How to Spend 48 Hours in Singburi Province, Thailand

Take an early morning stroll along the banks of the Chao Phraya River before enjoying a filling breakfast from a local restaurant or street cart. Snap a picture of the City Pillar Shrine and nearby Famous Monks before negotiating a daily rate with a local tuk tuk. Motorbike taxis can be more cost effective for lone travellers.

Head to the Nang Yai Museum at Wat Sawang Arom to admire the large collection of traditional Thai shadow puppets. You’ll only need around 15 minutes or so here. Head south to Promburi District to visit one of the province’s most famous temples: Wat Amphawan. Sitting close to the Chao Phraya River, it is known for its insight meditation techniques. Take some time to explore the grounds, soak up the peaceful atmosphere, and maybe even chat with some of the monks before travelling back north along the highway for around 15 minutes to the Erawan Thewalai Shrine. A quick photo stop, the shrine is home to a large golden statue of Phra Phrom, the Thai version of the four-faced and multi-limbed Hindu God, Brahma.

Across the highway, the little-visited Wat Phra Prang Muni is a peaceful temple with a golden corn pagoda. It also has lots of eye-catching religious artwork that shows scenes of Buddhist heaven and hell, an ancient well, and several interesting statues.

A twenty-five-minute drive north brings you to Inburi District, where you can see ancient archaeological finds in Inburi National Museum. The museum is within the temple grounds of Wat Bot.

It may feel like you’ve visited many local sights already, but there’s still more to come! Re-energise with a tasty late lunch in Inburi town. There are many eateries to choose from, including noodle shops, steamboat restaurants, food carts, and typical local Thai restaurants that serve popular Thai dishes. Madam Singh Kitchen, near Inburi Hospital, is especially recommended for a variety of tasty Thai food.

After lunch, continue north to reach the border with Chainat Province and visit Wat Sai, an ancient riverside temple that has been taken over by nature. Although you won’t need to spend long here, the gorgeous setting and unusual sight of tree roots and branches around the small roofless temple make the 20-minute drive worthwhile. The friendly locals who live near the ruins will likely pop their heads out to give you a curious stare and a friendly smile.

Cross back over the river and follow the river road back to Singburi town to spend the rest of the afternoon relaxing after your busy day. The drive will take around 30–35 minutes. If you’re still up for more temple visits, however, Wat Sutthawas, Wat Yang, Wat Sing, Wat Kradang Nga Buppharam, and Wat Pra Chot Karam are a few of the interesting temples along your route.

When you arrive back in town, grab a cool drink before cooling off in the public swimming pool next to Chaisaeng Department Store.

Singburi town has a good selection of restaurants to choose between come dinnertime. Steak and Bakery, Coffee Milk, Charoenthip, and Je T’Aime are just a few recommendations. There are also plenty of casual street-side eateries alongside the main roads. If you want a break from Thai food, head to House of Party for a burger or steak.

A walk along the river is a pleasant way to enjoy the cooler temperatures after dinner before visiting some of Singburi’s local bars.

Singburi’s nightlife may not be as pumping as in more popular tourist areas in Thailand, but you’ll still find a good selection of places to sip a glass of Thai whisky or an ice cold beer. Yipzee Bar, Tumnan Maung, House of Party, 3 Country, and Reverie Café are your best options if you want to try and catch some live music. Rather shoot some pool? Spend your evening at Stardio Community Mall. Just don’t stay out too late—you’ve got another active day ahead of you after a good night’s sleep!

Start your day early and make your way to Wat Phra Non Jaksi. Located just a short drive (around 10 minutes) from the town centre, there are several food carts and cafes close to the temple where you can enjoy breakfast. The temple is one of Singburi’s major attractions and there are often a fair amount of people here paying their respects to the sacred Buddha images and making merit. The temple has many interesting features, including a long reclining Buddha statue, a Sukhothai-style walking Buddha image, and a collection of old artefacts.

After an hour or so at this royal-class temple, it’s time to continue to another of Singburi’s major temples: Wat Pikunthong. Located in Tha Chang District, it boasts a large seated Buddha statue that can be seen from far and wide, interesting statues, and beautiful buildings. Snap plenty of pictures of the stunning sight, feed the fish, visit the shrine to the Hindu elephant God of Ganesha, and ogle at scenes from Buddhist heaven and hell.

A 20-minute drive through lush farming land will bring you to Bang Rachan Memorial Park, a place that locals are immensely proud of. Learn more about the band of brave men in the small onsite museum, admire the gleaming statue, and see the small shrines dedicated to each individual hero.

Across the road, there’s a replica village and camp, complete with ruins and an old well that is thought to be sacred. The historic temple of Wat Pho Kao Ton, with its large White Buddha statue, dates back to the times of the heroes and their determined battles to try and stop Burmese invaders from capturing their village.

Enjoy lunch in one of the restaurants near the memorial park and camp. Most sell a similar, but wide, selection of typical Thai fare, like stir-fried pork with basil, chicken and cashew nut, curries, soups, and fried rice.

Return past Wat Phra Non Jaksi to make quick stops at Chao Mae Kuan-Im Park and Wat Pho Rattanaram en route to the Mae Nam Noi Kilns. Chao Mae Kuan-Im Park has a large statue of Kuan Im (Guan Yin in Chinese) and an ornate Chinese-style pavilion, while Wat Pho Rattanaram has a lovely garden and a large statue of the Lord Buddha with a monkey and an elephant.

The Mae Nam Noi Kilns, in Bang Rachan District, are remnants from Singburi’s past as one of Siam’s major producers of pottery. A few ruined kilns remain alongside the river today, and there’s a small museum that contains pottery fragments and provides information about the site. Buy a replica pot from the gift shop for a great local souvenir.

You can also visit one of Singburi’s oldest ruined temples close by. A short stroll from the visitor centre / museum brings you to Wat Phra Prang, home to an ancient Ayutthaya-style corn-shaped pagoda. The tall pagoda is thought to date back to the 1600s to the time of King Narai the Great, the most powerful king of the Ayutthaya Kingdom.

Before going back to town, stop at Baan Suan Mae La restaurant for a leisurely dinner. Surrounded by verdant rice paddies, the elevated restaurant has open sides so you can fully enjoy the views. There are many dishes to choose between, but the restaurant is most famous for serving pla chon Mae La, a type of fish caught in the local river. The snakehead fish is served with a range of sides and condiments, along with a healthy portion of rice.

Depending on what time you arrive back in town, treat yourself to an authentic Thai massage at Tatta Thai Massage (open until 9 pm) to soothe your body and mind. If your feet are aching from all the sightseeing, a foot massage may be just what the doctor ordered.

After all the action of the past couple of days, nobody would blame you if you wanted to simply head back to your hotel and hit the hay! If you’re not quite ready to call it a night, however, head to one of the local bars for a nightcap. You can either return to your favourites from the previous night or try somewhere new. If you’re still full of energy, strut your stuff at the Money Pub. Open until 1 am every day except Mondays, it’s a great place for a typical Thai nightclub experience and to round off your time in Singburi Province.