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Bangkok Travelbug November 2019 Nakhon Sawan City Attractions November 07, 2019 |
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Nakhon Tower, one of the attractions located on Khao Khiri Wong, is 32 metres high and consists of 10 stories. The tourist information and ticketing counters are on the ground floor. The restaurant on the second floor unfortunately has closed. 
Nakhon Sawan Tower Take the lift up to the 10th floor, that's where we can have an all-round view of the city. 
View of the city from the top of Nakhon Sawan Tower There are information boards that provide photos and information of the view below e.g. Bueng Boraphet the huge fresh water lake at the start of the Chao Phraya or Phra Chulamani Chedi. 
Pictorial information boards The other attraction highlighted is on the same ridge as Nakhon Sawan tower; Phra Chulamani Chedi. 
View of Phra Chulamani Chedi from the tower Let's go over to the next attraction, Phra Chulamani Chedi Contents Phra Chulamani Chedi Phra Chulamani Chedi is located at the other end of the ridge, which is called Khao Daowadueng. This glittering golden chedi, a prominent landmark in the city centre, is actually part of Wat Khiri Wong which is at the foot of the ridge. The main temple below was quiet during our visit and most of the visitors were up here at the chedi. 
Phra Chulamani Chedi Luang Maha Boonrod a former abbot of Wat Khiri Wong, initiated the construction of this chedi in 1981 with a budget of 35 million baht. This chedi is actually built over the base of an old chedi built in the 14th C during the late Sukhothai era. Under the chedi dome, there are beautiful murals depicting the life of Buddha. 
Murals under the dome of the chedi Inside the chedi, four Buddha images are placed facing the four directions, with a scaled down golden chedi in the centre. 
Buddha images in the chedi Outside the chedi, visitors can get a beautiful view of the city. 
View of Bueang Boraphet, the huge fresh water lake to the south Contents Sawan Park Sawan Park is a huge public park right in the city centre that was created out of a swamp. It's 502,400 sq. metres in area with a 6,400 sq. metre island in the middle of a vast lake. There are two ring roads around the park and a hugh dragon greets visitors as soon as they enter the park. 
Dragon at the gate 
The lake We would have loved to explore this park further but as this was our last day and we still had two more places to go. The next two places of interest are about 25 km from the city centre. But they are still located within the city district of Nakhon Sawan. Contents Wat Sri Uthum Porn Wat Sri Uthum Porn is a beautiful temple 25 km west of the city centre. It's a temple dedicated to Luang Por Joi, a highly respected former abbot and preacher who was instrumental in developing the temple to its present condition. The path leading to the ubosot (ordination hall) is lined with intricately carved Naga serpents, a wooden arch, statues of the three-headed elephant Erawan and chedis. 
The elaborate approach leading to the ubosot The body of Luang Por Joi is preserved inside the ubosot. Upon entry, the visitor is immediately struck by the beautiful murals on the walls all around. 
The murals in the ubosot – the body of Luang Por Joi is preserved in the glass case to the left of the Buddha image There was another structure that caught my eye on arrival at Wat Sri Uthum Porn. It's a monstrous head with its mouth wide open which served as an entrance. This huge head is an image of Hanuman the Monkey God, a devotee of Rama who helped Rama rescue his wife Sita from the demon Ravana in the Ramayana epic. 
Hanuman flanked by two of his warriors I could at least take comfort that I walked through the jaws of good and not evil! The interior of this building, which is another ubosot, is even more elaborately decorated. The ceiling, walls and pillars are studded with beautiful sculptures. 
Inside the second ubosot 
The altar with more than a dozen Buddha images Contents Wat Tham Bo Ya Wat Tham Bo Ya as the name suggests is a temple in a cave, just two kilometres south of Wat Sri Uthum Porn. There are temple buildings at the foot of the hill but the real attraction is in a cave up the hill. The temple is also known as Wat Thep Nimit Song Tham. The map shows these as two separate temples. This is not so. They are different names for the same temple. 
The way up 
The way in The cave has different sections with each section dedicated to Buddha images in different postures. 
Buddha subduing Mara posture 
Buddha images in different postures Surprisingly there are also altars with images dedicated to various Hindu deities. 
Lakshmi – the Goddess of Prosperity 
Siva the Destroyer 
Brahma the Creator Right at the end of the passage in the cave, we came across a Reclining Buddha. 
Reclining Buddha That brings us to an end of the exploration of Tham Bo Ya and Nakhon Sawan City attractions. See you next month when we will be exploring Khok Mai Den Ancient City, Nakhon Sawan. Contents Where to stay and dine For accommodations and dining while you are in Nakhon Sawan City, please see where to stay and dine Contents Map of Nakhon Sawan If the map doesn’t appear, click on this link How to get there From Bangkok take Phahon Yothin Road or highway 1 – highway 32 all the way to Nakhon Sawan. At the outskirts of the city, go straight on to route 117 which will take you through the city centre where the first three attractions are located. For the other two temples that are on the outskirts of the city, to the west, take highway 1 – route 1072 – route 4065 till you get to the temples. To get to Chateau de Bear, continue on highway 1, cross the Dechatiwong Bridge and turn off to route 117 that passes through Nakhon Sawan City. Proceed on route 117 till you see the hotel signboard on your left just before the second bridge. The Kung Pao 2 Restaurant is just across the second bridge from Chateau de Bear and the Bear Head Kitchen is right in the city centre. Opening hours Opening hours of all the places mentioned here should safely be between 08:00 am – 04:00 pm. Admission Admission to all the places in Nakhon Sawan city attractions is free. Have a safe and enjoyable trip! See you next month as we explore another part of Nakhon Sawan. Contents Next month Khok Mai Den Ancient City, Nakhon Sawan If you enjoyed reading this e-zine, please forward it to a friend. If you received this from a friend and found it interesting, please subscribe at Bangkok Travelbug. What do you think of the Bangkok Travelbug? We love to hear from you What other subscribers have said Till next month then. Eric Lim Tour Bangkok Legacies Find us on Facebook My Journey through Thailand Part I The First Steps This is my second e-book and the first in the series of travel journals on my trips to explore the various provinces in Thailand. This edition, which covers my travels from late 2009 to mid-2013, will guide you to historical sites, cultural monuments and exquisite Thai handicraft, across a vast spectrum of cultural and ethnic diversity. You can have a virtual tour with this e-guide book or take the first steps yourself in this journey through Thailand. My Kindle e-book 
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