Nakhon Pathom

Nakhon Pathom: The Super-Easy Trip to Epic Sights!

Think you need to travel for hours to see Thailand's most epic landmarks? Think again! Welcome to Nakhon Pathom, a small province just an hour outside Bangkok that boasts some SERIOUSLY big attractions.

This is one of Thailand's oldest cities, and it’s the perfect place for a mind-blowing day trip. Get ready to see the world's tallest stupa, a temple straight out of a fantasy movie, and a market that will make any foodie weep with joy. Let's go!

Why You'll Love Nakhon Pathom

An aerial view of the Wat Samphran temple in Nakhon Pathom, Thailand, featuring a tall, cylindrical pink tower encircled by a massive, dark dragon sculpture that spirals from the base to the roof. To the right, a large, golden seated Buddha statue overlooks the surrounding lush, green landscape.

The Nakhon Pathom Bucket List: Dragons, Domes & Delicacies

Get your camera battery fully charged. You're going to need it.

Gaze Up at Phra Pathom Chedi

Prepare to feel tiny. This is Phra Pathom Chedi, and it is the tallest stupa in the world, soaring 120 meters (394 ft) into the sky. This massive, bell-shaped dome is covered in shimmering orange-gold tiles and is the spiritual heart of the province. It's built on the very spot where Buddhism is said to have first arrived in Thailand. The sheer scale is breathtaking, and the surrounding temple complex is beautiful to explore.

Climb the Dragon at Wat Samphran

This is it. The one you've seen on Instagram. Wat Samphran, or the Dragon Temple, is one of the most wonderfully bizarre and awesome temples in all of Thailand. It's a 17-storey, bright pink tower with a gigantic, scaly dragon coiled all the way around it. And the best part? You can actually walk up a tunnel inside the dragon's body to get to the top. It's as fun as it sounds!

Eat Everything at Don Wai Market

Get your appetite ready. This isn't a sleepy tourist trap; it's a massive, bustling riverside market that locals flock to for one reason: food. The Don Wai Market is a non-stop assault on your senses, with hundreds of stalls selling everything from crispy-skin duck and river prawns to exotic fruits and colourful Thai desserts. It’s a fantastic place to graze, people-watch, and soak up the local atmosphere.

Relax at Sanam Chandra Palace

Need a break? This beautiful, rambling palace complex was a favourite retreat of King Rama VI. It’s not a single building but a collection of stunning halls set in a lush, green park. The highlight is the unique, fairytale-like Chaleemongkol Asana Pavilion, which looks like something out of an English storybook. It’s the perfect place for a peaceful stroll.

How to Get There

It could not be easier.

By Train: A simple, cheap, and scenic 1-hour train ride from Bangkok's Hua Lamphong or Bang Sue Grand Station will drop you right in the center of Nakhon Pathom, a short walk from the giant chedi.

By Van/Bus: Minivans leave from Bangkok's bus terminals (like Mo Chit and the Southern Bus Terminal) constantly and are super fast.

This is, without a doubt, one of the best and easiest day trips you can take from Bangkok!

The Provinces of Central & Western Thailand...

Wat Muang is located in Hua Taphan sub-district, Wiset Chai Chan district. It is presumed that the temple was constructed in the late Ayutthaya Era

Ang Thong

View of the Chao Phraya River looking south from Bang Rak

Bangkok

A golden Buddha statue nestled on a hillside.

Chai Nat

An ancient temple.

Kamphaeng Phet

A serene, hazy view of the long, wooden Mon Bridge in Kanchanaburi, spanning a calm lake where a small boat is cruising. Layers of forest-covered mountains are visible in the background under a soft, warm light.

Kanchanaburi

Macaque monkeys play on the green entrance sign for the ancient stone temple of Phra Prang Sam Yod in Lopburi, Thailand.

Lopburi

A high-angle, scenic view looking along the crest of the massive Khun Dan Prakan Chon Dam in Nakhon Nayok, Thailand, with its reservoir on one side and a lush green valley and forested hills on the other, under a partly cloudy sky.

Nakhon Nayok

A panoramic view from a high vantage point in Nakhon Sawan, Thailand, looking out over a dramatic, forest-covered limestone peak and a vast plain of green and yellow patchwork agricultural fields stretching to the horizon under a blue, cloudy sky.

Nakhon Sawan

A modern cable-stayed bridge with a distinctive pylon topped by a golden, traditional Thai spire, spanning a wide river in Nonthaburi, Thailand. The foreground is filled with green water hyacinths under a clear blue sky.

Nonthaburi

A traditional Thai temple with an orange-tiled roof sits in the middle of a tranquil pond in Pathum Thani, Thailand. A large, ornate Naga serpent statue encircles the structure, its body forming a walkway leading to the entrance. The building and a blue sky are reflected in the water, and the scene is framed by dark green leaves in the foreground.

Pathum Thani

A scenic view of the Wat Pha Sorn Kaew temple complex in the mountains of Phetchabun, Thailand. A massive, white seated Buddha statue and an ornate, golden pagoda are nestled in the lush green hills, with layers of distant mountains visible in the background.

Phetchabun

A white pickup truck with a boat trailer parked on the dirt shore of a large, calm lake in Phetchaburi, Thailand. In the distance, mountains line the horizon under an overcast sky, with dramatic sunbeams breaking through the clouds and shining onto the water.

Phetchaburi

The ancient brick ruins of a temple in Phichit, Thailand, are illuminated by the warm, golden light of sunset, with surrounding trees and a clear sky.

Phichit

A scenic, high-angle view of the patchwork rice paddies in Phitsanulok province, Thailand. The fields, some flooded with water and others a vibrant green, stretch towards a line of dense trees with rolling hills in the background under a cloudy sky.

Phitsanulok

The red brick ruins of the ancient temples at Ayutthaya Historical Park in Thailand, with crumbling walls in the foreground and several towering prangs against a blue sky with clouds.

Pra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya

An elevated, panoramic view of Prachuap Khiri Khan province in Thailand at sunset. A red-roofed temple is nestled in the foreground, overlooking a vast landscape of winding rivers, aquaculture farms, and a small town, with dramatic limestone mountains rising in the hazy, golden-lit background.

Prachuap Khiri Khan

A long-exposure photograph of a river with milky, flowing water cascading over smooth, dark boulders, surrounded by the lush green trees of a forest in Ratchaburi, Thailand.

Ratchaburi

A riverside view of Phra Samut Chedi in Samut Prakan, Thailand, at sunset. The chedi is brightly illuminated in pink and white, reflecting on the calm water next to a traditional temple and docked boats under a colourful sky.

Samut Prakan

A large, golden statue of a mythical bird stands before an ornate Thai temple in Samut Sakhon, featuring a multi-tiered red and gold roof, all set against a clear blue sky.

Samut Sakhon

A red and yellow train approaches on a track running directly through the center of a bustling market in Samut Songkhram, Thailand. Crowds of tourists stand inches from the track, holding up their phones to photograph the train as it passes the colourful market stalls.

Samut Songkhram

A wide stone staircase with ornate Naga serpent railings leads up to the magnificent golden Mondop of Wat Phra Phutthabat temple in Saraburi, Thailand, under a bright blue sky with white clouds.

Saraburi

A white Thai temple in Sing Buri with an ornate, multi-tiered red and gold roof. In the foreground, on a manicured green lawn, are several colourful and whimsical statues, including two large pink rabbits, a rooster, and a black elephant.

Sing Buri

An aerial view of the sprawling temple ruins at Sukhothai Historical Park in Thailand, showing numerous ancient brick stupas and pillars set amongst green lawns, trees, and ponds, with mountains visible in the distance under a warm, hazy sky.

Sukothai

A massive, golden dragon statue at the Dragon Descendants Museum in Suphan Buri, Thailand. The dragon is coiled over stylized clouds with its mouth wide open, spouting a cascade of water onto a structure below. Visitors walk on the paved plaza in front of the immense statue under a clear blue sky.

Suphan Buri

An aerial view of the Bhumibol Dam in Tak province, Thailand, a large, curved concrete structure surrounded by lush green mountains and a vast reservoir under a cloudy sky.

Tak

An ornate, multi-tiered golden temple in Uthai Thani, Thailand, featuring intricate gables and numerous pointed spires set against a bright blue sky with fluffy white clouds. In the foreground is a manicured garden with red flowers and green hedges.

Uthai Thani