Phetchaburi Phetchaburi Phetchaburi Wat Kuti 4 Phetchaburi CONTENTS HOW TO GET THERE ATTRACTIONS 8 Amphoe Khao Yoi 8 Amphoe Ban Laem 10 Amphoe Mueang Phetchaburi 14 Amphoe Nong Ya Plong 20 Amphoe Ban Lat 20 Amphoe Tha Yang 20 Amphoe Cha-am 21 Amphoe Kaeng Krachan 27 EVENTS AND FESTIVALS 30 LOCAL PRODUCTS AND SOUVENIRS 31 INTERESTING ACTIVITIES 32 White–water Rafting 32 Boat Trip 33 ATV Ride 33 Golf Courses 33 Golf School 34 Spa 34 Examples of Tour Programmes 34 TRAVEL TIPS 36 FACILITIES IN PHETCHABURI 37 Accommodations 37 Restaurants 48 USEFUL CALLS 54 Phra Ram Ratchaniwet or Ban Puen Palace Phetchaburi A province in Central Thailand, Phetchaburi is is taking Highway 35 (Thon Buri – Pak Tho located 123 km. from Bangkok on the Gulf of Road) from Bangkok via Samut Sakhon, Samut Thailand. It is an old city with very long history, Songkhram, and Amphoe Pak Tho. Then, turn mentioned in the 1st stone inscription from into Highway 4 to arrive in Phetchaburi, a the Sukhothai period. However, archaeologi- total distance of 123 km. Otherwise, follow cal finds trace its existence back as far as the Highway 4 from Bangkok via Nakhon Pathom Ancient Khmer and Dvaravati periods. It used and Ratchaburi to reach Phetchaburi, a total to be a border outpost town of a principality distance of 166 km. class in the Ayutthaya period, as well. By bus, from Bangkok, there are air-conditioned Phetchaburi covers an area of 6,255.138 sq.km. buses leaving the Bangkok Southern Bus Its topography features undulating mountains Terminal on Borommaratchachonnani Road. in the West, with the Tenasserim Range form- For further details, please call Tel. 0 2894 6122. ing a natural boundary between Thailand and There is also a private–run bus service provided Myanmar, and a coastal plain stretching to the by Phetchaburi Tour, Tel. 0 2894 6011. Travellers seashore on the Gulf of Thailand in the East. may also take any regular bus running on the There are 3 major rivers feeding the province; southern routes via Phetchaburi; such as, the namely, the Phetchaburi, Bang Kloi, and Bang Bangkok–Chumphon (second class), Bangkok– Tabun. Most of the province’s population are Hua Hin–Pran Buri, Tel. 0 2894 6057 and so on. farmers, earning their living from paddy farm- From Bangkok, visitors may travel to other dis- ing, fruit orchards, Palmyra palm sugar produc- tricts of the province on the Bangkok–Cha-am, tion, animal raising, and fishery. Bangkok–Tha Yang, and Bangkok–Ban Laem Phetchaburi is administratively divided into routes, as well. 8 districts; namely, Amphoe Mueang Phetch- In addition, there are local buses from Phetchaburi aburi, Amphoe Khao Yoi, Amphoe Nong Ya to Hua Hin, Pran Buri, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Plong, Amphoe Ban Laem, Amphoe Ban Lat, Chumphon, and Ratchaburi. Amphoe Tha Yang, Amphoe Kaeng Krachan, By train, there are daily trains leaving Bangkok and Amphoe Cha-am. Railway Station (Hua Lamphong) to Phetch- aburi and Cha-am. For more details, please BOUNDARY contact the Travelling Service Unit at Tel. 1690, 0 2220 4334, or visit www.railway.co.th. There are North borders Amphoe Amphawa, also trains leaving the Thon Buri Railway Station Samut Songkhram province, and (Bangkok Noi) daily. For further information, Amphoe Pak Tho, Ratchaburi province. please call Tel. 0 2411 3102. South borders Amphoe Hua Hin, Prachuap Khiri Khan province. Distances from Amphoe Mueang Phetch- East borders the Gulf of Thailand. aburi to Other Districts and Nearby Prov- West borders the Union of Myanmar. inces Amphoe Ban Lat 8 km. HOW TO GET THERE Amphoe Ban Laem 12 km. By car, the nearest and most convenient route Amphoe Tha Yang 18 km. Phetchaburi 7 Amphoe Khao Yoi 23 km. sizes and in different postures, similar to Tham Amphoe Nong Ya Plong 34 km. Khao Luang and Wat Tham Khao Bandai It in Amphoe Cha-am 40 km. Amphoe Mueang Phetchaburi. History has it Amphoe Kaeng Krachan 57 km. that these images have long existed and were later restored by Phrakhru On of Wat Thai Talat. Prachuap Khiri Khan Province According to historical tales, when King Rama Ratchaburi Province 54 km. IV was still ordained and went on his Austere Amphoe Hua Hin 66 km. Practices, he came to stop for an insight devel- Amphoe Mueang 158 km. opment in front of Khao Yoi and moved to sit in Prachuap Khiri Khan meditation in Tham Khao Yoi for many nights. ATTRACTIONS Thai Song Dam or Lao Song Cultural Centre Amphoe Khao Yoi (ศูนย์วัฒนธรรมไทยทรงด�ำหรือลำวโซ่ง) is located at Mu 5 Tambon Khao Yoi, approxi- Wat Kuti (วัดกุฏิ) mately 1 km. beyond the Khao Yoi Intersection is located at Soi Bang Khem Phattana 1, Tambon toward Phetchaburi provincial town, on High- Bang Khem, 6 km. before the entrance to the way 4. Turn left at the entrance to Ban Wang Khao Yoi District Office on Highway 4 between School for 300 m. The Thai Song Dam or Lao km. 129-130. This is one of the province’s oldest Song is an ethnic minority whose origin was temples containing a teakwood ordination hall Dien Bien Phu in North Vietnam, bordering of a 7–chambered size. Outside around the hall, with Laos. They migrated to settle in Thailand there are 21 panels of woodcarvings depicting over 200 years ago and have a unique culture. the ten birth–stories of the Buddha or Jatakas in They wear black and have their own spoken and the East, Vessantara Jataka or the Great Birth on written languages. The Thai Song Dam people the side walls, and the Journey to the West in the are skilled in weaving cloth and basketry. The West. The eastern gable features a woodcarv- majority of them live in Phetchaburi. In April ing of a coin with King Rama IV’s royal seal–the every year, the Thai Song Dam Tradition will Great Crown; whereas the western one depicts be held for their merriment in different villages a 1–Baht coin in the reign of King Rama V the on a rotary basis. The Cultural Centre exhibits Great and his country arms. The door panels the Lao Song way of life in the past for later boast woodcarvings with an intertwined design generations to learn. It also puts on exhibition of master craftsmanship. tools and utensils used in their daily life, models of their houses, original scripts, cloth weaving Tham Khao Yoi (ถ�้ำเขำย้อย) demonstration, and sales of souvenirs such as is located to the east of Khao Yoi near the Khao clothes, handbags, and ornaments. It is open Yoi District Office, some 22 km. before reach- daily during 8.30 a.m. – 5.00 p.m. Admission ing Phetchaburi provincial town on Highway is free. Visitors coming in groups or wishing 4 between km. 136-137. Inside is enshrined to enjoy folk performances like a ceremony to an immense reclining Buddha image as well make propitiatory offerings to home spirits and as several other Buddha images of various other folk games and performance may contact 8 Phetchaburi Tham Khao Yoi Phetchaburi 9 Wat Ton Son in advance with an extra charge. Accommodation and is well-preserved to be in quite a perfect within the Cultural Centre is available in the condition. The school had a partly wooden form of the Thai Song Dam Style. For further boardwalk and partly concrete walkway built details, please contact the Thai Song Dam to form a nature study route of about 150 m. Cultural Centre, Khao Yoi Municipality, Tel. 0 3256 long into the mangrove forest, where there is 1200 or visit www.thaisongdamkhaoyoi.com dense population of flora and fauna. Among To get there: By bus, take a bus on the Bangkok– them are Samae (Avicennia plants), Kongkang Phetchaburi or Bangkok – Prachuap Khiri Khan or mangroves (Rhizophora plants), Chakhram route. Get off at the Khao Yoi Intersection and (Suaeda maritima), and crab-eating macaques, take a motorcycle for another 2 km. crawling fish, crabs, etc. In the rainy season, the gleams of fireflies can be seen. Interested Amphoe Ban Laem persons may contact the Bang Tabun Witthaya Mangrove Ecological Conservation School in advance at Tel. 0 3248 9174 or Achan and Study Centre Bang Tabun Witthaya Chomphunut at Tel. 08 9238 3837. A boat ride School (ศูนย์อนุรักษ์และศึกษำระบบนิเวศน์ป่ำชำยเลน to enjoy the way of life along the Phetchaburi โรงเรียนบำงตะบูนวิทยำ) River and shoreline fishery is available, with a is located inside Bang Tabun Witthaya School on local youth guide provided. the way to Ao Bang Tabun. The mangrove forest here covers a total area of approximately 40 rai 10 Phetchaburi Laem Leo (แหลมเหลว) by means of dismantling and reconstructing. is located about 1 km. from Amphoe Ban Laem The building is believed to have formerly been on the way from Ban Laem to Bang Tabun. It a throne hall in the reign of King Thaisa of the is where a fisherman’s village is located, with Kingdom of Ayutthaya. Later, King Taksin the a wooden bridge running past the village to Great had it dismantled, taken from Ayutthaya, seaside restaurants. The area is also home to a and reconstructed at Wat Nai Klang. The recon- large herd of macaques that always come to be struction followed ancient techniques, using fed by passers-by. mainly wooden bolts and partly Chinese nails to fasten all parts together. The preaching hall Wat Ton Son (วัดต้นสน) is supported by octagonal columns with brack- is one of Ban Laem’s major temples located ets intricately carved into unique and graceful on the Phetchaburi River. It serves as the Naga heads to support the eaves.