Phetchaburi Travel Essentials
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Ideal duration: 2 Days
Best Time: November to February Read More
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"The Diamond City"
Phetchaburi Tourism
Dating back to the 8th century, Phetchaburi is a small town in southern Thailand, around 130km from Bangkok. Known to have the oldest settlements in Thailand, it is situated on River Phet and is home to some beautiful temples, beaches, and the famous Royal Palace. Phetchaburi is more of a working agricultural city and not very popular as a tourist spot. However, there's a lot to see for the visitors.
If you're looking for history, architecture, nature, and food, all in one destination, Phetchaburi fulfills that. Whether you want to stroll around the bustling markets or explore the numerous temples, this city offers you every niche you could think of. Known mainly for its agriculture, there are many rice paddies, salt farms, and fishing villages here. Phetchaburi is also known for its desserts, especially khanom mor gaeng, a custard dessert. Because of its proximity to Bangkok, it is an easy weekend travel getaway.
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Things to do in Phetchaburi
1. Phra Nakhon Khiri
A national historic park sitting atop the Khao Wang hill, with a view of the whole city. This historic park was built by King Rama IV in a beautiful mixture of European and Chinese styles. There (Read More)are two entrances to this historic site, one is a difficult and long footpath walk prone to monkeys, another is the backway that has a tram service to take you up the hill.
2. Wat Mahathat Worawihan
Located in the centre of the city, this gleaming and pristine white temple is one of Phetchaburi's must-visit sites, the Wat Mahathat Worawihan. It is a five-tiered Khmer-style stupa decorated beautif (Read More)ully by Phetchaburi's local artisans in their local art form. Inside the main shrine hall, there are many contemporary murals too. Many traditional musicians and dancers perform here throughout the day for earning money.
3. Tham Khao Luang
Tham Khao Luang is an impressive cave stuffed with stalactite. Accessed via an array of steep stairs, this cave shrine is Rama IV's favourite. Deep inside the cave, there is supposedly a rock for (Read More)mation of Jesus on the cross. The central Buddha figure is sometimes illuminated by the sunlight glow that enters through the skylight.
4. Cha-Am beach
Cha-Am beach is a 5km long beach, popular with locals and expats. It is a perfect place to relax with soft sand and swimmable areas. There are some food stalls on the beach selling seafood.
5. Wat Yai Suwannaram
Wat Yai Suwannaram is a 17th century Buddhist temple famous for its murals. The murals features distinct angels which are well preserved. The temple complex houses a pond, several scenic buildings and (Read More) a resting pavilion.
6. Tham Khao Yoi Temple Cave
Tham Khao Yoi Temple Cave is a temple built on the Khao Yoi mountain foothills. It is known for its reclining Buddha statue along with several other Buddha images. A hiking trail takes you to the (Read More) caverns at Khao Yoi Mountain.
7. Chao Samran Beach
Chao Samran Beach is the closest beach to Phetchaburi. It is especially popular amongst locals and comes alive in the evening with street food carts and families picnicking.
8. Kaeng Krachan National Park
Kaeng Krachan National Park is one of the best places in Thailand for wildlife watching. It features unspoilt rainforests, rolling hills, reservoirs and rivers and is home to animals like le (Read More)opards, bears and elephants. There are also several hiking trails and two campsites here. It is open from 6:00 AM to 9:00 PM.
Must Know Before You Travel to Phetchaburi
Bangkok to Phetchaburi:
Since Bangkok is the nearest main town, it is convenient to reach Bangkok first and then travel to Phetchaburi
Tuk-tuks, motorcycle taxis, and the traditional two-seater pedal-power tricycle taxis are also available.
Since Bangkok is the nearest main town, it is convenient to reach Bangkok first and then travel to Phetchaburi
- Bus & Minivans: Regular buses are available from Bangkok Southern Bus Terminal. They leave every hour between 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM and take around 2 hours. It costs around TBH 120 per person. Minivans are also available from the same bus terminal between 7:00 AM and 5:00 PM and cost TBH 150 per person.
- Train: There are 3 trains daily to Phetchaburi from Hua Lamphong Train Station in Bangkok. The train timings are 12:30 PM, 6:30 PM, and 7:30 PM. The 4-hour journey costs around TBH 100 to TBH 400 per person.
Tuk-tuks, motorcycle taxis, and the traditional two-seater pedal-power tricycle taxis are also available.
Top Hotels In Phetchaburi
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Exchanging Money in Phetchaburi
There are a few ATMs distributed around the city where you can exchange your money. If you prefer being on the safer side, you can exchange it at Bangkok before coming here so that you get a considerable exchange rate.
Major cards will be accepted at the hotels and guesthouses, but the small scale restaurants, drivers and street vendors might only accept cash. So it is advisable to carry a good amount of Baht with you while roaming around.
Major cards will be accepted at the hotels and guesthouses, but the small scale restaurants, drivers and street vendors might only accept cash. So it is advisable to carry a good amount of Baht with you while roaming around.
Daily Budget for Phetchaburi
Phetchaburi is a comparitively inexpensive city. A daily budget of 900-1,000 Baht would suffice for a day. This would include food, alcohol, entry fees for sigh seeing spots, travelling and shopping.
History of Phetchaburi
1,000 years ago, the Dvaravati and Khmer empires settled in Phetchaburi first. Some years later, the Mon people brought their traditions.During the Ayutthaya period, Phetchaburi served as a central point for trade between Siam, Burma and some Southern kingdoms. Phetchaburi is also known for the royal palaces created for King Rama IV, Rama V and Rama VI in beautiful Siamese architecture. These were initially used as royal holiday spots, but are now open to public.
Nightlife in Phetchaburi
Being more on the local and historic side, Phetchaburi doesn't have a great nightlife vibe. However, some bars like Hollandse Bar, Present Bar, Again Pub, and Tidlom Pub can be good choices if you want to laze around having inexpensive alcohol and meet new people.
Shopping in Phetchaburi
For local Buddhist living in Phetchaburi, there are many shops where they can buy their daily convenience items. But when if comes to tourist shopping and souvenirs, there are hardly any options. Some shops sell raw Thai silk and clothing for interested travelers.
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FAQs on Phetchaburi
What is the best time to visit Phetchaburi?
The best time to visit Phetchaburi is from November to February. The months of April to June are extremely hot in this region, and July to October experiences heavy rainfall.
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What is the local food in Phetchaburi?
Anything besides Thai food is a little difficult to find in Phetchaburi. Western cuisine should ideally be avoided while here. If you want to be safe, you can eat at the hotel restaurants. Many local roadside small restaurants also serve incredibly delicious Thai and Chinese food. Khanom Thai is a candy like dessert that Phetchaburi is known for. Most street-side stalls here are open till late night too.
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What is the best way to reach Phetchaburi?
A bus or a mini bus is the most preferred way to travel from Bangkok to Phetchaburi. It's cheap and comfortable. Taxi is another option too.
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What are the places near Phetchaburi?
The top places near to Phetchaburi are Hua hin which is 55 km from Phetchaburi, Bangkok which is located 128 km from Phetchaburi, Pattaya which is located 133 km from Phetchaburi, Koh samui which is located 386 km from Phetchaburi, Phuket which is located 575 km from Phetchaburi
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