Yarang District: Ancient Cities and Local Culture
Accommodation in Yarang District
Yarang Ancient City is more than 1,000 years old and covers 7.5 square kilometers across three subdistricts of Yarang District. In the Kingdom of Langkasuka, the ancient city was a center of Mahayana Buddhism. Its archaeological significance can be viewed on two levels: the extensive ancient settlement and the individual cities, each with its own architectural and historical features.
Three Ancient Cities, Distinctive Features
Ban Chalae Ancient City is one of the three ancient cities in the Yarang settlement. It is surrounded by moats on three sides, while a natural watercourse forms part of its eastern boundary. Ban Prawae Ancient City, the northernmost of the three ancient cities of Yarang Ancient City, has a diamond-shaped layout measuring 470 by 510 meters. Its features also include a moat, an earthen rampart, and four corner fortifications. Archaeological finds indicate that Ban Prawae was built during the same period as the early Ayutthaya era.
Ban Wat Ancient City is also one of the three ancient cities and is considered the first community in the ancient Yarang settlement, based on archaeological studies. Individual sites in Ban Chalae also have designated status: Ban Chalae 2, Ban Chalae 3, and Ban Chalae 8 are registered, and boundaries have been set for their archaeological site areas. This was announced on January 22, 1999, in the Royal Gazette, Volume 116, Special Issue 7 Ng.
Getting There and Local Access
Yarang Ancient City can be reached via Highways 410 and 4016. Check local road conditions before planning your journey. Access to Ban Prawae requires separate consideration: information published on September 19, 2021, describes the area within the Ancient City as being used for agriculture and inhabited. Therefore, check local access options before visiting.
Learning Centers, a Bridge, and Crafts
Local cultural experiences also complement the archaeological perspective on Yarang District. Sri Wangsa Farm in Ban Yuerare is an OTOP tourism attraction and a learning center for the Sufficiency Economy. The farm has five agricultural learning stations: fertilizer fermentation, fragrant coconut cultivation, compost making, banana cultivation, and Puko pomelo cultivation.
The Ban Yuerare Suspension Bridge is an attraction of the Ban Yuerare OTOP lifestyle tourism community. It is more than 50 years old and crosses a canal between agricultural areas along a section of the Pattani River. Another local craft is axe-making in Binyamanees. The craft originated in Ban Binyamanees, in Sano Subdistrict of Yarang District.
Puko Yarang Pomelo and Its Growing Area
“Puko Yarang Pomelo” may only be grown in Yarang District, Pattani Province. The designated growing area covers twelve subdistricts: Sadawa, Prachan, Sano, Yarang, Rawaeng, Pitumudi, Khlong Mai, Wat, Krado, Mo Mawi, Kolam, and Khao Tum. This clearly ties the pomelo’s origin to the area.
If you are looking for a hotel for a trip to Yarang District, you can use the purpose of your stay as a starting point: the ancient cities offer an archaeological focus, while learning centers and crafts provide a local cultural perspective.
Explore more destinations: Rawaeng, Panare District.
See the broader travel guide: Pattani.
