Great Things to Do in Phitsanulok

This is the area of Thailand where my wife grew up, and where we lived for about six years. Most visitors will skip this central area of Thailand and will only know Phitsanulok as somewhere they pass through on their journey from Bangkok to Chiang Mai. This is a big city, and well worth a visit if you want to experience life off the beaten tourist track. Here are some of the best things to do in Phitsanulok.

In the city

- Wat Yai (Wat Phra Si Ratana) is where you will find one of the most important Buddhist statues in Thailand - Phra Buddha Chinnarat. You may have already seen an image of this statue as it is often featured in the Thai media and in tourist guides. There are copies of the statue to be found around the land, but this is the original in Wat Yai. The statue is believed to be about 700 years old. The temple also has a museum where you will get to see some stunning Buddhist art.

- The Buddha Casting Foundry is where Buddhist statues are made and you can get to see how this is done. The effort that goes into making some of these images will surprise you so it is well worth a visit.

- Down by the Nan River is a nice place to spend the evenings. You will find markets and a few floating restaurants. There are also a few bars around if that is your thing.

- Topland is the best place to do your shopping. This is a large shopping complex connected to the Topland hotel. Upstairs is a bookshop that has a small collection of English books.

Many of the best things to do in Phitsanulok are outside of the city

- Chat Trakan is in Phitsanulok province and is the location of a stunning waterfall. This is a 100 km from the city, but it really is well worth a visit if you have the time. Few tourists come to this area so your arrival will always be a big deal for the locals. It is possible to go camping in the national park or stay in one of the guesthouses in a nearby town.

- Sukothai was once the capital of Thailand, and is still an important city. It is quite near so many tourists visit that area while remaining based in Phitsanulok. The main thing do in Sukothai is visit the remains of the ancient city; you could probably do it all in a day trip.

- One of the most stunning road trips in Thailand starts in Phitsanulok and on the way to Lom Sak. During the cool season the area around Lom Sak is really popular for Thai people who refer to it as the Thai Alps. There is no snow, but it does have an Alpine feel about the place. There are some nice resorts in the area that you might want to visit.

This is just a few of the best things to do in Phitsanulok; there is plenty more, but I just don't want to spoil the surprise.