3 / 5 - 3 reviews
How to get there
146 kilometers from Bangkok by bus or train
When to go
From November to May
Minimum stay
One day
Lopburi (Thailand)
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ckmck
Practical information on Lopburi
Reviews of Lopburi
A small town best known for the large number of monkeys in its center, both attractive and scary! The temples remind you that the town was once an important cultural center.
My suggestion:
Don't get too close to the monkeys as they can transmit diseases, and don't let anything hang out of your bag or have loose items on you as they will steal them.
My review
When you arrive at Lopburi station the enormous monkey statue tells you what to expect. The animal is the master of the town, which pleases the tourists who find them exotic, but not the Thais who have their food and other things stolen as soon as they turn their backs!
In Lopburi, there are monkeys everywhere, around the market obviously, but also hanging from cables in the center of town and around the temples. I stayed on guard because I didn't want the little animals to get too close - preferring to immortalize them by photographing them from a distance.
In town, the market is on the central square and, all around, there are beautiful ancient temples. Finally, there are other ruins, not really temples, which date from the 6th to 11th centuries. It was a pleasant short trip, before I went back to Ayutthaya to continue my trip around Thailand.
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Emmanuelle Bluman
Lopburi is a small and very pleasant city in the central plains region of Thailand. It is ideally located, lying on the route from Bangkok to Sukhothai. Lopburi is a very pleasant place to visit whenever traveling in Thailand!
My suggestion:
Depending on the time you have available, there isn't really much point staying the night there. It's easy to get there and back by bus or on the train, and just a few hours in the city is enough.
My review
I visited Thailand with a couple, friends of mine, who are traveling around the world. We arrived at Lopburi having come from Kanchanaburi, on the border with Burma, and rather than heading straight on to Sukhothai we thought it would be nice to stop off at Lopburi, a city famous for its many monkeys.
When we got off the bus, we first went to visit the Wat Phra Sri Ratana Mahathat (built in the Khmer architectural style), which is across from the station. There weren't many people there, which was nice. We continued our tour of the city with a visit to the market. It was school closing time and we encountered lots of schoolchildren in school uniform in the streets, and they, like us, were hungry and rushing to get kebabs and fruit juices. Still no sign of any monkeys however …
We continued on to the Wat Phra Pang Sam Yod and, having wanted monkeys, this is where we got them! Why they all concentrate here is a mystery, but it's impressive to see too! They weren't at all aggressive, though we didn't approach too close all the same …
In fact, what's nice about Lopburi is that unlike in Sukothai or Ayutthaya, the temples form an integral part of the city, which gives it real character and charm.
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cc flickr Rolen Battes
Situated in the central region of Thailand, the city of Lopburi is a nice stopping place for anyone travelling between Bangkok and Chiang Mai.
My suggestion:
I only recommend Lopburi to those travellers who are not pressed for time and who wish to stop off somewhere during their journey from the north to the south of Thailand.
My review
I have fond memories of Lopburi, but for all that I do not consider this city as a must-see stopping place of my trip to Thailand. I am one of those travellers who are interested in doing a little bit of everything, whether it is visiting historical remains such as temples, experiencing nature, or even just strolling around the city. I am not a huge fan of old stone buildings, so visiting the temples in Bangkok, Ayutthaya and Sukhothai had already largely satisfied my appetite for visiting these sites. Lopburi also has lovely buildings, but I found them less impressive.
If I had to choose an image of Lopburi to fix in my memory, it would be of the many monkeys that have moved into the Wat Phra Prang Sam Yod temple. They truly don't hesitate to approach you or even climb up people. Sunglasses and caps belonging to those who have not listened to the advice of their guide are quickly stolen by the monkeys!
In the end, Lopburi is a pleasant stopping place and I do not regret having stopped there on my way between Bangkok and Chiang Mai.
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ckmck
192 travelers' photos
