The small town of Chaiya that is not far from the highway to Surat Thani mainly consists of wooden shop houses flanking the two short main roads and there side streets.
Until about 1,000 years ago, Chaiya was a center of the Sri Vijaya Empire that was ruling large parts of the country. It stretched from Java to the Isthmus of Kra, where the Khmer Empire started.
In Wat Phra Boromathat, a highly venerated temple located 1 km west of the town, similarities with temples and chandis in Central Java are unmistakable. The extensively restored and more than 1200-year-old pagoda houses Buddha relics.
The small and well-managed National Museumis located in the compound of Wat Phra Boromathat about 1 km west of the town. The museum exhibits replicas of statues, which are now in the national museum of Bangkok as well as other discoveries from the area around Chaiya. Highlights are two bronze drums and a bronze statue of a handsome man.
Open from Wednesday to Sunday from 9 am to 4 pm, except Friday, entrance fee 30 Baht.
In the surroundings there are several temple ruins in the Sri Vijaya style: Wat Long, Wat Kaeo, and Wat Wieng. Wat Kaeo had a huge stupa in former times. However, if you expect to admire great testimonies of the splendid past you might be disappointed here. You have to be satisfied with only a few remaining sites in order to enjoy the awareness to stand on the historic grounds of an empire that has passed long ago.
You find more details and pictures in our attraction description below
If you drive through Chaiya and continue for another 3 km, you come to a signboard 'Beach 2 km' where a road turns off to the restaurant Plub Pla Seafood. This place is built on stilts between mangroves; pick-up from Chaiya 10 Baht. There is a bridge crossing the river to Laem Pho where several seafood restaurants and the Rung Arun Resort are situated. Another resort is situated further north at Samret Beach, the Boyee Resort.
New to t-Globe?
Register for free to get the full power of this web site!
Name
Email
Password
Confirm Password
Registered members will be able to:
use our Interactive t-Maps
see Business Neighborhoods
print a customized PDF Guidebook
get discount coupons for hotels, restaurants and other services
