Phitsanulok Thailand – Top Attractions in the City

Phitsanulok is home to one of the most revered – and beautiful! – Buddha images of the country – you have probably seen its replicas all around Thailand. Apart from a couple of temples and museums though there is not much to see in the city itself – but we highly recommend venturing out to check out two very pleasant national parks located in Phitsanulok province.

Wat Phra Si Mahathat

Better known as Wat Yai (this is how you will find it on Google map), this is the most important religious site in the province and, because of the bronze Buddha statue which it’s hosting, one of the most revered temples in the country.

Originally cast in the 14th century, Phra Phuttha Chinnarat is considered secondary only to the Emerald Buddha kept in Wat Phra Kaew in Bangkok, and was used as a model for a large number of contemporary Buddha’s images cast throughout the country.

A 36 meter prang built in Ayutthaya style enshrining Buddha’s relics and an unusual standing Buddha in front of it are the other main attractions on the temple ground. If you have some extra time to spend, a foundry casting replicas of the famous statue will show you how the original one was made and a little museum displaying artifacts from Sukhothai and Ayutthaya periods will give you a better idea of the history behind the temple.

Wat Yai attracts thousands of visitors every year, and especially on Buddhist and Thai holidays it can be extremely crowded. Try to visit during the week if possible. Open from 6.30am till 6.00pm. It is located right in the heart of the city centre on the eastern bank of the river.

Wat Ratburana

Just few hundred meters south of Wat Yai, Wat Ratburana was built in the 15th century when Phitsanulok became the capital of Sukhothai kingdom. A part of a bigger complex, the large chedi is everything that remains nowadays. Believed to enshrine Buddha’s relics, it went through a minor renovation in the early 90’s and nowadays shows a great example of a Sri Lankan style pagoda. Several shrines can be found on the same ground, and one of them is beautifully decorated with 150-year-old murals.

Houseboats Museum and Nan Riverside Park

Established in 2002, the Riverside park is a nice spot for a morning jog right in the city centre, on the eastern bank of the river Nan immediately south of the temples.

A small museum located at the tourist centre displays information and pictures related to houseboats and rafts, which were once a common form of habitations for Phitsanulok people, covering both the sides of the river along the entire town. Nowadays roughly 30 of them are still left, and if you’re interested to see them, just walk south a couple of km until you reach Suphan Kalaya Bridge.

Sgt. Maj. Dr. Thavi Folkore Museum

A private collection of Dr. Thavi, this interesting museum is located in a complex of traditional Thai houses which would be worth a visit by their own. Wandering through the collection of pictures, tools, pottery, indigenous arts, fishing and hunting utensils is like taking a deep dive straight into the Thai rural life of the 19th and 20th century.

Dr Thavi spent all his life searching and cataloguing valuable historic items. He is a recognized important figure in conservation and preservation of northern Thai folklore and culture. Awarded with a prestigious prize from the Tourism Authority of Thailand in 1998, this is probably the only real attraction in town besides the old temple. Make sure you’ll have enough time to visit it all and read the well-written and useful information boards in English. Located 3 km south of the temple area on Sananbin road, it is open from Wednesday to Sunday from 8.30am till 4.30pm. Admission fee is THB50.