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Weekend away

khunsanuk

By khunsanuk,
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Central Scrutinizer Newbie

Central Scrutinizer

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Hi,

 

Thanks, just found some info on it as well.

 

Also found this site:

http://www.thailandguidebook.com/provinces/saraburi.html

 

Quite a lot of info on tourist attractions for each province. Too bad 90% of them are temples :)

 

Sanuk!

 

 

 

 

 

 

KS,

 

â?¢ Khao Sam Lan National Park

Khao Sam Lan National Park covers 4 districts: Mueang, Kaeng Khoi, Nong Khae, and Wihan Daeng and occupies an area of 44 square kilometers. It was declared a national park on June 2, 1981. October to January (winter season in Thailand) is the best time to visit. Located 16 kilometres south of the town along the Bangkok-Saraburi route Highway No. 1 (Mittraphap Road), it is accessible by routes along Km. 102 or Km. 104. The National Park can also be reached by taking the bus to Saraburi town, and then renting a van or a local truck to the park. (Very close to the hotel off Rte 2. Went there with our mutual friend Chang Noi and wife who met us there a few weeks ago.)

 

â?¢ Phu Khae Botanical Garden

Phu Khae Botanical Garden is located in Phu Khae district, 17 kilometres from town along the Saraburi-Lop Buri route (Phahonyothin Road). It collects various kinds of plants for study and breeding. The vast expanse of garden and the flowing stream are suitable places for relaxation. The garden is open daily from 08.00-18.00. (Nice place to wander around in for an hour on the way to or back from the Phra Buddhabat temple. It is right on the way on the highway.)

 

â?¢ Wat Phra Phutthachai

Wat Phra Phutthachai is on Khao Patthawi in Tambon Nong Pla Lai. It can be reached by taking the same route as Khao Sam Lan National Park. At Km. 102, there is a 5-km. access road and then follow the road sign. It enshrines Phra Phutthachai or the picture of Lord Buddha appearing on a cliff wall. A cone-shaped structure or Mondop was built to cover the picture. Stairs were built from the temple area to the Mondop and go onward to the cliff that is over the Mondop. There are interesting prehistoric paintings on the cliff: behind the door area, there are drawings of animals (deer). Beside the door, there are pictures of hands and symbols. The west of Phra Phutthachai is the Ascetic Cave, where there are paintings of chickens, Buddha images and symbols. The Cho Po Ro cliff wall has large, sophisticated drawings like the paintings of the prehistoric period that were found at Pha Taem in Ubon Ratchathani. The drawings were painted with wood oil, dating from 3,000 years ago. They represent the communication symbols of the same group and presumably were ritual mediums and reflect the beliefs of people of those times. (I have been here several times, just a few weeks ago again recently. Big monk blessing festival was a few weeks ago.)

 

â?¢ World War II Memorial of the Japanese Army (Khao Daeng)

World War II Memorial of the Japanese Army (Khao Daeng) is located in Khao Sam Lan National Park, next to the south of Wat Phra Phutthachai. There are bomb craters from made by Japanese forces in World War II.

 

â?¢ Crocodile Farm and Zoo

Crocodile Farm and Zoo is on the same route to Wat Phra Phutthachai and located near the east of Khao Phra Phutthachai. The farm consists of a crocodile breeding pond and has various species of animals such as deer, monkeys, and birds.

 

â?¢ Muak Lek Arboretum

This is an intermediate forested area between Muak Lek and Pak Chong Districts, 37 kms from Saraburi on Highway No. 2. The entrance is near the Muak Lek Food Market. The area is shady and very pleasant with stream where visitors can enjoy swimming. (Very beautiful place.)

 

â?¢ Tham Phra Phothisat

This cave houses a bas-relief Buddha image of the Dvaravati period as well as beautiful stalactite and stalagmite formations. It is located at Tambon Thap Kwang, Amphoe Kaeng Khoi, 15 kms. from the town along Highway No. 2 and 11 kms along an access road.

 

â?¢ Pa Sak River trip

The Pa Sak River, which runs through the area of Amphoe Kaeng Khoi, offers beautiful scenery of forests and high cliffs along the riverside. Boat trip are operated by some riverside resorts such as the Supalai Pasak Resort, 13 kms. beyond Kaeng Khoi market. I plan to do this river ride next time I am in that area.

 

â?¢ A good list of hotels in the area and prices:

 

http://www.thailandguidebook.com/hotels/central.php

 

â?¢ A hotel I have used a couple of times without problems for cheap - Sub Sin Roong Rueng Hotel:

 

www.subsinhotel.com

 

http://www.subsinhotel.com/

 

Site above is in Thai. Cheap older hotel. Servicable, hw showers, ac, refrigerator, king beds, etc with a large parking lot in back, right on the main road of downtown Saraburi off the highway. Iâ??ve used this one 2 or 3 times now. 550 baht a night I think it is for 1 large bed, 650 a night for room with 2 beds. Elevators. No internet, but a new internet shop opened just across the soi.

 

â?¢ And my favorite hotel there is the Kyo-Un Hotel, although their prices have risen since they did a total makeover of the place last year:

 

http://www.atsiam.com/hotels/saraburi/kyo_un_hotel_saraburi_thailand.asp

 

 

There is also the Seven Sisters Waterfall going toward Lopburi I think it is: Nam Tok Jet Sao Noi. Huge place, lots of parking, lawns and seven low waterfalls the Thais like to swim in on the weekends.

 

Iâ??d send you some vineyard info, but you donâ??t drink, so no point in that. :)

 

Cent

 

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Central Scrutinizer Newbie

Central Scrutinizer

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KS,

 

The best time to go to Saraburi though is during the sunflower season/festival. I believe October and November the red sunflowers are out. December and January the yellow sunflowers bloom, and there are miles and miles of sunflowers planted around the area. It is beautiful if you go for that sort of thing. Never saw so many sunflowers in my life in one place. :)

 

Lots of waterfalls, caves, parks etc, as well as some famous temples in the area.

 

One thing I saw last time was a Wat outside of Saraburi where they take care of AIDS patients for free (donations accepted). Nice place for it being so sad. Many patients a day used to die there, now only a couple a month I heard. It is an odd place in that the head monk has done some strange, yet in some ways touching, things for the dead who no one would/could claim for cremation and Buddhist services. There is actually a man who died of AIDS encased in urethene and placed in a way as to make him a statue. Others were burned when no one would claim their bodies, and the bones were encased in urethene and made into large blocks and placed around a garden area. It is a moving and disturbing place really. My daughter and Mother-in-law wanted to see the place and donate to the care of the patients. Not a place for the faint-hearted though.

 

Cent

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waerth Apprentice

waerth

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I used to have a booklet from the nation. 99 great 1,2 and 3 day trips from bangkok. It was an insert in the nation in 2001/2002 or so. It had only of the beaten path suggestions. Many good ones to I did a few. For some reason I threw it away a couple of months ago. Since then I could have used it on a couple of occasions ..... :(

 

Waerth

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khunsanuk Community Regular

khunsanuk

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Hi,

 

Cent, no way am I going to that AIDS temple as I'd never hear the end of it from my wife.

 

Muak Lek area is beginning to look like an option. I think we'd like the arboretum and there's a big food/fruit market in the area as well. No Thai will mind stopping at such a place :)

 

Alternatively maybe Pattaya (yeah, I know :) ), nong nooch and underwater world seem interesting. Doubt we'd be able to take the dog in that case though.

 

Sanuk!

 

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