Pathum Thani

Pathum Thani: Bangkok's Weird & Wonderful Neighbor

Bored of the usual? Ready for a day trip from Bangkok that’s a little… different? Welcome to Pathum Thani, the province just to the north that feels like a collision of the ancient, the futuristic, and the just plain quirky!

This is where you’ll find a temple that looks like a spaceship, a museum shaped like a giant cube, and another temple made entirely of... fossilized seashells. Oh, and one of Asia's biggest theme parks is here, too.

Strap in, this is one of Bangkok's most underrated and wonderfully weird escapes!

Why You Need to Visit Pathum Thani

The colorful, vibrant

The Pathum Thani Bucket List: Spaceships, Science & Shells

Get ready for some truly one-of-a-kind attractions.

See the "UFO Temple" (Wat Phra Dhammakaya)

You’ve never seen a temple like this. Wat Phra Dhammakaya is famous for its mind-bogglingly huge, futuristic stupa that looks like a giant golden UFO has landed in a field. The building is covered in hundreds of thousands of individual Buddha statues. The sheer scale and modern, minimalist design are unlike anything else in Thailand. It's a surreal and awe-inspiring sight, regardless of your beliefs.

Get Your Science On at the National Science Museum

Who said museums are boring? You can't miss this place—it's a set of three giant, dice-like cubes tilted on their corners! Inside, the National Science Museum is a fantastic, hands-on wonderland. It’s packed with interactive exhibits on everything from robotics and the human body to a full-sized T-Rex. It's an incredibly fun (and air-conditioned!) way to spend an afternoon.

Scream Your Lungs Out at Dream World

Need some pure, unadulterated fun? Dream World is Thailand’s classic, beloved amusement park. It’s a magical land of fantasy castles, thrilling rollercoasters, and a (very welcome) water-flume ride. It’s a full day of fun and a great place to let loose. 🎢

Visit the Temple Made of Shells (Wat Chedi Hoi)

Here’s a story for you. Years ago, the abbot of this temple wanted to dig a pond. As they dug, they unearthed... millions of 8-million-year-old giant oyster fossils! Instead of selling them, they used them to build the temple. The main chedi and surrounding walls are covered in these huge, ancient shells. It's a bizarre, beautiful, and totally unique piece of local history.

How to Get There

It's a piece of cake. Pathum Thani is part of the greater Bangkok metropolitan area.

The easiest way to explore is by car or taxi from Bangkok, which can take as little as 45-60 minutes. You can also reach the Rangsit area (where many attractions are) by public bus or train 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

The magnificent golden stupa of Phra Pathom Chedi in Nakhon Pathom, Thailand, glows against a deep blue twilight sky, with a Buddhist monk in orange robes standing in the foreground courtyard.

Nakhon Pathom

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 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.

Phra 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