Kamphaeng Phet

Kamphaeng Phet (กำแพงเพชร) is a city in Lower Northern Thailand with around 30,000 citizens. Its historical park with ruins of 14th- to 16th-century temples, city fortifications and Buddha statues is part of the UNESCO World Heritage site "Historic Town of Sukhothai and Associated Historic Towns".



Understand


In the lower north of Thailand on the bank of the Ping River, Kamphaeng Phet is about halfway between Bangkok and Chiang Mai. To its east are riverine plains while the western areas are made up of high mountains lush with forests where a number of national parks have been established.

Areas along the river bank at present-day city used to host several ancient towns which played a major role as strategic front-lines since Sukhothai was the kingdom's capital down through the times of Ayutthaya and early-Rattanakosin (Bangkok) eras. The name Kamphaeng Phet actually means "wall as hard as diamonds".

Kamphaeng Phet declined in importance and was an ordinary, smallish provincial city until the establishment of the historical park and its listing as a World Heritage site in 1991. Still, unlike its well-known neighbour Sukhothai, Kamphaeng Phet is largely ignored by tourists. This is why the city has barely any offerings geared to the needs of international travelers. Some may view this as a drawback, but those looking to experience authentic, upcountry Thailand, are coming just to the right place.

Kamphaeng Phet is a "banana capital". Its local speciality are "egg bananas" (kluai khai in Thai), whose fruit are only about 10 centimetres (4 inches) long, almost oval shaped (hence the name) and much more aromatic then the run-of-the-mill long, bent banana varieties sold in most non-tropical countries. Kamphaneng Phet Province exports bananas worth 200 million baht each year.

By plane
The closest international airports are Bangkok-Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang, 370 and 340 km from Kamphaeng Phet, respectively. Flying to the regional airports of Phitsanulok or Sukhothai only makes sense if you are picked up or rent a car there, as public transportation from these airports to Kamphaeng Phet is inconvenient and very slow.

By train
Kamphaeng Phet is not connected with the rail network. The closest train station is in Phitsanulok, from which it's a nearly three-hour bus ride to Kamphaeng Phet.

By bus
The most usual way to get in, is by bus. Buses from Bangkok's northern terminal (Mo Chit) and from Chiang Mai arrive about hourly. There are also some overnight connections. The ride from Bangkok takes five to six hours and costs 204 or 263 baht, depending on the class of coach. Most buses from Bangkok to Chiang Mai, Uttaradit, Mae Sot, Sawankhalok or Sukhothai stop in Kamphaeng Phet and may be used (ask at the counter).

Non-AC regional buses from Phitsanulok run hourly, from 05:00 to 18:00. For just 100 km, they take nearly three hours due to frequent stops and detours to villages along the way. A ticket costs 59 baht.

From Sukhothai you may either get on a bus towards Bangkok and hop off at Kamphaeng Phet, which takes some 1½ hours and costs around 70 baht (though passengers who book all the way to Bangkok may be preferred) or take the more rustic songthaew (converted pickup with passenger benches on the bed) that departs whenever there are enough passengers, takes up to 2½ hours and costs 60 baht.

The government-owned Transport Company's used by most intercity buses is somewhat inconveniently located, about 2 km outside the city centre, on the other bank of Ping River. From there, irregularly running songthaews, tuk-tuks, or motorcycle taxis (if available) take you to the city centre. Preferably, you ask your hosts to arrange a pickup. Wintour buses on their way from Bangkok to Sukhothai (or back) instead stop at the close to the city centre.

By car
Kamphaeng Phet is conveniently accessible via Route 1 (Asian Highway 1), about halfway between Bangkok and Chiang Mai. It is a four to 4½ ride from either city. From Sukhothai it takes just over one hour, from Phitsanulok 1½ hours via decently paved roads.

Get around
Kamphaeng Phet lacks an actual public transportation system. The city is not well prepared for tourists. There are no regular taxis, and even tuk-tuks, motorcycle taxis, or rickshaws are pretty rare. Reddish-brown painted songthaews (i.e. converted pickups with benches on the bed) cruise through the city, between the bus terminal and Big C shopping mall. Their departure times are irregular. Other songthaew lines connect with the surrounding province, departing either from the bus terminal or the large day market in the city centre. It may be difficult to find out where exactly they are going without speaking Thai. They do not have exact departure times either, but go whenever there are enough passengers for a certain destination.

To be independent and be able to do individual excursions to the hinterland, it is best to arrive with a hired car (e.g. from Phitsanulok) or to rent a motorbike (e.g. at Three J Guesthouse or Praepimpalai Resort).

Most distances within the city centre can be covered on foot. Moreover, Kamphaeng Phet is relatively bicycle-friendly (at least, in comparison to most Thai cities). While there are no designated bike paths, traffic on the roads is quite minimal, and there are quite a lot of green areas. To discover the historical park, the bicycle is just about the ideal means of transportation: it is a little too far to walk, while you cannot see that much from inside a car. Some guesthouses lend or rent out bikes to their guests. Another rental location is right at the entry to the historical park (Khet Aranyik)—30 baht per hour, mountain bikes for 50 baht.

Historical Park


Kamphaeng Phet's Historical Park of temple ruins, Buddha statues, old walls and forts from the 14th to 16th centuries is part of the UNESCO World Heritage and the town's main sight. It consists of three separate parts. Admission to either the "inner district" or Khet Aranyik costs 100 baht each. A combined ticket for both sections is 150 baht. The walls, forts and the sights of Nakhon Chum can be accessed without ticket. The zones that are surrounded by fences are open daily 08:00-18:00.









Temples








Museums





 * Next to the Thai House Museum is a banana orchard, officially named the "Centre for Collection of Banana Varieties" (ศูนย์รวมสายพันธุ์กล้วย), growing banana plants of more than 150 different breeds.

Other




Do

 * Stroll, jog or cycle along the palm-lined on the bank of Ping River (Rim Ping, ริมปิง); enjoy a foot massage (200 baht/hr); relax at Sirichit Park (สิริจิตอุทยาน) which offers free outdoor gym machines, a children's swimming pool, a tennis court and lots of stalls selling snacks and refreshments. You can cross the bridge to the quaint little island in the middle of the river (Ko Klang Maenam Ping, เกาะกลางแม่น้ำปิง).



Festivals and regular events

 * Nop Phra Len Phleng festival on Makha Bucha, i.e., full moon in late-February or early-March, commemorates the donation of a Buddha relic to the city of Nakhon Chum (one of the precursors of Kamphaeng Phet) by king Li Thai in 1357. An inscription which describes a procession in honour of this relic is one of the oldest documents of local history. The tradition was revived in 1983 and since then a great pageant is held annually. The city is decorated several days beforehand. Nop Phra means to 'pay respect to the Buddha', Len means 'play' and Phleng is 'song'. This sums up the programme of this festival pretty well: apart from the religious parade (with attendees in historic costumes), cultural performances like dance and plays are staged. Moreover there is a light and sound show in the historical park and a large fair where regional products are peddled.


 * Thai kite festival Cha-kang-rao (February to March), traditional kite competition at Sirichit Park


 * Banana Festival on ten days around Sat Thai, i.e., new moon in late-September, celebrating and promoting the province's best-known product. There are different parades and contests, including the selection of a banana queen, and of course lots of opportunities to taste bananas and krayasat, a local sweet made from puffed rice, toasted sesame, peanuts and sugar.


 * Loi Krathong on November's full moon, like in most Thai cities the festival of lights in honour of the river goddess is celebrated in Kamphaeng Phet, too. There is a parade with floats shaped like oversized krathong (i.e., decorated floats made from banana wood and leaves), a competition for the most beautiful krathong as well as the selection of a beauty queen and different cultural programmes. Most activities are centered around Sirichit Park at the bank of Ping River.


 * Food fair and noodle festival (1-3 December), Noodle dishes are the favourite food of many locals, so an annual fair was established around this theme with many food stalls offering local products around Sirichit Park.

Buy
Kamphaeng Phet is famous for a small, round, sweet and aromatic banana variety called "egg bananas" (Thai: kluai khai).




 * There are several 7-Elevens around the town, one of them next to the main roundabout (next to bodhi tree and clock tower).
 * There are several 7-Elevens around the town, one of them next to the main roundabout (next to bodhi tree and clock tower).
 * There are several 7-Elevens around the town, one of them next to the main roundabout (next to bodhi tree and clock tower).
 * There are several 7-Elevens around the town, one of them next to the main roundabout (next to bodhi tree and clock tower).
 * There are several 7-Elevens around the town, one of them next to the main roundabout (next to bodhi tree and clock tower).



The city has branches of all Thai banks. ATMs can also be found at the bus terminal and Big C.

Eat
Apart from the local "egg bananas", local specialties include "grass jelly" (Chao Kuai, เฉาก๊วย), served on ice as a dessert or refreshing snack.

There are dozens of small restaurants, but only very few are attuned to foreign guests. English menus are pretty rare. The night market (starting 17:00) is particularly good for cheap and varied eats, having countless stalls serving ready-to-eat or made-to-order dishes. It is on Tesa 1 between Bamrungrat and Soi 14. During the day Ton Pho Market between Tesa 1 and Rachadamnoen, first soi south from Kamphaengphet/101 is a good bet for food.

Another popular meal is Mu kratha (หมูกระทะ), offered at several open-air restaurants in town. Guests come in groups and take different ingredients (mostly pork) from a buffet to cook them on a small barbecue or in a hot pot at their tables (somewhat comparable to a raclette or fondue meal).

While a handful of restaurants are open until around midnight much of the town shuts up pretty early, between 20:00 and 21:00; even the night market is winding down by that time. Bear this in mind when planning your dinner.

Mid-range













 * There are branches of the usual chains (KFC, MK, Pizza Company, etc.) at Big C Supercenter.

Cafés
Like any Thai town with more than a handful of people, Kamphaeng Phet has been overrun with cafes serving a wide range of espresso-based beverages. Most also have a selection of cakes.





There are at least three cafes on Wichien/Rachavitee. Starting from Rachadumnoen heading towards 3J Guesthouse, look on the south side of the road...



Vijit 2 has two cafes within 200 m heading south from Wichien, the first in a (09:00-20:00, espresso, 30 baht, air-con, free Wi-Fi) and the next,  (espresso, 40 baht, air-con, free Wi-Fi) about 50 m further on. Both are on the east side of the street and also serve cakes.

Nightlife




Sleep
Note that some resorts are in Nakhon Chum, on the opposite bank of Ping River. They may be cheaper, but you can only go by car or bicycle (3 km on a not-so-idyllic road) to downtown.

Budget






Mid-range










Nearby






Go next

 * Tak, 70 km northwest, 1:10 hr by Chiang Mai-bound buses or songthaew (half-hourly), in Tak you can transfer to Mae Sot at the Burmese border
 * Sukhothai, 80 km north, 1½ hours by bus or songthaew – the former Siamese capital is another, even more comprehensive historic town from the same era as Kamphaeng Phet
 * Phitsanulok, 100 km northeast, 2–3 hours by local bus – trade city and transportation hub, several temples and a huge golden Buddha statue
 * Nakhon Sawan, 120 km southeast, 1:45 hr by Bangkok-bound buses – near Bueng Boraphet wetland and bird reserve, notable for its many water lilies
 * Phichit, 120 km east – the town is the setting of a legend about the crocodile king, illustrated by a crocodile park