Chachoengsao Toursit Attractions

Chachoengsao might be a quiet province with very little in the way of tourism, but there’s enough to do here to keep you occupied for a couple of days. The town itself is a lovely place to spend a day, exploring the streets, markets and riverfront. After that, you can easily fill a day or two visiting some of the province’s temples as there are some interesting wats there, plus there are several nature-oriented attractions worth visiting too.

Chachoengsao Temples

There are at least five temples that visitors should include in their itinerary.

Wat Sothon

The main temple is Wat Sothon Wararam Worawihan, or just Wat Sothon for short. It’s extremely revered by Thai people, and thousands gather here each week to worship. Due to a high number of visitors, a food market located on the temple grounds opens early each morning, offering food, refreshments and gifts. The temple’s main hall is supposedly the largest in the world, and this white marble wonder is a sight to behold. In regards to location, this is the easiest temple to reach from the town, as it sits within walking distance of most central hotels and restaurants.

If you have some time, make sure to also check out the World Sand Sculpture Exhibition just 800m down the road. There are at least 30 sand sculptures, many of which are extremely impressive.

Wat Saman Rattanaram

Further up the river, about 17km outside of town, Wat Saman Rattanaram is home to the largest reclining Ganesha in Thailand – and it’s painted bright pink! This is a great place to visit to learn more about Hindu deities, but the journey is quite long, so you’ll need to get a tuk-tuk from the town (around THB400). Thankfully, the temple itself is free to enter, as is Wat Sothon. There is also a market and a foodcourt close by, so you can plan a stop there and shop for giant mangos which are a specialty fruit of Chachoengsao.

Wat Pak Nam Jolo

Even further to the north of town is Wat Pak Nam Jolo, a small but impressive golden temple. It’s quite far away from the centre but if you’re super interested in temples, then it’s worth the effort. To get to the temple you will pass Bang Kla floating market which is not a touristy affair at all and closes quite early before 4pm.

Wat Hong Thong

South of the capital, Wat Hong Thong is a unique experience, as the temple complex is built on a pier in the water. It’s totally different from most temples in Thailand, and the remoteness creates a tranquil atmosphere in which to explore this beautiful complex.

Wat Bang Kla (Bat Temple)

If you enjoy both temples and nature, then make sure to include a trip to Wat Bang Kla. This temple is 30km north of the capital, with most visitors making the trip purely to marvel at the hundreds of fruit bats that have made a home in the trees here. It’s a very peaceful place, close to the river, helping to create a tranquil atmosphere.

If you are planning on visiting Chachoengsao on a day trip from Bangkok, it’s possible to arrange a river cruise that includes a visit to Wat Bang Kla. The temple can also be combined with a trip to the Bang Khla Floating Market, where you can have your own boat or join a tour of the river. This is an excellent place to come and try some Thai delicacies, and interact with the locals.

Ban Mai Market

In the capital itself, other than Wat Sothon, the main attraction is Ban Mai Market. This large indoor market first opened over 100 years ago, and is a nice place to spend an hour shopping or enjoying some Thai treats, such as homemade coconut ice-cream. It’s unlikely you’ll find anything to buy, because most things are aimed at the locals, but it’s worth a visit for the food and atmosphere alone.

Parrots Park

Parrots Park in Chchoengsao received contradictory reviews with some of them stating that the birds are kept in poor condition there. We did visit the park ourselves and frankly speaking were impressed with it. First of all, it is mainly the breeding farm, not the zoo. As such, it is the largest parrots breeding farm in Asia with great variety of species constantly living there and breeding. There are spacious – we would say huge – cages around the garden which you can explore, a long section with nests and also a free-fly aviary. The whole territory is well kept and very clean. There is a big pond in the middle with geese and ducks hanging around.

Other than parrots, there are toucans and several other birds, but parrots are definitely the stars there.

When we visited the park we also noted that construction of supposedly a resort was under way; it means they are getting more commercialised and probably that will impact the birds in a bad way. But as of now we would highly recommend to include the Park into your itinerary if you happen to visit Chachoengsao; especially if you are travelling with kids.

The only thing with which we somewhat disagree is dual pricing: the entrance ticket is THB450 for foreigners and THB150 for the Thai visitors. But it is a normal practice in Thailand and we would say that even for your THB450 you get quite a great experience.