Are you looking to explore a province with so much history? If you are, the province of Ratchaburi will surely not disappoint you.
General information about Ratchaburi Thailand
Ratchaburi is a home to the past civilization of Suvarnabhumi in which the kingdom is situated along the Mae Klong Basin. The name of the province “Ratchaburi” literally means the land of the King. You can find many historical ruins and traces that show the way of life of the people who have lived here. If you want to find some peace and to escape with the nature, there are mountains and beautiful environment for you to enjoy yourself here. The area of the province is approximately 5,196 square kilometers and it is divided into 10 districts. If there is one thing that stands out the most in the province, is the dragon water jar. There are quite a few traditional jar maker shops around the province you can take a look at and buy one if you fancy the designs. This is why most Thais called Ratchaburi as a city of jars.
To get to Ratchaburi
There are various ways you can choose to travel here. The first obvious choice is to drive here by yourself which would take you roughly around two hours or two hours and 30 minutes, depending on where your destination is. The second option is to travel by bus. You can take the bus at the Southern Bus Terminal and it would take around two hours to get here. The third option is to take a train at Hua Lamphong Railway Station or Thonburi Railway Station which takes around the same time as other options. However, traveling by train might take you more than two hours, so prepare for the possible delays. Once you are here, prepare to be amazed!
Famous Tourist attractions in Ratchaburi, Thailand
Most famous attractions in this province are focus on tradition and history of the province. There are also various activities you can enjoy that will probably suit you and your family.
Damnoen Saduak Floating Market
The market itself has been around for more than a hundred years and it is pretty much the same as it was in the old days. People come here to look for something vintage and to take pictures. There are also many merchants floating around in their boats trying to sell you some of their goods and local food. Most of the food here is very traditional and surprisingly delicious. If you are not yet satisfied with the scenery, you can take a boat tour around the market for some atmospheric feels and see the culture of the people living there.
Nang Yai Wat Khanon National Museum
The second attraction that is highly recommended is Nang Yai Wat Khanon National Museum is the place to see advanced pieces of art. The place has been here since Ayutthaya era and it also received a prize from UNESCO. On top of that, the museum is recognized as one of the six best community of the world with the conservation and restoration of physical historical heritage. The museum contains 313 shadow plays in perfect condition in which most of them are characters of Ramakien.
You can also watch the play every Saturday at 10 to 11 am. If you never see the Nang Yai performance before, it makes great uses of the light and shadow which reflect on the screen with the complement of Thai instruments and a narrator. The performance is a perfect blend of various Thai arts, but most of the story come from Ramakien.
Suan Phueng district
If you are looking for a district where it contains every activity in one place, Suan Phueng district is a place to go. In this district, there are many activities you can get yourself into and it will be a long article to describe every highlight here as there are so many of them. Agricultural farm, water park and shopping spots are some of the places that you can go to. Other than that, there are a lot of accommodations you can choose from and they are varied in styles.
Khao Krajom
However, there is one attraction that is needed to be pointed out which is Khao Krajom. This is the highest mountain in all of Tanaosri Mountain range where you can go up and see the mist, sunrise, and beautiful sunset. You can even see Myanmar from here! It is definitely the place for nature lovers and adventurers alike.
Local Tells
There are more recommendations for places you can go which is not really tourist attractions, but they are still very worth to go check it out.
Khao Ngu Stone Park
The first place is called Khao Ngu Stone Park which is both a park and a place for archaeological tourism. The place contains a giant stone Buddha statue on the stone cliff that is clearly highlighted by the place.
There is also a bridge beside the river that you can take a stroll and take pictures. Talking about archaeological sites here, there are four caves which are pretty old. The inside of the caves also contains many Buddha statues in different poses.
Wat Phra Sri Arn
This is a golden temple that is worth about 100 million baht and it took more than 37 years to build. The interior is filled with amazing beautiful details and there is also an emerald Buddha statue inside in Burmese style.
Wat Tum Sati
Another temple is called Wat Tum Sati. The special thing about this place is the Buddha statue on the stone wall which is also the first Buddha statue in Thailand that is on a granite wall. The stone itself is completely natural with more than a thousand years of age. It took more than six years to carve with a height of about three meters.
Khao Bin Cave
Another place that you might be interested to see is Khao Bin Cave. This is the place where you can see beautiful natural stones inside of the cave. There are eight unique rooms and every room has its own name that derived from the natural stones inside of the room.
Souvenir
The dragon water jar
If you want to take something back with you as a souvenir, the most famous thing you can buy is the dragon water jar. There are two types of jar nowadays. The original one is made out of clay and another is made out of ceramics. The product is improved to be more modern with various colors and shapes in which you can take a look at the oldest water jar factory called Tao Hong Tai.
Other interesting information about Ratchaburi, Thailand
The motto for this province is “Beautiful Women of Photharam and Baan Pong, the City of Earthen Jars, Shadow Plays at Wat Khanon, Magnificent Caves, Floating Market at Damnoen, Hundred Million Bats, and Delicious Yii Sok fish”.
To get around Ratchaburi
You can get around the province by using tuktuks and motorcycle taxis. Be sure to agree on the price before you get in. You can also use the local buses available around the province.
Accommodation
As mentioned earlier, there are plenty of accommodations at Suan Phueng district in which they are not expensive at all. You can also stay at the hotels in the inner city as they are affordable and very modern. Enjoy your stay here and explore as much as possible!
Credit video : Amazing Thailand
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