Lop Buri

Lop Buri is a historic province of the Central Plains, roughly 150-180 km north of Bangkok where the flat Chao Phraya basin gives way to low hills and the Pa Sak River valley. Its provincial capital, also Lop Buri, is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in Thailand — known in antiquity as Lavo or Lavapuri, a major Dvaravati centre, later an outpost of the Khmer Empire, and then a "second capital" of Ayutthaya.

The province's defining era came in the 17th century, when King Narai the Great made Lop Buri his favoured residence for eight months of the year. A visiting Frenchman called it "what Versailles is for France." Narai's openness to the West — French missionaries, the Greek minister Constantine Phaulkon — left a remarkable layered townscape: Khmer prang towers, Ayutthaya-era palaces, and European-influenced ruins all within a few streets of the Old Town.

Lop Buri is famous for two very different things: the troops of crab-eating macaques that have colonised the old Khmer shrines in the city centre, and a varied countryside of sunflower fields, reservoirs, waterfalls and the Pa Sak Jolasid Dam. It is an easy, laid-back escape from the capital that mixes serious history with quirky monkey-town charm.

The best window is November to February, the cool, dry season — comfortable for exploring the Old Town on foot and the prime time for one of the province's signature sights, the sunflower fields around Pa Sak Jolasid Dam, which bloom roughly November to December. March to May is hot and dusty, though the turquoise Wang Kan Lueng waterfall flows year-round and is especially popular with locals in the heat.

Two festivals are worth timing a trip around: the King Narai the Great Festival, a 10-day cultural celebration each February with period costume, retro markets and light shows at the palace; and the Lopburi Monkey Banquet (Monkey Buffet Festival), typically held in late November, when an extravagant fruit-and-vegetable feast is laid out for the city's macaques near Phra Prang Sam Yot. The Wat Khao Wong Prachan temple festival is a 15-day movable event tied to the Buddhist calendar.

Lop Buri town splits into the Old Town (most historic sites plus the railway station) and the New Town (where buses arrive), about 6 km apart.

• Rail: Trains from Bangkok's Krung Thep Aphiwat terminal take about 3 hours; from Ayutthaya around 1 hour for roughly 20 baht (USD 0.60) third class, up to about 260 baht for a second-class express seat. Note that as of late 2025 long-distance services increasingly use Lopburi 2 (Tha Wung) station.
• Bus/minibus: Air-conditioned minivans from Bangkok's Mo Chit terminal take about 2 hours for around 110 baht (USD 3.30), last departure around 18:00. Local buses from Ayutthaya run every 20 minutes (about 2 hours, 35 baht).
• Within town: the blue local bus (about 8 baht) loops constantly between the bus station and the Old Town via the Phra Kan Shrine. Motorcycle and car taxis are available; ride-hailing apps such as Grab and Bolt have generally not operated here, so arrange a driver in advance.
• The countryside — Pa Sak Jolasid Dam, the sunflower fields, Phatthana Nikhom, Sublangka Wildlife Sanctuary — is spread out and best reached by hired car or private driver.

• Lop Buri (Old Town) — the historic core: King Narai's Palace, Khmer prang, and the famous resident macaques.
• Phatthana Nikhom — district on the Pa Sak Jolasid Dam, home to the "New Zealand of Thailand" sheep farm and dam viewpoints.
• Chai Badan / northeastern Lop Buri — gateway to the Sublangka Wildlife Sanctuary, the province's last major forest.
• Khok Samrong — agricultural district known for its sunflower fields.
• Tha Wung — riverside district on the Lop Buri River, now a key rail junction.
• Phra Phutthabat (Saraburi border area) — the route into Lop Buri from the south, dotted with pilgrimage temples.

Lop Buri's eating is unpretentious Central Plains food best sampled from the street stalls of the Old Town, particularly the lively evening food strip set up on the road in front of the railway station. Expect grilled meats, noodle soups, som tam, curries and Thai desserts at low prices — most dishes 40-70 baht (USD 1.20-2.10).

The province's agricultural identity shows up on the plate: it is a major sunflower grower, so sunflower seeds and pressed sunflower oil are common local products, and the countryside yields plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables. For something different, the New Town has a small cluster of Western-leaning restaurants — a Belgian-owned spot and steakhouses run by European expatriates serving steaks and English dishes at higher prices than Thai food. Practical shopping and food courts cluster around the Big C and the Tesco Lotus "Monkey Mall," the latter hosting a large evening market. Vegetarian travellers will find jay food around the temples, especially during festival periods.

Lop Buri wears its long history openly — Dvaravati, Khmer and Ayutthaya layers sit side by side in a single townscape. The cultural calendar's centrepiece is the King Narai the Great Festival each February, ten days of historical pageantry when residents dress in traditional Thai costume of the Narai era and the palace grounds host markets, performances and son-et-lumière shows.

In late November, the Monkey Buffet Festival turns the city's unusual relationship with its macaques into a global photo event, piling tables high with fruit for the animals around Phra Prang Sam Yot. Buddhist devotion centres on the hill temples: the Wat Khao Wong Prachan temple festival is a 15-day pilgrimage event up the 3,790-step staircase to the province's highest peak, when the route is lit around the clock and lined with food vendors. The national festivals — Songkran in April and Loi Krathong in November — are also observed at the temples and along the Lop Buri River.

• The macaques of Phra Prang Sam Yot — wander the three-towered Khmer temple and San Phra Kan shrine overrun by crab-eating macaques; mind your bags and sunglasses, and visit during the November Monkey Buffet for the full spectacle.
• King Narai's Palace and Ban Vichayen — tour Phra Narai Ratchaniwet, with the Somdet Phra Narai Museum's Dvaravati, Khmer and Lopburi-style Buddha images, then the atmospheric ruins of Phaulkon's residence nearby.
• Sunflower fields around Pa Sak Jolasid Dam — photograph the golden fields against a hilly backdrop in November-December, a uniquely Lop Buri seasonal sight.
• The "floating train" across Pa Sak Jolasid Dam — ride or watch the elevated northern railway line that crosses the reservoir; the State Railway runs special excursion trains that pause on the over-water section.
• Climb Wat Khao Wong Prachan — tackle the steep staircase to the hilltop temple at about 650 m, with sweeping views over the province, or take the easy drive up Khao Phraya Doenthong for sunrise and sunset over the dam.