Phitsanulok Travel Guide

Known as the ‘city of two rivers’, Phitsanulok is 220 miles north of Bangkok. It served as capital of the Ayutthaya Kingdom for just long enough to acquire a few important temples and landmarks, which are today the town’s major attractions.

Phitsanulok is the first stop for tourists heading from Bangkok into northern Thailand. The city sits on flat terrain, with mountains on the horizon providing a range of outdoor activities like trekking and bird watching. Annual long-tail boat races are the town’s most anticipated event.

This is a charming city for those who shirk crowds and like to get off the beaten trail. Aside from the outlying national parks, the major attractions in Phitsanulok are its temples. Wat Phra Sri Rattana Mahathat is the most prominent and hosts a festival early each year.

Getting There & Away

Phitsanulok operates a minor airport with regular nonstop service to Chiang Mai International Airport. Flights are operated by Thai International Airways and take 40 minutes. The other major conduit is by train, with comfortable sleeper-class service to Bangkok (6 hours) and Chiang Mai (7 hours).

Things to Do

Phitsanulok Attractions

Wat Phra Sri Rattana Mahathat

This is the major temple in phitsanulok and it keeps one of thailand’s most important buddha images.

Wat Ratburana

This temple was the royal residence of king boromtrailokanat, an ancient monarch who reigned for a quarter century.

Nam Tok Chat Trakan National Park

Nearly 100 miles from town, this park is headlined by a seven-tier cascade.

Phu Hin Rong Kla National Park

This park doubled as a battleground between the thai government and communist insurgents during the 1970s, and there are several monuments tucked into the forest.