Ayothaya floating market-Thailand

            Ayutthaya Klong Sa Bua Floating Market & Water Theatre is located in Ayutthaya province, the ancient capital of Thailand, and approximately 90 kilometers to the north of Bangkok (approximately 1 hour drive). The Market is in the vicinity of major UNESCO World Heritage's sites, namely King Naresuan Monument, Wat Naphrameru and The Elephant Kraal Pavilion.

We are open every Saturday, Sunday and public holiday from 10:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.

Our main attraction is the Water Theatre, the one and only in Thailand that allows performers to gracefully glide over the water surface, featuring live performances of Thai folktales and Sepaa song recitals. Our shows depict some of the most well-known Thai folktales such as Phra Suthon & Manohra, Kraithong & Chalawan, Phra Aphaimanee, Chantakorop, Sung Thong, Phra Lor, The Charms of Kaki, Nang Sib Song (The Twelve Maidens) and Pla Bu Thong (The Golden Goby).

There are five showtimes per day

1st show: 11.00 am

2nd show: 12.00 pm

3rd show: 1.30 pm

4th show: 3.00 pm

5th show: 4.30 pm

The admission fee is 50 baht for adults, 25 baht for children, and free of charge for toddlers (in effect from January 16, 2010).

Ayutthaya Klong Sa Bua Floating Market & Water Theatre has been featured in many local Thai leading magazines and television programs such as Kusaang-Kusom, Taladsod Sanampao, Bussaba Banchao, and Thai Show.

 
Ayutthaya Klong Sa Bua Floating Market & Water Theatre

44 Moo 5 Tambol Klong Sabua,
Amphur Phranakorn Sri Ayutthaya
Ayutthaya 13000, Thailand
Open Weekend & Public Holiday at 10am - 5.30pm


Tel : +6681 875 0838, +6687 680 9022
Email : klongsabua@gmail.com

Lamphun

Lamphun often plays poor step-sister to Chiang Mai, just 26 kilometers away. Even though its older than Chiang Mai by about 500 years and is the capital of its own province, the town is generally only visited as a day trip from Chiang Mai. It is a small town, with some significant sights, but there really isn't much here to occupy you for more than a day.

Lamphun is one of Thailand's oldest continuously occupied towns. It was founded in 660 by Queen Chama Devi, the daughter of the King of Luovo (now known as Lopburi). She founded the Haripunjaya Kingdom, which became the most powerful Mon center in the North for hundreds of years. It wasn't until 1281 that the city finally came under the influence of the Lanna Kingdom founded by King Mengrai, who made Chiang Mai its capital.

Orientation

The town is roughly oval in shape. The Khuang River, a tributary of the Ping river which flows through Chiang Mai, borders the town on the east side. A moat surrounds the other three sides of the city, and there was once a wall inside the moat, although both of these date from the early nineteenth century.

The most important sight of Lamphun is the highly venerated temple of Wat Phra That Haripunjaya, near the river on the eastern edge the center of town. The temple was founded in the late ninth century, and its gilded chedi was started although the chedi as you see it today is largely the result of a fifteenth century restoration by the King of Chiang Mai.

Just outside the western gate of town is the other important temple, Wat Cham Devi (also known as Wat Kukut). Founded in the eighth century, the most notable feature of the temple is its square chedi, built in the early twelfth century. The chedi is the largest and oldest surviving example of its type, popular among the Haripunjaya culture of the time.

If time permits on your day trip to Lamphun, a visit to the town's market and the shrine to Queen Chama Devi next door is highly recommended.

Getting There

Most people visit Lamphun on a day trip from Chiang Mai. If you want to get there on your own, you can catch a songtaew (a pickup truck converted to a bus) from the station in Chiang Mai across the Narawat bridge from the main city. The songtaews take the 'scenic route' along the old highway, which is lined with tall yang trees.

You can book day trips to Lamphun through our travel partner Viator, as listed below.

Wat Phra Kaeo Don Tao : Lampang

Perhaps the most important temple in the city of Lampang is Wat Phra Kaeo Don Tao, the temple of the Emerald Buddha. The temple was home for 32 years in the fifteenth century to Thailand's national symbol, the Emerald Buddha, now housed in its own temple inside Bangkok's Grand Palace.

The temple, and in fact the city of Lampang itself, is said to have been founded by the son of Lamphun's founder, Queen Chama Devi, in the seventh century. The 50 meter (165 foot) chedi is the only structure that survives of the original temple. In front of the chedi is a Burmese styled open prayer hall built in 1909 by Burmese immigrants at the request of a Thai prince.

A statue of the elephant that bought the Emerald Buddha to the temple.

In the fringe of trees behind the chedi is a statue of an elephant with a small sort of pavilion on its back. The statue commemorates an event in the legend of the Emerald Buddha image. The image was discovered early in the fifteenth century when lightening cracked open the chedi in Chiang Rai's Wat Phra Kaeo. After its discovery, the King of Chiang Mai sent some troops with an elephant to bring the image to Chiang Mai. But, as the story goes, the elephant refused to take the road to Chiang Mai and ended up in Lampang instead.

The Emerald Buddha was allowed to reside at the temple for 32 years before it was finally 'convinced' to be taken to Chiang Mai, where it resided in Wat Chedi Luang.

Elsewhere in the compound is a rather decrepit museum of Lanna culture. Some china and woodcarving is on display.

Wat Phra That Lampang Luang

About 20 kilometers from Lampang is the old temple of Wat Phra That Lampang Luang. On first glance, this walled citadel sited on a man-made mound of earth has a very fortress-like look to it. That's because the temple was built on the site of an eighth century fortification, called a wiang, that guarded the routes to Lampang.

 

The temple buildings seen today were built in the fifteenth century, and one of the reasons for the temple's popularity is the relatively pure state of all the temple buildings. Unlike most of the temples in Chiang Mai, Wat Phra That Lampang Luang hasn't been 'improved' to conform to modern Thai ideas about temples. The courtyard is still filled with sand, and the huge main wiharn (prayer hall) is still open on all sides.

The large chedi and prayer chapel of the temple.

To enter the temple, you must pass a pair of guardian lions and climb the naga stairway up to the massive main gate. The main prayer hall, the Wiharn Luang, stands close inside the main entrance. The wiharn is open on all four sides, forming a huge covered hall. Sturdy columns support the roof. The columns are finished in black lacquer and stenciled with gold leaf designs.

The gilded 'ku' containing the main Buddha image in the wiharn.

At the back of the Wiharn Luang sits a massive gilded ku, a sort of Laotian prang sheltering the main Buddha image. The Buddha image is the Phra Chao Lang Thong, cast in 1563. On either side of the Ku are throne-like pulpits, sometimes used by monks but more often used to house other Buddha images on important ceremonial days.

Behind the main prayer hall stands the 45 meter tall chedi. The chedi was faced with copper and bronze sheets, which over the centuries have oxidized into a variety of green and blue shades. The chedi has somehow escaped the gilding which is now universally applied to chedis, even if they weren't originally built that way.

Flanking the chedi on the south side is another prayer hall, the Wiharn Phra Phut, a small chapel built in 1802 with a beautifully carved fascade. Behind the Wiharn Phar Phut is a tiny tower-like structure, the Ho Phra Phuttabat. It houses a Buddha footprint sculpture. The building is generally only open on important festival dates, and may never be entered by women.

 

A 400 year old library building.

On the other side of the chedi and the main wiharn are two other small open chapels. Although very weathered, both have some rather interesting details and murals.

A doorway on the south side of the gallery leads you to several other buildings, as well as the temple's museum. On the way, you'll pass an ancient bodhi tree whose branches are supported by a forest of crutches.

The two museums are not very interesting, even though one houses the Phra Kaeo Don Tao, a supposed 'copy' of the Emerald Buddha and made at the same time. But it lack most of the subtlety of the Emerald Budda, and the setting doesn't do it justice. For a close-up look at the Emerald Buddha, you're better advised to visit Wat Phra Kaeo in Chiang Rai, where they have a recently made copy in a beautiful setting. However, there is a beautiful 400 year old scripture library in amongst the museums that is worth a look.

CREDIT : http://thailandforvisitors.com/north/lampang

Lampang

About 100 kilometers south of Chiang Mai, Lampang is an ancient city founded in the seventh century, supposedly by the son of Lamphun's founder, Queen Chama Devi. In the nineteenth century the city was fortified with walls, and later became an important center of the teak industry. The city and its monuments has escaped much of the modernizations that have left many of the north's temples with little of their original decorations.

Like all of the former northern kingdom of Lanna, Lampang was occupied by the Burmese for nearly 200 years. Much of this influence can still be seen in the temples of the city.

Lampang Sights

Since most visitors come on a day trip, the standard sights are usually limited to Wat Phra That Lampang Luang, Wat Phra Kaeo and Wat Chedi Sao. Some tours also take in Ban Sao Nak, a large wooden mansion close by Wat Phra Kaeo.

Getting There

Lampang can be reached on your own by regular bus from Chiang Mai or by train from either Bangkok or Chiang Mai. Most tourists see Lampang on a day trip from Chiang Mai.

Accommodation

There are a small number tourist and budget class hotels in Lampang, although few of them are available online. See our list of Lampang hotels for details.

Getting Around

One of the pony carriages that can take you around Lampang.

Although Lampang has the usual array of tuk-tuks and samlors for transportation, the city also sports one unique method: the city's trademark pony carriages. While the conventional transport will get you where you want to go for 5 or 10 Baht, the carriages can be more expensive. They're usually used by tourists and so charge an hourly rate of around 120 Baht for a tour.

CREDIT : http://thailandforvisitors.com/north/lampang/index.html

Asia » Thailand » North

Northern Thailand

                  The north of Thailand contrasts greatly with the busy city of Bangkok and the high energy beach resorts of the south. The main destination is the ancient capital of the northern kingdom of "Lanna," Chiang Mai. The city recently celebrated the 700th anniversary of its founding. The original city is still defined by a square perimeter wall surrounded by a moat. Within and without are a number of temples, some of which date to the city's founding. Chiang Mai is home to many factories for the manufacture of silks, lacquerware, silver and other traditional crafts. The factories can be toured in the daytime, and a wide variety of goods may be purchased at the city's famous night bazaar. The best places to stay are, in fact, all within walking distance of the night bazaar.

Other popular destinations in the north include the smaller cities of Chiang Rai and Mae Hong Son. Chiang Rai is the gateway to the "Golden Triangle" region. Thai Airways flies to both destinations, though often through Chiang Mai.

Activities

Trekking

Its not quite the adventure it used to be, since everyone is doing it. You'll find companies offering trekking tours in all major cities in the north.

Major Attractions by Province

Here's a run-down of the major attractions of Northern Thailand. You will note from the map above that many of these sights lie along a line north from Bangkok. Its quite reasonable, if you have the time, to spend up to a day in each city before moving on to the next.

Chiang Rai

Chiang Rai has replaced Chiang Mai to some degree as a chill-out place. The two cities are almost the same age, but Chiang Rai's history is not as evident as Chiang Mai's. Still, there are several interesting places in the area, making Chiang Rai an excellent base for exploring the "golden triangle."

Mai Sai

The northern-most town in Thailand, right on the Burmese border. A small stream separates the two countries at this point. As one of the few official crossing points, the town is a good place to browse for Burmese goods such as jade, lacquerware, etc.

Chiang Saen

About 20 miles from Chiang Rai on the banks of the Maekong, this fourteenth century town still has some ruins of interest. There's a national museum here as well.

Kamphaeng Phet

Old City

Kamphaeng Phet dates from the time of the thirteenth century kingdom of Sukhothai. The ruins of the walled city are interesting, but not spectacular. Kamphaeng Phet makes a good place to spend the night if driving to Chiang Mai.

Lamphun

Lamphun is only a short distance from Chiang Mai town. Its easily taken in during a day trip from Chiang Mai. There are also several craft villages between Chiang Mai and Lamphun, so you can squeeze in some shopping along with sightseeing.

 

Wat Phra That Hariphunchai

This temple, dating from the twelfth century, has a beautiful large chedi in the "Hariphunchai" style. Its nearly 150 feet tall and covered in gold. Behind the temple is a national museum.

Mae Hong Son

Mae Hong Son Town

The main attraction to Mae Hong Son is its location. High up in the mountains on the Burmese border, surrounded by forests, the town is a cool retreat far away from the crowds. The province is a major jumping-off point for trekking.

Sukhothai

The rather small town of Sukhothai now has its own airport. If you're looking for someplace different to spend a few days, you could do worse than to establish yourself in one of the many new hotels and spend some time exploring Thailand's first capitol.

Sukhothai Historical Park

The thirteenth century kingdom of Sukhothai is considered the first Thai kingdom. This historical park houses the ruins of several temples as well as a national museum.

Sri Satchanalai

This outpost of the Sukhothai kingdom is attractively set among some hills. There's an interesting "elephant temple" which is well preserved.

Credit : http://thailandforvisitors.com/north

Chiang Mai : Transport

(Thank For Picture)

Transport Options in Chiang Mai, Thailand

         As the transportation hub for the north, Chiang Mai can be reached via car, bus, train, or plane. Once there, it is possible to rent a car or motorbike, or get around via local transportation including songtaew, bus, samlor, and tuk tuk.

Getting to and from Chiang Mai

By Train:

Express and rapid trains operated by the State Railways of Thailand leave for Chiang Mai from Bangkok’s Hua Lumphong Station six times a day from 8.00 a.m. to 10.00 p.m. The trip takes about 11-12 hours on an express train. For more information, contact tel. 1690, or 02 223 7010, 02 223 7020. Chiang Mai Railway Station, tel. (053) 24 2094, 244 795, .247 462 245 363-4

By Car:

Driving from Bangkok takes approximately 8 hours and is best by one of the following routes:

Route 1: Drive on Highway No.1 (Phahonyothin Road) and turn left to Highway No.32 (Asian Highway) which passes Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, Ang Thong, and Nakhon Sawan; then take Highway No. 117 to Phitsanulok and Highway No. 11 through Lampang and Lamphun to Chiang Mai. The total distance is 695 kilometers.

Route 2: Follow route 1 to Nakhon Sawan and then take Highway No. 1 through Kamphaeng Phet, Tak, and Lampang until you arrive in Chiang Mai. The total distance is 696 kilometers.

By Bus:

From Bangkok there are ordinary, 2nd class, and 1st class air-conditioned busses leaving throughout the day from Bangkok's Northern Bus Terminal (Mo Chit 2) for Chiang Mai (8.00 a.m. to 09.00 p.m.) Call 02 936 3600, 02 936 2852, and 02 937 8055 for an updated bus timetable.

Private buses, which can be conveniently booked in tourist centers in Bangkok, are also available. However, the public busses from the Northern Bus Terminal are generally more reliable. The journey takes approximately 10-12 hours, depending on traffic.

From other provinces, including Mae Sai, Chiang Saen, Chiang Rai, Nan, Phayao, Phrae, Lampang, Lamphun, Phitsanulok, Sukhothai, Mae Hong Son, Mae Sot, Mae Sariang, Khon Kaen, Nakhon Ratchasima (Khorat), and Udon Thani, there are direct busses that service the Chiang Mai Arcade Bus Station. Contact tel: 0 5324 2664 for an updated bus timetable.

By Air:

Domestic airlines, including Thai Airways, Bangkok Airways, Thai AirAsia, and Nok Air, operate several flights daily between Bangkok and Chiang Mai. Depending on where you are flying from, one of these airlines can also fly you directly to Chiang Mai from Mae Hong Son, Pai, Chiang Rai, and Koh Samui.

From international destinations, visitors can fly directly to Chiang Mai on a number of domestic and international air carriers. While these routes are subject to their economic viability for individual airlines, it is usually possible to fly directly to Chiang Mai from Kuala Lumpur, Luang Prabang, Singapore, Vientiane, and Yangon. International airlines servicing Chiang Mai from those destinations include Silk Air, Lao Airlines, and Mandalay Air.

CREDIT : http://www.tourismthailand.org/where-to-go/cities-guide/transport/destination/chiang-mai

Chiang Mai

Thailand’s “Rose of the North” is a cultural and natural wonderland with ethnic diversity, a multitude of attractions, and welcoming hospitality.

 

Chiang Mai literally means “new city” and has retained the name despite celebrating its 700th anniversary in 1996. King Meng Rai the Great founded the city as the capital of the Lanna Kingdom on Thursday, April 12 1296 around the same time as the establishment of the Sukhothai Kingdom. King Meng Rai even conferred with his friends, King Ramkhamhaeng of Sukhothai and King Ngam Muang of Phayao before choosing the site where the capital of the Lanna Kingdom was to be founded. Henceforth, Chiang Mai not only became the capital and cultural core of the Lanna Kingdom, it was also to be the center of Buddhism in northern Thailand, King Meng Rai himself a very religious leader who even founded many of the city’s temples that remain important to this day.

Chiang Mai is one of the few places in Thailand where it is possible to experience both historical and modern Thai culture coexisting side by side: the city features centuries-old chedis and temples next to modern convenience stores and boutique hotels. This dichotomy is best appreciated within the moat-encircled old city, which retains much of the fortified wall that once protected the city center as well as the four main gates that provided access to the former Lanna capital city.

Strangely, for many years tourists had mistaken Chiang Mai simply as the base from which they could plan trekking and rafting trips to hill tribe villages and explore other provinces. Once in Chiang Mai however, tourists are surprised by the fact that there are so many things to discover other than its beautiful and historic temples.

Intriguing diversity among ethnic tribes, a number of elephant camps, many cooking & massage schools, numerous outdoor activities, a variety of handicrafts workshops, various cultural performances, and breathtaking scenery make Chiang Mai one of Asia’s most attractive tourist destinations. The phrase "a day in Chiang Mai is enough to see things around town" was once a common expression. Today, two weeks in Chiang Mai may not be long enough for travelers to experience all that Chiang Mai has to offer.

 

The old city of Chiang Mai is a showcase of the north’s fascinating indigenous cultural identity that includes diverse dialects, a delectable cuisine, distinctive architecture, traditional values, lively festivals, numerous handicrafts workshops, northern style massage, and classical dances. Chiang Mai city features old-world beauty and charm as well as modern luxury and convenience.

In addition to centuries old temples and some outstanding shopping opportunities, Chiang Mai is also blessed with pristine natural resources including mountains, waterfalls, and rivers. The presence of numerous hill tribes that feature a wealth of unique cultures enhances Chiang Mai’s distinctive diversity. Hill tribe trekking, often combined with river rafting and elephant riding has always been one of Chiang Mai’s greatest tourist attractions. Nowadays there are innumerable activities and attractions both in the city and the surrounding province, including massage instruction and golf.

Moreover, visitors can visit workshops where they can learn about the production of silk or silver, and purchase memorable, hand crafted souvenirs. With such a diverse range of attractions and an equally grand selection of dining and accommodation options, Chiang Mai is a place where both backpackers and luxury tourists can enjoy the ultimate Thailand holiday.

Credit : http://www.tourismthailand.org/where-to-go/cities-guide/destination/chiang-mai

NAN : How to get there

By Car

From Bangkok, take Highway No. 32 to Nakhon Sawan and use Highway No. 117 to Phitsanulok, Highway No. 11 to Amphoe Den Chai, then take Highway No. 101 to Nan via Phrae, a total distance of 668 kilometres.

By Bus

Transport Co. Ltd. operates bus services from Bangkok's Mochit 2 Bus Terminal to Nan every day. Call 0 2936 2852-66 or visit www.transport.co.th for more information. Other private companies are such as Phrae Tour Tel: 0 2245 2369, Sombat Tour Tel: 0 2936 2495-6 and Choetchai Tour Tel: 0 5471 0362 (Nan Office).

By Air

PB Air flies from Bangkok to Nan. Visit www.pbair.com for more information.