Kamphaeng Phet Historical Park
Kamphaeng Phet Historical Park
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
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4.5
216 reviews
Excellent
126
Very good
74
Average
13
Poor
2
Terrible
1
dereka66
Bang Sao Thong, Thailand80 contributions
Jul 2022
The Kamphaeng Phet historical park - town centre; is on R101 just 500m east of the River Ping bridge. Inside the old 16th century town walls are many impressive laterite ruins. This quiet and beautiful large park is well cared for with trees and grass areas. It is approximately 1km by 300m. Entrance is 100thb. It is a must see.
Written July 20, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
vincentloicbenoia
Bangkok, Thailand277 contributions
Aug 2020 • Couples
A good complement to Sukhothai and Sri Satchanalai parks if you are into Siam history and architecture.
No more bikes to rent so be motorized!!!
The site is divided into 2 zones and I recommend to start with Wat Phra Kaew. These are the best parts with Buddha Image and elephants. In the other zone, you may go directly to Wat chang rob and Iryabot. The other ruins don’t bring much.
No more bikes to rent so be motorized!!!
The site is divided into 2 zones and I recommend to start with Wat Phra Kaew. These are the best parts with Buddha Image and elephants. In the other zone, you may go directly to Wat chang rob and Iryabot. The other ruins don’t bring much.
Written August 11, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
yangfengming
Sydney, Australia205 contributions
Jan 2020 • Couples
It cost 150 baht to visit the two sites, but 100 baht to visit one only. I’d choose the former. It’s advisable to do it as early as possible before it gets too hot. Too much to cover on foot; best to hire a bicycle at the entrance/ticket office. It’s possible to visit the two sites in one morning. We started early and finished at lunchtime. Bring plenty of water and some food. There were no shops within the park. Quite a number of dogs in the park, and some were quite vicious. I had to carry a branch with me to ward them off. I was surprised that there were so few tourists about.
Written January 4, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
TravelJunkie010
Bangkok, Thailand251 contributions
Jul 2020 • Family
There are two places to visit. The more obvious ruins with the triple Buddha images. This is good for 30 mins or so, but make sure you drive up to the main park to see a whole range of ruins. This would be a great spot for exercise. Need a car or a bike for this.
Written August 8, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
MamaSanChiangMai
ChiangMai283 contributions
Mar 2022
Post CV19, we saw no other tourists in the entire park. Absolutely wonderful way to spend the day, having a wander on foot and by car. Sites well-explained on placards. Serene, reverent, recommended!
Written March 5, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Flybob6334580
Port Saint Lucie, FL50 contributions
Apr 2013 • Family
My wife is from Kamphaeng Phet so whenever we go to Thailand we make it a point to visit this park. The park is located on busy main roads but once you get out and start walking the paths the sounds of the city seem to drift away and you are brought back hundreds of years into Thailand's storied past. I love the place and always look at walking the paths among the ancient ruins as a peaceful time of reflection as well as a means to get a little walking/photography in. Apart from the main portion of the park is a separate ancient wat/building called Elephant Temple. This building has about a hundred delapidated elephants around the side walls and it is just beautiful to photograph and see. You have to drive or maybe bicycle there from the main part of the park as I recall it is a little too far to walk.
The cost of admission is only what would equate to about one American Dollar or Euro so it is an extraordinary value.
It is a beautiful place for photography with the green grass, mortar walls, ancient wats, delapidated buddha's and etc. Truly a dream place for video or stills.
I really enjoy the small city of Kamphaeng Phet in general. It is a little old and dirty without much tourist stuff but it truly is Old Thailand. On the street you can still find men pedaling the traditional 3 wheeled samlor's (bicycles with a covered seat for two in the back), a fairly vibrant but somewhat smelly local market and a nice sidewalk along the banks of the Ping River with a couple small ice cream shops and what not. In the market you can get noodles that are literally made right there from scratch with traditional Thai curries, vegetables, other foods and goods. The small city of KamPhaeng Phet is sometimes called The Thai City that Tourism Forgot. If you are looking for exciting nightlife and all that stuff, go elsewhere. Having said that, there are a couple excellent restaurants with live music right on the river.
I like this small Thai city and the Kamphaeng Phet Historical Park very, very much.
The Thai's are wonderful people. They are extremely friendly and are very fun loving, expressive and take joy in their past and their culture. The locals have a belief that if you honk your car horn as you pass one particular buddha in the park it will bring you good luck. Needless to say you can stand at that buddha all day long and cars are honking with people laughing and wishing good luck upon themselves.
We have been to this park three or four times in the 11 years my wife and I have been married. We have every intention of returning again this November.
Kamphaeng Phet has a Banana Festival every year in the spring as the area is noted for producing some of the finest banana's in the world. I forgot the name of the banana but it is the small sweet variety. Anyone passing through the area might consider a day or two in KamPhaeng Phet to enjoy the festival and the park.
Also, take note of the weather. April and May are extremely hot in this part of Thailand. This park is totally on flat ground and not hard walking at all. However, we brought my parents here in 2006. My father had heart problems at 76 years old and had a tough time with walking in that heat. Anyone in similar condition or with weight or heat tolerance issues might consider doing this part of Thailand in November or December to enjoy the cooler weather as well as the Loy Krathong Festival in Chiang Mai or Sukkhothai.
The cost of admission is only what would equate to about one American Dollar or Euro so it is an extraordinary value.
It is a beautiful place for photography with the green grass, mortar walls, ancient wats, delapidated buddha's and etc. Truly a dream place for video or stills.
I really enjoy the small city of Kamphaeng Phet in general. It is a little old and dirty without much tourist stuff but it truly is Old Thailand. On the street you can still find men pedaling the traditional 3 wheeled samlor's (bicycles with a covered seat for two in the back), a fairly vibrant but somewhat smelly local market and a nice sidewalk along the banks of the Ping River with a couple small ice cream shops and what not. In the market you can get noodles that are literally made right there from scratch with traditional Thai curries, vegetables, other foods and goods. The small city of KamPhaeng Phet is sometimes called The Thai City that Tourism Forgot. If you are looking for exciting nightlife and all that stuff, go elsewhere. Having said that, there are a couple excellent restaurants with live music right on the river.
I like this small Thai city and the Kamphaeng Phet Historical Park very, very much.
The Thai's are wonderful people. They are extremely friendly and are very fun loving, expressive and take joy in their past and their culture. The locals have a belief that if you honk your car horn as you pass one particular buddha in the park it will bring you good luck. Needless to say you can stand at that buddha all day long and cars are honking with people laughing and wishing good luck upon themselves.
We have been to this park three or four times in the 11 years my wife and I have been married. We have every intention of returning again this November.
Kamphaeng Phet has a Banana Festival every year in the spring as the area is noted for producing some of the finest banana's in the world. I forgot the name of the banana but it is the small sweet variety. Anyone passing through the area might consider a day or two in KamPhaeng Phet to enjoy the festival and the park.
Also, take note of the weather. April and May are extremely hot in this part of Thailand. This park is totally on flat ground and not hard walking at all. However, we brought my parents here in 2006. My father had heart problems at 76 years old and had a tough time with walking in that heat. Anyone in similar condition or with weight or heat tolerance issues might consider doing this part of Thailand in November or December to enjoy the cooler weather as well as the Loy Krathong Festival in Chiang Mai or Sukkhothai.
Written July 17, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
David A
Greater Sydney, Australia25 contributions
Jun 2016 • Friends
This is a fascinating window on Thai history. It is not as well known as Ayutthaya or Sukhothai historical parks but it holds as much interest as either of them - perhaps more. It shares UNESCO World Heritage status with the Sukhothai park, as part of an area (along with Si Satchanalai) known officially as the Historic Town of Sukhothai and Associated Historic Towns.
Kamphaeng Phet's historical park is on the edge of the city. It contains more than 50 ancient temples in two areas: the old walled city and the nearby forest areas.
The temples date from 700-to-500 years ago and have been ravaged by war, looting, weather and time. Today, only ruins remain. But with a little imagination, and the help of architectural drawings posted near many of the sites, it is easy to see how substantial and beautiful they once were.
The walled city temples include Wat Phra Kaeo, an early home of the Emerald Buddha, one of Thailand's most revered religious icons. Wat Phra Kaeo is also known for its big surviving Buddha statues. The walled city temples can only be toured on foot but they are set in a wooded parkland which provides ample shade.
The Temples in the Forest area includes 40 ancient ruins built on a gentle hillside. Visitors can drive, walk or ride (bicycles are available for hire) along well-made roads, again in a well-maintained park.
It seems there is virtually a temple around just about every bend in the road.
Some are small and in serious state of disrepair. But others - such as Wat Phra Non, Wat Phra Si Iriyabot and Wat Singha - are big, solid structures that must have taken many years to build.
At the top of the hill is Wat Chang Rop, a massive structure with 68 elephants adorning its walls.
The big temples each cover a large land area and are what we would now call temple complexes. Wat Kru Si Hong, for instance, covers more than 64,000 sq kms and originally included three prayer halls, 13 chedis (or stupas), eight residences, three pavilions, eight toilets and five wells. From the remains of the houses, bathrooms and toilets it is possible to see how the monks lived.
Old Kamphaeng Phet was a military outpost protecting, first, the Sukhothai Kingdom and, later, the Ayutthaya Kingdom. It also protected trade along the Ping River. It must have been a rich town but, even so, it is amazing that such a small town could build so many substantial temples.
It must have been an important centre of Thai Buddhism and lives on as part of Thailand's religious history.
Wars (mainly against the neighbouring Burmese) and military occupation (especially during the Burmese conquest of Ayutthaya) left the old town and temples severely damaged; they were abandoned in the late 1700s and left to claimed by the jungle.
The temples in Kamphaeng Phet Historical Park are not as grand as those in Sukhothai or Ayutthaya but there are more of them within the park area.
The temples may now be ruins but they represent real, gritty history, as well as reminding us of the strength of the religious impulse that is so central to Thai society.
For foreigners, entry into each of the areas is 100 Baht, plus 50 Baht for taking a car into the forest area. An "all areas" pass is 150 Baht.
Drinks and snacks are available near the entrance to the walled city temples.
A visit to Kamphaeng Phet Historical Park is worth the money. It will fill in the ancient-temples picture for anyone visiting Ayutthaya or Sukhothai. And it will capture the interest of people wanting to learn about Thai history, early Thai architecture or Thai Buddhism.
Kamphaeng Phet's historical park is on the edge of the city. It contains more than 50 ancient temples in two areas: the old walled city and the nearby forest areas.
The temples date from 700-to-500 years ago and have been ravaged by war, looting, weather and time. Today, only ruins remain. But with a little imagination, and the help of architectural drawings posted near many of the sites, it is easy to see how substantial and beautiful they once were.
The walled city temples include Wat Phra Kaeo, an early home of the Emerald Buddha, one of Thailand's most revered religious icons. Wat Phra Kaeo is also known for its big surviving Buddha statues. The walled city temples can only be toured on foot but they are set in a wooded parkland which provides ample shade.
The Temples in the Forest area includes 40 ancient ruins built on a gentle hillside. Visitors can drive, walk or ride (bicycles are available for hire) along well-made roads, again in a well-maintained park.
It seems there is virtually a temple around just about every bend in the road.
Some are small and in serious state of disrepair. But others - such as Wat Phra Non, Wat Phra Si Iriyabot and Wat Singha - are big, solid structures that must have taken many years to build.
At the top of the hill is Wat Chang Rop, a massive structure with 68 elephants adorning its walls.
The big temples each cover a large land area and are what we would now call temple complexes. Wat Kru Si Hong, for instance, covers more than 64,000 sq kms and originally included three prayer halls, 13 chedis (or stupas), eight residences, three pavilions, eight toilets and five wells. From the remains of the houses, bathrooms and toilets it is possible to see how the monks lived.
Old Kamphaeng Phet was a military outpost protecting, first, the Sukhothai Kingdom and, later, the Ayutthaya Kingdom. It also protected trade along the Ping River. It must have been a rich town but, even so, it is amazing that such a small town could build so many substantial temples.
It must have been an important centre of Thai Buddhism and lives on as part of Thailand's religious history.
Wars (mainly against the neighbouring Burmese) and military occupation (especially during the Burmese conquest of Ayutthaya) left the old town and temples severely damaged; they were abandoned in the late 1700s and left to claimed by the jungle.
The temples in Kamphaeng Phet Historical Park are not as grand as those in Sukhothai or Ayutthaya but there are more of them within the park area.
The temples may now be ruins but they represent real, gritty history, as well as reminding us of the strength of the religious impulse that is so central to Thai society.
For foreigners, entry into each of the areas is 100 Baht, plus 50 Baht for taking a car into the forest area. An "all areas" pass is 150 Baht.
Drinks and snacks are available near the entrance to the walled city temples.
A visit to Kamphaeng Phet Historical Park is worth the money. It will fill in the ancient-temples picture for anyone visiting Ayutthaya or Sukhothai. And it will capture the interest of people wanting to learn about Thai history, early Thai architecture or Thai Buddhism.
Written June 12, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
HelenaGuerra
Washington DC, DC14,508 contributions
Jul 2013 • Couples
Tip: we took a small bus (shared cab) in Sukhothai's bus station. The driver, a nice lady, charged us 60B/pp. It takes more or less 1.30. The lady dropped us off in front of the Historical Park.
Tip2: GreenPark Hotel is a good place to stay in Kamphaeng Phet (check my review).
The 3 Buddhas are the highlight of this site. They are really beautiful and impressively well preserved.
This park is not very pop among tourists, it's a detour from the tourist trail. It's very peaceful, we were the only tourists there. It highly recommend it!
Tip2: GreenPark Hotel is a good place to stay in Kamphaeng Phet (check my review).
The 3 Buddhas are the highlight of this site. They are really beautiful and impressively well preserved.
This park is not very pop among tourists, it's a detour from the tourist trail. It's very peaceful, we were the only tourists there. It highly recommend it!
Written August 1, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
tarostra
Bangkok, Thailand251 contributions
Aug 2012 • Friends
Kamphaeng Phet forms a triangle of heritage sites with the better known Sukhothai and Sisatchanalai ruins. However, it gets very few tourists and that makes for a far more peaceful experience. The ruins are partly in the small town and partly in the forest beyond the town. The atmosphere here is very different to its ruined sister cities as most buildings, images and stupas have lost the outer brick and stucco layers and feel more raw and mysterious, so you won't get that "temple fatigue" feeling here. In fact the temples among the trees have more of a lost city feel to them and as you'll very likely be the only people around you'll be able to enjoy that sense of "discovery".
We found people in the town to be very friendly and welcoming and it was easy to find some good food. Private transport is a good idea especially if you want to combine all 3 ruined cities but you can also get to Kamphaeng Phet by long distance buses as it lies just off the main North South highway
We found people in the town to be very friendly and welcoming and it was easy to find some good food. Private transport is a good idea especially if you want to combine all 3 ruined cities but you can also get to Kamphaeng Phet by long distance buses as it lies just off the main North South highway
Written November 1, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
JRP-Bkk
Bangkok, Thailand1,590 contributions
Feb 2020 • Couples
I think the historical park is at least as good if not better than the much more visited Sukhothai Historical Park .
The advantage in Khamphaeng Phet is the complete absence of hordes of other people so you can really enjoy the atmosphere .
There’s basically three sections .
The closest to town which you can walk around , the old walls and fort which you can drive around and an additional park with many ruins of wats that you can drive around .
This should be a must see site which appears to be missed by most people .
The advantage in Khamphaeng Phet is the complete absence of hordes of other people so you can really enjoy the atmosphere .
There’s basically three sections .
The closest to town which you can walk around , the old walls and fort which you can drive around and an additional park with many ruins of wats that you can drive around .
This should be a must see site which appears to be missed by most people .
Written February 10, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Kamphaeng Phet Historical Park
Frequently Asked Questions about Kamphaeng Phet Historical Park
- Hotels near Kamphaeng Phet Historical Park:
- (1.35 mi) Greenpark Hotel
- (1.35 mi) Soda Resort
- (2.21 mi) Three j guesthouse
- (1.35 mi) Baan Mae - Mommy's House
- (4.61 mi) Mango House Resort
- Restaurants near Kamphaeng Phet Historical Park:
- (1.35 mi) Prem
- (2.38 mi) The Burger Co.
- (1.61 mi) Kam Phaeng Phet Phochana
- (1.55 mi) Wara Drip Coffee
- (1.70 mi) Thammarat Phochana