area it's worth remembering that there is another attraction here which is only worth visiting later in the year when the fields are full of sunflowers in bloom. Now we must head for Lopburi to keep the chance of returning to Bangkok tonight open. Normally you would need to spend the entire day in Lopburi but I don't need to duplicate visits I've already made to this city. There are just four locations I wish to visit, one of which is essential. We head for one of the historic outer monuments first.
Kraison Sirharat Palace (Yen Palace)....... As with some of the monuments in Lopburi, Kraison Sirharat Palace has an entrance fee, but I pay just 50 baht. At about 2 km north of the city it is less easy to reach than most other monuments in Lopburi.
The Kraison Siharat residential hall commonly known as Phra Thinang Yen or the Thale Chup Son Hall was situated on an island in the Thale Chup Son freshwater reservoir (literally: arrow dip sea) which is believed to date back to the period of Khmer rule in the 13th century. During the rainy season, water from a range of hills flows into a basin which forms a lake. King Rama IV (King Mongkut) explained that according to Brahmin Ideology, it is believed that when Vishnu came down to Earth as Phra Rama, he put the sharp end of his arrow in the water before shooting it. Later, all the water where Vishnu dipped his arrow became sacred and it was he who created the name of the lake, Thale Chup Son.
In the 17th Century, King Narai had the Yen Palace built as a country retreat and, so the story goes, he stayed here when hunting elephants. It's not in great shape now but there's enough left standing to make a visit enjoyable
Lopburi....... Now it's time to head right into the city itself where almost immediately monuments that I've visited before come into view. Probably because the city was never abandoned, most of the monuments are right in the town itself which makes it easy for tourists to explore here. In fact, the railway station is within view of the popular Phra Prang Sam Yot, an ancient Khmer sanctuary more generally known for its large troop of resident monkeys. However, the first thing on my mind is to head for the most important attraction in the city.
King Narai's Palace....... King Narai's Palace, built in the 17th century is in a walled compound. It is in quite good condition considering it was abandoned after the king's death. Today it is an impressive monument and within its grounds is the King Narai National Museum.
In 1666 King Narai the Great of the Ayutthaya Kingdom (1656-1688) commission the construction of this palace in Lopburi (Lavo) for residing and working and greeting guests. In 1856 King Mongkut (Rama IX) ordered its renovation and the additional construction of Phiman Mongkut Pavilion Compound, Phra Pratiap Complex and Thim Dap, and named the place 'Phra Narai Ratchaniwet'.
Phra Narai Ratchaniwet covers 16.2 acres of land and at one time had 7 forts and 11 large pointed arched gates. There are three courtyards, outer, central, and inner each with its own halls and other buildings.
Somdet Phra Narai National Museum....... Somdet Phra Narai National Museum is in the grounds of Phra Narai Ratchaniwet. HRH Prince Damrong Rajanubhab and HRH Prince Narisara Nuvadtivongs gathered artifacts from around Lopburi for display in a museum created in the Chanthara Phisasn Throne Hall. The museum was first opened to the public on October 11th 1924. It was renamed King Narai National Museum in 1961.
The museum is in two buildings. In the Chanthara Phisasn Throne Hall there is a permanent exhibition outlining the virtues of King Narai the Great. Here there is a special exhibition of new knowledge derived from archaeological sites in the Lopburi river basin. In the last 30 years over 100 new sites have been recorded uncovering a large copper and bronze vessel, ancient tools, jewellery, and unique pottery dating back 3800 years.
The second building is the Phiman Mongkut Pavilion Complex, a three-story building with a permanent exhibition outlining the development of Lopburi from prehistory to the present.
On the 1st floor the exhibition tells of the development of Lopburi from about 3500 years ago. It exhibits prehistoric objects found in the region including human skeletons, pottery stone and shell jewellery as well as stone and metal tools. In addition, it displays objects from the early historic Dvaravati period, 7th - 11th Century. Objects include tools jewelry, Buddha images, votive tablets, icons, Pali-Sandscrit inscriptions, seals, and coinage.
The second floor conveys the story of the development of Lopburi under influence of Khmer art in Thailand around the 11th to 13th Centuries. It exhibits artifacts such as images of Buddha sheltered by a Naga Hood, lintels, and other icons. It also displays the artwork and craftsmanship from the Ayutthaya period right up to the current Rattanakosin era.
The third floor contains an exhibition extoling King Mongkut. It conveys the history, politics, society, culture, and biography of the king. It also exhibits the king's portraits, personal equipment, bed, clothes, and tableware showing his insignia.
Exhausted....... Visiting the old palace and the impressive museum takes well over an hour and could have been much more except for the fact that the museum closes at 4pm. However, despite the museum having some air conditioning, I'm totally drained, and my thoughts run to finding some accommodation for the night to recover. Back in the car things become a little easier with the air conditioning full on and we find ourselves back in the railway station where I can rest a bit and rehydrate, even recording the arrival of a train from Bangkok heading overnight up to Chiang Mai. There's just one attraction left on my list which is not far away.
Wat Tong Pu....... Wat Tong Pu is located close to the Citadel with the moat to the east. Its history is unclear, but Tong Pu in Mon language describes an assembly of soldiers before battle. There are also examples of Mon art for example on wooden scripture cabinets and on arches etc. While the Mon people are an ethnic minority in Thailand these days there were, in ancient times, Mon kingdom's as far back as the Dvaravati period over 1,000 years ago. At this point my job is almost done as I visit another monument nearby.
Mueang Lopburi Citidel....... Mueang Lopburi Citidel is one of the lesser monuments in the city but still important. Built on the Lopburi period, it consists of the city wall, battlements, gun turret and barbican all in good condition. During the reign of King Narai the Great the fort was expanded using the riverbank as a natural moat. The top of the wall was built with an arrowhead design to conceal the gun turrets and offer protection while offering visibility in every direction.
The Fine Arts Department registered this site on the 2nd of August 1936.
Return to Bangkok....... The time is now 5pm and the reason to stay here one more night has evaporated. There was a chance that we could have returned through Saraburi province where we were on Wednesday but leaving visits to districts in this province for another time makes more sense as there's still a lot of ground to cover there.
Returning to Bangkok from here is quite straightforward taking just two hours. Arriving at 7pm there is just no time for home cooking, so we eat out again, this time at a steak grill. Arriving back at the residence, I'm sure I made the right call today leaving me two clear days to get some shopping done before I return to the UK.
Writing a conclusion to cover the last two days is easy. There were no incidents only the almost unbearable heat which still did not prevent me from securing another good haul of attractions visited to add to my already impressive list after this latest visit to Thailand.
First Page.
OK at OK....... My impressions of OK resort overnight have been OK, seriously OK with no discomfort whatsoever. Considerably more than OK is the value for money. So just to remind myself why I'm here, there is unfinished business in this district despite the provincial town of Lopburi being well under an hour away. We waste no time to getting ready to depart for our first site visit today which is in a remote location.
Khao Phraya Doenthong Viewpoint....... Khao Phraya Doenthong Viewpoint which as the name suggests is a viewpoint which means another trip into the mountains. Khao Phraya Doenthong was established in 2017 to be a new landmark with various Buddha images but also a Luang Poh Hin image, the former abbot of Wat Nong Na built on the mountain. The Khao Phraya Doen Thong peak culminates at 800 meters above sea level offering a wonderful view on a good day over the valley towards the water reservoir formed by Pasak Cholasit Dam and its long railway bridge. Unfortunately, right now with temperatures soaring above 40 degrees Celsius there is just too much heat haze to provide this location with an absolutely wonderful view. From here we can backtrack and head in the general direction of Lopburi.
Single or Double?...... At this point it's still not clear whether this will be a single night stopover or converted to two nights. It depends on what else we get done today including of course a visit to the city itself. Back on the main highway, a signboard attracts as to an unscheduled attraction.
Huai Som....... Huai Som is a small lake in Mueang (city) Lopburi district, a location for a picnic or to just jump into the lake to cool off which isn't a bad idea in this heat. There's not too much else to get excited about here as we head back to Hwy 3017 and to a second attraction on my list.
Ban Din Mot Deang....... Ban Din Mot Deang translates as 'a home of red ant hills' but while there are probably red ant hills around this location, this is an attraction which is not natural. Lopburi is the ‘land of white clay' and here is an outlet for clay pottery of all types from functional charcoal burners and household items to garden ornaments of immense variety. From Flintstones to Avatar models this outlet seems to have it all and of course not forgetting models of the red ants. The whole area is located within the shade of trees and shrubs and as well as the pottery locals use this for their farmer's market as well.
Phu Sap Lek....... Just a little closer to the city is Phu Sap Lek. It is another freshwater lake a bit larger than the last but currently google map hasn't located a suitable viewpoint. The system has dropped a pin but there is little to view here just two minor temples, Wat Pa Tham Sue and Wat Tham Muang Thammayut indicating that there are caves in the hills here beside the lake. But we really need to make progress now and try along another road. We then come within gorgeous views of the lake and find the reason for Google Maps inaccuracy as here much work is underway to create a recreation area with not only good views of the lake but the amazing mountains in the distance and it's towards these mountains, we must head next. However, first there's the matter of lunch.
Piracu Cafe....... Arriving at Piracu Cafe provides us with one of those opportunistic moments: We only stopped to view the grazing sheep that are something of a rarity in Thailand. But hidden amongst the trees is a restaurant in a gorgeous setting amongst bamboo thickets. You wouldn't have known it was here. Piracu Cafe has managed to perfectly combine nature with functionality. How many places in the world can you find a restaurant with sheep moving around eager for you to give them milk? It's a really welcome surprise and a chance to get out of the sun and chill out just for a while but all too soon we need to move on to explore this interesting landscape. From further back around the lake, we noticed a temple located on the side of one of the spire shaped hills.
Wat Suwan Khiri Pidok....... Wat Suwan Khiri Pidok, a quiet temple up against Kao Ta Kra Thong Mountain is known for its bat cave. Every night shortly before sunset it disgorges hundreds of thousands of bats heading out for their nocturnal hunt. The cave is next to a stupa at the parking area, outside the temple's main grounds.
Other Options....... Regrettably, due to the fierce heat again today, I'm going to hang my bat up and not attempt to climb up to this cave. With temperatures now off the scale all we can do is drive around this fascinating area aware there are more attractions here including Wat Pasuwannahong and Wat Weluwan on Khao Chin Lae. None of these locations near the Phu Sap Lek are on my visit list and we still have a decision to make. As we leave this area it's worth remembering that there is another attraction here which is only worth visiting later in the year when the fields are full of sunflowers in bloom. Now we must head for Lopburi to keep the chance of returning to Bangkok tonight open. Normally you would need to spend the entire day in Lopburi but I don't need to duplicate visits I've already made to this city. There are just four locations I wish to visit, one of which is essential. We head for one of the historic outer monuments first.
Kraison Sirharat Palace (Yen Palace)....... As with some of the monuments in Lopburi, Kraison Sirharat Palace has an entrance fee, but I pay just 50 baht. At about 2 km north of the city it is less easy to reach than most other monuments in Lopburi.
The Kraison Siharat residential hall commonly known as Phra Thinang Yen or the Thale Chup Son Hall was situated on an island in the Thale Chup Son freshwater reservoir (literally: arrow dip sea) which is believed to date back to the period of Khmer rule in the 13th century. During the rainy season, water from a range of hills flows into a basin which forms a lake. King Rama IV (King Mongkut) explained that according to Brahmin Ideology, it is believed that when Vishnu came down to Earth as Phra Rama, he put the sharp end of his arrow in the water before shooting it. Later, all the water where Vishnu dipped his arrow became sacred and it was he who created the name of the lake, Thale Chup Son.
In the 17th Century, King Narai had the Yen Palace built as a country retreat and, so the story goes, he stayed here when hunting elephants. It's not in great shape now but there's enough left standing to make a visit enjoyable
Lopburi....... Now it's time to head right into the city itself where almost immediately monuments that I've visited before come into view. Probably because the city was never abandoned, most of the monuments are right in the town itself which makes it easy for tourists to explore here. In fact, the railway station is within view of the popular Phra Prang Sam Yot, an ancient Khmer sanctuary more generally known for its large troop of resident monkeys. However, the first thing on my mind is to head for the most important attraction in the city.
King Narai's Palace....... King Narai's Palace, built in the 17th century is in a walled compound. It is in quite good condition considering it was abandoned after the king's death. Today it is an impressive monument and within its grounds is the King Narai National Museum.
In 1666 King Narai the Great of the Ayutthaya Kingdom (1656-1688) commission the construction of this palace in Lopburi (Lavo) for residing and working and greeting guests. In 1856 King Mongkut (Rama IX) ordered its renovation and the additional construction of Phiman Mongkut Pavilion Compound, Phra Pratiap Complex and Thim Dap, and named the place 'Phra Narai Ratchaniwet'.
Phra Narai Ratchaniwet covers 16.2 acres of land and at one time had 7 forts and 11 large pointed arched gates. There are three courtyards, outer, central, and inner each with its own halls and other buildings.
Somdet Phra Narai National Museum....... Somdet Phra Narai National Museum is in the grounds of Phra Narai Ratchaniwet. HRH Prince Damrong Rajanubhab and HRH Prince Narisara Nuvadtivongs gathered artifacts from around Lopburi for display in a museum created in the Chanthara Phisasn Throne Hall. The museum was first opened to the public on October 11th 1924. It was renamed King Narai National Museum in 1961.
The museum is in two buildings. In the Chanthara Phisasn Throne Hall there is a permanent exhibition outlining the virtues of King Narai the Great. Here there is a special exhibition of new knowledge derived from archaeological sites in the Lopburi river basin. In the last 30 years over 100 new sites have been recorded uncovering a large copper and bronze vessel, ancient tools, jewellery, and unique pottery dating back 3800 years.
The second building is the Phiman Mongkut Pavilion Complex, a three-story building with a permanent exhibition outlining the development of Lopburi from prehistory to the present.
On the 1st floor the exhibition tells of the development of Lopburi from about 3500 years ago. It exhibits prehistoric objects found in the region including human skeletons, pottery stone and shell jewellery as well as stone and metal tools. In addition, it displays objects from the early historic Dvaravati period, 7th - 11th Century. Objects include tools jewelry, Buddha images, votive tablets, icons, Pali-Sandscrit inscriptions, seals, and coinage.
The second floor conveys the story of the development of Lopburi under influence of Khmer art in Thailand around the 11th to 13th Centuries. It exhibits artifacts such as images of Buddha sheltered by a Naga Hood, lintels, and other icons. It also displays the artwork and craftsmanship from the Ayutthaya period right up to the current Rattanakosin era.
The third floor contains an exhibition extoling King Mongkut. It conveys the history, politics, society, culture, and biography of the king. It also exhibits the king's portraits, personal equipment, bed, clothes, and tableware showing his insignia.
Exhausted....... Visiting the old palace and the impressive museum takes well over an hour and could have been much more except for the fact that the museum closes at 4pm. However, despite the museum having some air conditioning, I'm totally drained, and my thoughts run to finding some accommodation for the night to recover. Back in the car things become a little easier with the air conditioning full on and we find ourselves back in the railway station where I can rest a bit and rehydrate, even recording the arrival of a train from Bangkok heading overnight up to Chiang Mai. There's just one attraction left on my list which is not far away.
Wat Tong Pu....... Wat Tong Pu is located close to the Citadel with the moat to the east. Its history is unclear, but Tong Pu in Mon language describes an assembly of soldiers before battle. There are also examples of Mon art for example on wooden scripture cabinets and on arches etc. While the Mon people are an ethnic minority in Thailand these days there were, in ancient times, Mon kingdom's as far back as the Dvaravati period over 1,000 years ago. At this point my job is almost done as I visit another monument nearby.
Mueang Lopburi Citidel....... Mueang Lopburi Citidel is one of the lesser monuments in the city but still important. Built on the Lopburi period, it consists of the city wall, battlements, gun turret and barbican all in good condition. During the reign of King Narai the Great the fort was expanded using the riverbank as a natural moat. The top of the wall was built with an arrowhead design to conceal the gun turrets and offer protection while offering visibility in every direction.
The Fine Arts Department registered this site on the 2nd of August 1936.
Return to Bangkok....... The time is now 5pm and the reason to stay here one more night has evaporated. There was a chance that we could have returned through Saraburi province where we were on Wednesday but leaving visits to districts in this province for another time makes more sense as there's still a lot of ground to cover there.
Returning to Bangkok from here is quite straightforward taking just two hours. Arriving at 7pm there is just no time for home cooking, so we eat out again, this time at a steak grill. Arriving back at the residence, I'm sure I made the right call today leaving me two clear days to get some shopping done before I return to the UK.
Writing a conclusion to cover the last two days is easy. There were no incidents only the almost unbearable heat which still did not prevent me from securing another good haul of attractions visited to add to my already impressive list after this latest visit to Thailand.
First Page.
Lopburi Province
Khao Phraya Doenthong Viewpoint, Phatthana Nikhom District
Huai Som, Kok Toom,
Mueang Lop Buri District
Ban Din Mot Deang, Kok Toom,
Mueang Lop Buri District
Phu Sap Lek, Kok Toom,
Mueang Lop Buri District
Wat Pa Tham Sua, Kok Toom,
Mueang Lop Buri District
Piracu Cafe, Kok Toom,
Mueang Lop Buri District
Wat Suwan Khiri Pidok, Nikhom Sang Ton Eng, Mueang Lop Buri District
Sunflower Fields (parched in the hot, dry season), Nikhom Sang Ton Eng,
Mueang Lop Buri District
Kraison Sirharat Palace (Yen Palace), Tha Hin, Mueang Lop Buri District
King Narai's Palace, Tha Hin,
Mueang Lop Buri District
Somdet Phra Narai National Museum,
Tha Hin, Mueang Lop Buri District
Lopburi Railway Station, Tha Hin,
Mueang Lop Buri District
Wat Tong Pu, Phrommat,
Mueang Lop Buri District
Tha Pho Fort (Mueang Lopburi Citidel), Phrommat, Mueang Lop Buri District
Phra Prang Sam Yot, Tha Hin,
Mueang Lop Buri District
Meanwhile back in Bangkok,
Kubon 27, Yaek 10, Bang Khen