Parks and the outdoors in Kamphaeng Phet

Parks and the outdoors in Kamphaeng Phet

1. Drink

   About Coffee by Dao

   Cozy café with fresh coffee and espresso-derivatives; free Wi-Fi. About halfway between downtown and National Museum/Historical Park.

   Closed · opens 8 am

2. See

   Clock tower

   Landmark and central orientation point. It is made of laterite, thus referring to the ancient monuments of the historical park, that consist of the same material. With its castle-like shape and crenelations, it is also a nod to the city's name: "diamond wall". The bodhi (sacred fig) tree on the other side of the roundabout is used by locals as a meeting point.

3. Eat

   Fourest

   Restaurant and café with a large garden at the edge of Historical Park. Serves European beers. Live music evenings.

   Daily, 11:00-23:00

4. See

   Khet Aranyik

   Forest district

   Thailand's Buddhist clergy was divided into "town monks" who studied, taught and performed ceremonies for the believers, and "forest monks" who went into retreat, dedicated to meditation and asceticism. The bigger part of the historical park, covered with light forest, consists of the hermitage ruins of the latter group. Thanks to the canopy of leaves, it is very pleasant to visit on foot or by bicycle (can be rented by the main entrance). Its main sites are Wat Chang Rop (with its remarkable chedi that is surrounded by 68 stucco elephant figures), Wat Phra Non (with a relatively well-preserved chedi and remains of a Reclining Buddha statue), Wat Phra Si Iriyabot (with the park's only surviving, nine metre high standing Buddha statue). Next to the main entrance to this zone is also the park administration.

5. See

   Khet Nai

   Inner district

   The ruins of the temple district of the ancient city of Cha Kang Rao, including Wat Phra Kaeo and Wat Phra That. The Reclining Buddha of Wat Phra Kaeo is arguably the most beautiful statue in the park and one of the best depictions of the Buddha's serene smile from the Sukhothai period. The zone is surrounded by five metre high laterite walls and a 25-metre wide moat. Four of ten forts and gates are relatively well-preserved and can be visited.

6. Eat

   Khrua Rim Khlong

   ครัวริมคลอง

   Rustic open-air restaurant in a garden by the riverside, serving mainly dishes with freshwater fish.

7. See

   Mueang Nakhon Chum

   Kamphaeng Phet/Cha Kang Rao's sister city on the opposite bank of the Ping River is even older. Its fortification and temple ruins are however in a worse state of preservation. Unlike on the other bank, there is no actual park with fence, cashier, and trim paths, but the ruins are simply dispersed among the landscape, widely ignored by locals and tourists alike. The only historic temple that is still in use, is Wat Phra Borommathat (see below, in the temples section).

8. See

   Wat Phra Borommathat

   วัดพระบรมธาตุ

   This temple is one of the oldest in Kamphaeng Phet (its history probably dates back to the 14th century) and the only ancient monastery of the historical park that is not a ruin but still active. Its most visible feature is the tall, gold-covered pagoda in Burmese Mon style that can be seen from afar. Originally, the chedi was Sukhothai-style, but it was redesigned during a renovation from 1870 to 1907, sponsored by a rich timber merchant. The temple compound also hosts the "Nakhon Chum cultural centre" in a traditional teak building, with a collection of all kinds of antique objects, that however lack explanations (at least in English).

9. See

   Khlong Lan National Park and waterfalls

   Amphoe Khlong Lan

10. See

    Mae Wang National Park

    Amphoe Pang Sila Thong

Listings from the Wikivoyage guide to Kamphaeng Phet (CC BY-SA 4.0).