Phetchaburi Old Town

A royal old town with centuries of history. Khao Wang Palace on the hilltop overlooks the city walls, Khao Luang Cave is famous for its light-filled Buddha statue, and the town is known throughout Thailand for its palm sugar desserts.

Phetchaburi lies about 130 km southwest of Bangkok in Phetchaburi Province. It is one of the oldest cities in central Thailand. During the Ayutthaya period, it was a summer retreat and an important provincial city for royalty and nobles, and dozens of ancient temples still stand in its old town. From Bangkok’s Southern Bus Terminal or by train, the journey takes about 2 to 2.5 hours. Many travelers stop here for a day on the way to Hua Hin or Cha-am.

The city is built around the Phetchaburi River, and its main attractions fall into three areas. To the west is Khao Wang, the hilltop palace built by King Rama IV. It is now the Phra Nakhon Khiri Historical Park. You can reach it by cable car or on foot, and the hill is home to many monkeys. To the northwest is Khao Luang Cave, famous for the Buddha statue that is illuminated by light through the skylight in the morning. Nearby is Khao Bandai-It Cave Temple. In the old town are the five white stupas of Wat Mahathat, the Ayutthaya-era murals at Wat Suwannaram and Wat Ko Kaeo, and the Khmer-style Wat Kamphaeng Laeng. To the south is Ban Puen Palace, a German-style palace built by King Rama V. About 20 to 25 km east are Chao Samran Beach and the Laem Phak Bia bird sanctuary.

Phetchaburi’s palm sugar desserts are famous across Thailand. Egg yolk pastries and coconut palm sugar cakes can be bought at sweet shops in the old town. The best seasons are November to February, the cool season, and March to May, which is very hot. June to October is the rainy season, with afternoon showers. Plan for 1 to 2 days: one day for the hill palace and the caves, and one day to explore the old temples. Trishaws and songthaews can be hired in town. Cover your shoulders and knees when entering temples. Monkeys on Khao Wang hill and inside the caves will snatch food and plastic bags.

Top sights

• Phra Nakhon Khiri Historical Park (Khao Wang) – Rama IV's summer palace on three hilltops in Phetchaburi, with a mix of Thai, Chinese and European buildings, a white stupa and an observat…
• Wat Mahathat Worawihan, Phetchaburi – The royal temple at the heart of Phetchaburi's old town, with five white Khmer-style stupas and fine stucco sculpture as its landmarks.
• Phra Ram Ratchaniwet (Ban Puen Palace) – A German-designed Art Nouveau royal palace in Phetchaburi, ordered built by Rama V, with lavishly colored ceramic tiles inside.
• Tham Khao Luang – A large limestone cave outside Phetchaburi, where shafts of light from skylights in the ceiling fall on hundreds of Buddha images.
• Wat Yai Suwannaram – An ancient Ayutthaya-era temple whose ordination hall preserves fine murals, and whose teak preaching hall still bears knife marks from a B…
• Wat Kamphaeng Laeng – One of Thailand's southernmost Khmer ruins, with five red sandstone prasat shrines built around the 12th to 13th century, during the reign…
• Wat Ko Kaeo Suttharam – A late Ayutthaya-period temple on the Phetchaburi River, whose ordination hall murals are dated 1734 and depict Western missionaries.
• Wat Maha Samanaram – A royal temple at the foot of Khao Wang, whose ordination hall features Western-style murals by Khru In-Khong, a painter of the early Ratta…
• Wat Khao Bandai It – A cave temple on a small hill west of town, with Buddha images in several limestone caves, many monkeys and views over the countryside.
• Hat Chao Samran – A quiet beach about 20 kilometers east of Phetchaburi city, where Rama VI once built a royal retreat and locals come on weekends for seafoo…
• Laem Phak Bia – A sandbar and mangrove wetland at the head of the Gulf of Thailand, famous in winter as a birdwatching site for migrating shorebirds such a…
• Wat Tham Khao Yoi – A cave temple in a limestone hill beside Route 4, its caves housing numerous Buddha images, with a traditional Tai Song village at the foot…

Where to eat

• Khao Chae Pa Auen – Old khao chae stall in Phetchaburi, open since 1959, serving jasmine-scented iced water rice with three sweet-and-savor…
• Thong Chiang Je Pui Fish Cake Noodles – Wooden shophouse of nearly 60 years beside Wat Mahathat, known for Phetchaburi's signature fish cakes served with Thai…
• Det Duang Red Pork Noodles (Gao Yuan) – Popular red-broth pork noodle shop in Phetchaburi, open for over 30 years; the broth is sweetened with palm sugar and s…

Itineraries

• Phetchaburi & Hua Hin Railway Getaway – Take the Southern Line train to the historic city of Phetchaburi, pass through Cha-am to Hua Hin, and explore the cave…