Ratchaburi, a glorious town during the Dvaravati period, is located on the bank of the Mae Klong River. The provincial area abounds in natural attractions and historical sites. It is located 80 kms. west of Bangkok and borders on Myanmar to the west having the Tanaosi Range as a borderline. Attractions Wat Phra Si Ratana Mahathat - Ratchaburi National Museum – This is located on Woradet Road near the river. The edifice was formerly the town hall, built in 1922. Established as a museum in 1988, it displays art and ancient items of different periods found in the local area and exhibits the history of Ratchaburi, as well as its folk art and geology. Khao Wang – This hill is 44 metres high and was originally called “Khao Sattanat”. It is located 2 kms. west of the town. King Rama V had commanded a palace to be built on the hill and made a royal visit to receive the Portuguese minister in the year 1887. The palace area was donated by King Rma VII to be used as a monastery, which was later called “Wat Khao Wang”. Khao Kaen Chan – At the foot of this mount, 2 kms. from the
town along Phetchakasem Road, there is a statue of King Khu Bua Ancient City – This archaeological site is where ruins and ancient objects of Dvaravati period, mostly reflecting Buddhist influence, has been discovered. It is situated at Tambon Khu Bua, 5 kms. south of the Ratchaburi National Museum where a lot of archaeological evidence as well as the history of this ancient city are exhibited. Tham Rusi Khao Ngu – Tham Khao Bin – This is the most beautiful cave in Ratchaburi.
It is located 20 kms. from the Tham Chomphon – Pong Yup – 5 kms. before arriving at Amphoe Suan Phung, there is a 5-km. branch road on the left leading to Pong Yup at Tambon Tha Khoet. This attracts visitors with plenty of strange looking earthen pillars and cliffs naturally created by soil erosion. Bo Khlung Hot Stream – Located 5 kms. beyond Amphoe Suan Phung
and another 10 kms. along an access road, the Wat Khongkharam – This 100 year old ethnic Mon temple is at Tambon Khlong Ta Khot, Amphoe Photharam, some 22 kms. from Ratchaburi. The fine mural paintings about Lord Buddha’s life in the main shrine hall are full of detail making them seem real. Completed in the early Bangkok period, they are very rare and worth studying. The temple also houses a Thai style building entirely made of teak with intricate carving designs. Khao Chong Phran – Wat Khanon – More than 300 Nang Yai puppets are well preserved
at this temple, some 10 kms. from Amphoe Photharam. NangYai is
an old form of entertainment which gathers Wat Muang – This is a Mon temple situated in Tambon Ban Muang,
west of Amphoe Ban Pong. Besides a Mon style pagoda, a well-managed
folk museum has been established as Damnoen Saduak Floating Market – This is the best known destination
in Ratchaburi where the timeless lifestyle on Local Products Glazed Jars and Ceramicware – Ratchaburi has been known for a long time as the major producers of dragon design water jars. In the old days, it was quite common to see vendors selling their products in boats. Nowadays, there are many ceramic factories in Ratchaburi which still make old designed water jars, as well as other small ceramic souvenirs. Pha Tin Jok – Wat Khae Sai, about 8 kms. from the town, is a centre of Tin Jok weaving fabrics. The villagers are descendants of settlers from Chiang Saen of the Lanna Thai kingdom some one hundred years ago. Major Event Damnoen Saduak Flaoting Market and Sweet Grape Week Fair – This fair features a beauty contest, a Thai cooking competition, agricultural exhibitions, and local product sales including fruits and Thai sweets.
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This ancient temple, locally called
Wat Na Phra That, is located on the west bank of the Mae Klong
River in the town. Its elegant prang or pagoda remains in good
condition and was probably copied from Cambodia’s Angkor Wat.
The prang made of bricks and stones stands on a rectangular base
with pathways around the cloisters. The outer stucco designs
were made in the reign of King Borommakot of Ayutthaya. Buddha
images of Dvarati, Lop Buri and Ayutthaya periods are placed
around the pagoda. 2 kms. west of Wat Na Phra that on the route
of Khao Ngu is Wat Aranyik with a prang identical to that of
Wat Na Phra That but smaller in size.
Rama
I erected as a memorial for the fighting between Thailand and
Burma at Ban Bang Kaeo. Continue for 1.6 kms. up to the peak,
visitors can see a clear view of Ratchaburi. A temple on the
top houses a metal Buddha image, namely Phra Phuttha Niraro-khantarai
Chaiwat Chaturathit, which has been presented by King Rama IX.
This famous attraction of Ratchaburi is
8 kms. from the town along the road to Amphoe Chom Bung. The
cave houses a bas-relief Buddha image, considered the oldest
archaeological evidence of the Dvaravati period found in Ratchaburi.
The figure is 2.5 metres high in the attitude of giving the first
sermon.
town along the route to Amphoe
Chom Bung and 2 kms. along an access road. The cave extends 300
metres from the mouth and offers truly amazing scenes of plentiful
stalactite and stalagmite formations.
The cave is 30 kms. west of the town in the
vicinity of Amphoe Chom Bung. It was originally called Tham Mutchalin.
In 1895, King Rama IV and Queen Si Phatcharin made a royal visit
and were found of its beauty, thus giving it a new name according
to the shape of the stalactites which look like the epaulette
of a field marshal. The cave also houses a medium-sized reclining
Buddha. A nearby arboretum provides shady areas suitable for
relaxation.
stream is full
of mineral water and is believed that it can be used for skin
treatment. The water flows all year round from the Tanaosi Range.
Its temperature ranges between 50-68 degrees Celsius. On the
route to the hot stream, a 3 km. branch road leads to Namtok
(waterfall) Kao Chon, which consists of 9 cascades. The falls
are plentiful during the late rainy season.
This hill is located in Tambon Tao Pun, Amphoe
Photharam, 17 kms. north of Ratchaburi along the Khao Ngu-Boek
Phrai route. The roadside hill has 2 interesting caves. Tham
Phra Non housing more than 100 Buddha images and Tham Khangkhao
or Bat Cave, which is home to some three million bats. As the
sun sets over the horizon, they all disperse on their search
for food and the mountain looks like a volcano disgorging thick
black smoke.
many kinds of arts;
for example, Thai sculpture and classical performances. The intricate
carved puppets are portrayed on the screen by skilled male performers,
and it can dance accordingly to the music. 
native Thai people
can be observed along the canals. The Floating Market, approximately
400 metres from the Damnoen Saduak District Office, operates
every morning till noon. Boats can be hired for surveying canalside
villages together with a house making coconut sugar.