A traveller's reflection: Day 17: Year-end Trip: Kamphaeng Phet

"Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony." - Mahatma Gandhi

(Kamphaeng Phet Historical Park)

Day 17: Saturday, 31 December 2022
Route: Kamphaeng Phet to Ratchaburi
Distance: 442 km
Hotel: Tai-Shan Suites, Ratchaburi

We had our breakfast in the room. This morning we checked out early and drove to Khampeng Phet Historical Park located 6 km from the guesthouse. At the entrance of the park, the guard informed us that the entrance fees to national museums and historical sites are free during the New Year holidays.

(The entrance to Kamphaeng Phet Historical Park)

(Getting our bearing from the map of the park)

(The start of our exploration)

(Driving our Bigfoot deep into the park)

Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1991, the Kamphaeng Phet Historical Park is a fascinating archaeological site filled with ancient temples and ruins. Out of all Kamphaeng Phet attractions, we visited Kamphaeng Phet Historical Park which is the biggest one.

(Ancient palace at town centre)

(Centrally located is a large royal temple)

(The same town planning concept as the old Sukhothai)

(The lion structures are usually large and made of laterite)

(The central temple inside the walled city)

(The principal Chedi is built of mixture of laterite and bricks)

(Once housed the reclining Buddha)

Kamphaeng Phet is registered as one of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Its Historical Park consists of city walls, moats, fortifications and ancient temples. We were allowed to drive into the park but we visited only some of the scattered archeological sites.

(Other ruins inside the Historical Park)

(Boudry is marked off by laterite walls)

(A standing structure remaining by the road side)

(The Bigfoot and a lone chedi)

(Leaving the historical city of Kamphaeng Phet)

From Kamphaeng Phet we headed to Nakhon Sawan and had an early lunch at Aminyan Halal Restaurant. There were a few other halal restaurants next to Aminyan. Hotel 42C is just a walking distance from the halal eateries.

(The food was as tasty as before)

(Soup ekor and daging goreng are our favorites)

(Other Muslim restaurants nearby)

After refuelling at a PTT in Nakhon Sawan we drove direct to Kanchanaburi. We reached Kanchanaburi quite late in the afternoon. Our initial plan was to stay for two nights in Luxury Hotel in Kanchanaburi. Unfortunately Luxury Hotel was no longer in business. Because of the New Year holidays, Kanchanaburi was swarmed by both local and foreign tourists and it was unfortunate that most hotels were full.