Suburban areas are quite famous in Thailand for its authenticity in culture and tradition, including its attractions and places to visit. However, not many suburban areas are quite that green anymore because of the expansion in urban communities and areas which is influenced by the urban area itself.
While there are many provinces for you to explore the beauty of a suburban area in Thailand, there is one place that considered itself as an urban area which is quite close to the capital. The province I’m mentioning is Samutprakarn and it is truly a wonder to visit.
General information about Samutprakarn, Thailand
Samutprakarn is a province that is very close to the capital with 29 kilometers away from Bangkok. This province is separated into six districts and each with a charm of its own. Some districts may have traditional events, and some may have other exotic attractions for tourists to visit such as crocodile farms. Samutprakarn is also awarded with many awards for it preservation of nature in which very little city in Thailand received this kind of award.
To get to Samutprakarn, Thailand
Getting here is fairly easy as well. There are various routes and method you can choose to travel here. First and the most obvious choice is to travel by car. You can rent a car and drive yourself here. You can enjoy the path along side of the road to get the feel of what this province might portray.
It would take you less than 40 or 50 minutes to get here which mainly depends on the traffic and Samutprakarn can get pretty crowded at times. The next method is to use the bus as a mean of transportation. There are many bus lines you can choose from depending on which parts of the province that you want to go. Alternatively, you can ride a taxi here, but make sure you ask the driver to charge you by the meter.
Famous Tourist attractions in Samutprakarn, Thailand
Let us start off with a bang! There are famous attractions around the province that you can choose to go to. However, your time might not be sufficient enough to go through them all. So, I have made a list of places that you should really go to as it is very famous and pretty worth it.
The Ancient City or Mueang Boran
The first place is the Ancient City or Mueang Boran in Thai. This place basically miniaturizes many important places that are iconic to Thailand only. Some people called this place as Ancient Siam as well. You will get to see many old buildings from the history books of Thailand and much more.
As Thailand is famous for its temples, at Ancient City, you will see more than a hundred temples and other ancient buildings. You could literally come to the Ancient City to see all of Thailand’s architecture and important landmarks in one place.
You would not believe your own eyes how beautiful and realistic the miniatures are. This place has also been used to film famous ancient Thai’s dramas in which the place might be very crowded in the weekends.
Bang Krachao
The next place is truly the highlight of this province in my opinion in which the place is called Bang Krachao. It is suitable for ones who love the nature and want to get some fresh air.
This place has been awarded for being the Best Urban Oasis of Asia from Time Asia since 2006. It is a green zone in the middle of all the chaotic urban areas. You can rent a bicycle and travel around the area to see many species of trees and more. Also, to get more fresh air and see more things on the bicycle! You can even go to the nearby market called Bang Numpueng Floating Market for foods and more souvenirs on the weekends.
Baan Toob Hom
Another place is called Baan Toob Hom which is a place where you can learn and make incense that smells like local herbs such as lemon grass and kaffir lime. There are also many colors you can choose!
The Siamese Fighting Fish Gallery
If you want to learn more about Siamese fighting fish or betta, you can visit the Siamese Fighting Fish Gallery. This is the place where you can learn about the bettas and there are several species of the fish on display as well. There are other attractions around the place that you can explore by yourself which is what fun about the place!
Local Tells
Above places are all famous attractions, but there are more places recommended by the locals as well.
Erawan Museum
This place is basically an elephant museum with a statue in front of the place. The elephant statue is about 14 stories tall, including the museum building, which is made out of copper steel and weigh around 250 tons.
It is beautiful, and the museum is amazingly decorated. Inside of the museum, there are various ancient artifacts and several rare species of plants from every region of Thailand on display.
Wat Bang Phli Yai
Next stop is Wat Bang Phli Yai which is the one of the most visited and the most famous temples for Thais as well as for tourists. The reason for this is the statue of Luang Pho To who is a famous Buddhist monk that has been worshipped and respect by many Thais around the country.
Lotus Receiving Tradition (ประเพณีรับบัว)
Another unique thing about this place is the tradition that this temple holds which is the lotus receiving tradition. This is the only place in the world that you will get to experience this tradition. Luang Pho To will be summoned by the river in a boat and people will try to throw the lotus into the boat.
People believe that if the lotus can get into the boat, their wishes will come true. This event happens every year around October and it is considered as a big tradition of the province.
If you want to explore further, you can go to Wat Bang Phli Yai Glang to see the sleeping Buddha with more than 50 meters in length. This is one of the longest sleeping Buddha in Thailand. And, the only one of Buddha in Thailand has heart inside.
Bangpoo Recreation Center
The last place is Bangpoo Recreation Center or resort. This is a famous place near the Gulf of Thailand with accommodations, foods, and relaxation you need. It has a long reputation of being the famous recreation center. The highlight of this place is the seagulls that migrated from the cold of Siberia which usually steal food from the hands of tourists.
You can find a lot of them between November and May. Moreover, you could observe more than 200 species of birds here! You can also watch the sunset here to end your beautiful day if you would like to.
Other interesting information about Samutprakarn, Thailand
The motto for Samutprakarn is “Marine Battle Fortresses, Chedi in the Water, Crocodile Farm, Exquisite Ancient City, Phra Pradaeng Songkran Festival, Tasty Dried Snakeskin Gourami, Rap Bua Festival, and Industrial Estate”.
To get around the province,
the most you can do is to travel by the local motorcycle taxis available here. You could also rent a bike to ride around town yourself which is quite cheap, but you should bargain for the price a little.
For accommodation,
there are plenty of resorts in the province and homestays. Local hotels are pretty good as well if you want a place that is not that luxury. The price could vary from 300 baht to a couple thousand baht per night. Enjoy your stay at Samutprakarn!
Suggested Cities around Samutprakarn
Ratchaburi – Thailand’s Prosperous Civilization and Land of the King
Bangkok – The Capital City of Thailand
Saraburi – A Town with Significant Importance of Thailand in the Ancient Times
Phetchaburi – One of Thailand’s Best Agricultural Provinces
Samut Sakhon – A Small Historic City Near the Center of Thailand
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