Ratchaburi: Nature, History and Culture

Ratchaburi brings together natural attractions and a rich cultural and local history. When planning your stay, you can first decide whether to focus on protected areas and waterfalls, museums and temples, or markets and art. The province offers a range of places to explore, from the Kaeng Krachan Forest Complex to historical collections and local cultural sites.

Protected Areas and Landscapes

The Kaeng Krachan Forest Complex extends across Ratchaburi and the western Thai provinces of Phetchaburi and Prachuap Khiri Khan. It includes the Mae Nam Phachi Wildlife Sanctuary and Chaloem Phra Kiat Thai Prachan National Park; both are legally protected areas within the complex. It is home to globally significant and endangered wildlife, including tigers and Siamese crocodiles. Mae Prachan Waterfall is also located in Chaloem Phra Kiat Thai Prachan National Park.

Namtok Kao Chan, also known as Kao Chon, offers a different waterfall experience: it has nine tiers and flows year-round. It is one kilometre from Bo Khlueng Hot Stream. Blooms Orchid Park in Wang Kaeo, in Bang Phae District, offers a different landscape. Set in natural surroundings, it features colourful pure and hybrid orchid varieties, perennial flower beds and a small cascade.

History in Museums and Temples

The Wat Khanon Nang Yai National Museum displays 313 shadow puppets; it also presents the history of shadow puppetry and the process of leather carving. The Wat Khanon Nang Yai Museum is open daily from 09:00 to 17:00. Check opening hours before you visit. The Ratchaburi National Museum covers a broad range of subjects, from the province’s ancient history, archaeology and ethnology to geology, folk art, tools, culture and the local traditions of various population groups.

Wat Mahathat Worawihan is associated with the origins of old Ratchaburi and the Dvaravati period. The temple is believed to have been built at almost the same time as the old city and was later overbuilt in the 13th century with a shrine in Khmer or Lopburi style. Khao Ngu Stone Park contains a Buddha from the Dvaravati period carved into a cave wall. The two sites offer different historical perspectives: one focuses on the development of a temple, the other on a Buddha image carved into rock.

Art, Markets and Regional Culture

Tao Hong Tai d'Kunst Contemporary Art Gallery is Ratchaburi’s first contemporary art gallery and exhibits works by Thai and international artists. At Kad Viti Chum Chon Khu Bua, the old local market in Khu Bua, you can experience the local community’s way of life, traditions, craftsmanship and Thai-Vietnamese folk art. Contemporary art and community cultural traditions thus offer distinct perspectives.

Each market also has its own geographical setting. Lao Tak Lak Market is an old floating market at the mouth of Khlong Lat Phli in Damnoen Saduak District. Koyky Old Market and Walking Street is on the banks of the Mae Klong River. Dragon Jar Ratchaburi, meanwhile, is a well-known terracotta jar factory in the province and has received a five-star rating in the OTOP programme.

Festivals and Regional Production

The Khao Ho or Ang Mi Thong Festival is a blessing ceremony held in Ratchaburi in the ninth lunar month. Khao Ngu Stone Park hosts a worship ceremony every year on the first day of the waxing moon in the eleventh lunar month. As the dates are determined by the lunar calendar, check the date of the event if attending a festival is important to your trip.

Ratchaburi is known for its fresh milk production, with the Nong Pho Dairy Co-operative Ltd. under royal patronage involved in the industry. Compare the location and amenities listed for each hotel offer with the places you plan to visit.

Discover more destinations: Ang Hin, Ban Rai, Ban Pong, Amphoe Suan Phueng, Ban Pong, Suan Phung, Damnoen Saduak, Amphoe Ban Kha, Lat Bua Khao, Chom Bueng, Chedi Hak, Khung Phayom, Tao Pun, Tha Pha, Na Muang, Nong O, Pong Sawai.

For the broader travel overview: Thailand.