Phayao: Lake, Temples and Waterfalls

Phayao offers a range of attractions: a natural lake lies within the city, while several districts are home to temples, an ancient city site and waterfalls. The province also has religious traditions and a Walking Street featuring regional souvenirs. When planning your trip, you can consider culture, landscapes and local offerings as distinct areas of interest.

Lake and Temples in Phayao

Kwan Phayao is a natural lake within the city of Phayao. It also serves as a freshwater fishing area and a site for breeding more than 50 fish species. This brings a landscape attraction and a practical use together in one place—an interesting way to experience nature for travelers who want more than just a scenic backdrop.

Wat Analyo Thipphayaram in San Pa Muang, in Mueang Phayao District, offers views of the lake and the city of Phayao. Wat Si Khom Kham, also known as Wat Phrachao Ton Luang or Wat Thung Iang, stands right beside the lake. The temple was built around the 15th century as the city’s principal temple and houses Phrachao Ton Luang, considered the largest and oldest Buddha image in the Lanna Kingdom. Its annual worship festival takes place in the sixth lunar month, in May; the exact dates vary according to the lunar calendar.

Temples, History and Traditions

Two temples in Chiang Kham District offer contrasting features. Wat Nantaram preserves an assembly hall designed in the Thai Yai style, built entirely of teak and decorated with intricate wood carvings. Wat Phra Nang Din is known for its principal Buddha image, which has no pedestal. In the same region, you can encounter both distinctive wooden architecture and a unique feature of a Buddha image.

The archaeological site of Wiang Lo offers a different historical perspective: it is an ancient city in the Lanna region, located in the Lo and Hong Hin subdistricts of Chun District. Another annual tradition is the water-pouring ceremony at Wat Phra That Khing Kaeng. It takes place on the fifteenth day of the fifth lunar month, known in northern Thailand as the “seventh lunar month.” As the lunar date shifts in the Gregorian calendar, the ceremony does not fall on the same date every year.

Phayao Walking Street offers regional souvenirs such as crispy pork rinds and the chili pastes Namphrik Num and Namphrik Ong. On Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, it takes place in front of Kwan Phayao Lake; on other days, it is held at the City Pillar Shrine. Check the schedule locally before your trip so you can plan for the right venue based on the day of the week.

Waterfalls and Landscapes

Phu Sang National Park spans Phu Sang and Chiang Kham districts and borders Laos. Namtok Phu Sang is a small waterfall in Phu Sang District: it is approximately 25 meters high and flows year-round. Namtok Pu Kaeng, part of Doi Luang National Park, is a nine-tiered limestone waterfall that also flows year-round.

The two waterfalls differ markedly in their described features: Phu Sang is approximately 25 meters high, while Pu Kaeng is characterized by its nine limestone tiers. Both flow throughout the year. Phu Langka Forest Park is located in Chiang Kham and Pong districts and covers approximately 7,800 rai. These details offer concrete points of comparison for the province’s landscape attractions.

Plan Your Stay Around Your Interests

When choosing a hotel, you can first decide whether to focus on the lake and temples, cultural traditions, or waterfalls and protected areas. Since the attractions mentioned are spread across several districts, include the specific destinations in your plans and choose a hotel location based on the places you want to visit.

Discover more destinations: Pong, Dok Khamtai District, Mae Chai District, Yuan, Ban Lao, Wiang, Ban Mai, Trang.

For the broader travel overview: Thailand.