Southern Thailand · Nakhon Si Thammarat

Nakhon Si Thammarat travel guide: the great stupa and Khiriwong

Nakhon Si Thammarat was one of the great religious and cultural centres of Thai history, TAT notes, and its old city still revolves around Wat Phra Mahathat Woramahawihan, one of the most sacred temples in the country. Around it are the shadow-puppet tradition of Nang Talung, the village of Khiriwong under the south's highest mountain, and more than 225 kilometres of coast.

AsiaVela editorial teamUpdated 1 October 20263 min read

The tall white bell-shaped chedi of Wat Phra Mahathat Woramahawihan with its gilded spire — Wat Phra Mahathat Woramahawihan, Nakhon Si Thammarat.

Suggested time: 2–3 days
Where to stay: Nakhon Si Thammarat old town
Season and timing: January to September is usually drier on this coast; the Khanom dolphins are best seen from February to September, according to TAT.

The short answer

Spend two or three days. Visit Wat Phra Mahathat Woramahawihan and its 78-metre chedi, see a Nang Talung shadow-puppet performance and museum, spend a day at Khiriwong village for natural dyeing and fruit orchards, and, from February to September, look for the pink dolphins off Khanom in the morning. Nakhon Si Thammarat Airport has flights from Bangkok.

Wat Phra Mahathat Woramahawihan

Considered one of Thailand's most sacred temples, Wat Phra Mahathat Woramahawihan contains a tooth relic of the Buddha, TAT explains. Its 78-metre bell-shaped chedi is surrounded by 173 smaller chedis, and the temple has Sukhothai-style Buddha images and murals.

It stands inside the ancient city walls on Ratchadamnoen Road, as the Ministry of Tourism and Sports' directory describes. The market outside sells local sweets to pilgrims.

Nang Talung shadow puppets

At Ban Nang Talung, a museum and performance space founded by the artist Suchart Subsin preserves the southern shadow-puppet tradition, as TAT describes.

Watch the cutting of the leather puppets and, if possible, a short performance.

Pilgrims carrying a long orange cloth in procession around the great chedi — A cloth-offering procession at Wat Phra Mahathat.

The great chedi and surrounding halls of Wat Phra Mahathat lit at dusk — Wat Phra Mahathat at dusk.

Make time for the local food

What to eat and where to look

Southern curries and khanom chin

Rice noodles with spicy southern curries and a basket of fresh vegetables.

Where to look: Local restaurants in the old town.
Fit it into your day: Breakfast or lunch.

Very spicy.

Temple-market sweets

Local sweets sold to pilgrims outside Wat Phra Mahathat, as TAT notes.

Where to look: The market by the temple.
Fit it into your day: A snack after the visit.

Very sweet.

Khiriwong fruit

Durian, mangosteen and rambutan from the village orchards.

Where to look: Khiriwong village.
Fit it into your day: Lunch in the village in fruit season.

Seasonal.

Khiriwong village

Ban Khiriwong lies at the foot of Khao Luang, at 1,835 metres southern Thailand's highest mountain, TAT notes. The community is an award-winning model of community-based tourism, known for tie-dyed fabric naturally dyed with plant extracts and for durian, mangosteen and rambutan from its orchards.

Khao Luang National Park covers more than 570 square kilometres of forest with waterfalls and wildlife; the summit trek takes three days.

Gilded Buddha images lining a temple cloister in Nakhon Si Thammarat — Gilded Buddha images in a temple cloister, Nakhon Si Thammarat.

Khanom's pink dolphins

Off Khanom in the north of the province, TAT reports, live about 60 pink dolphins. Local boats have agreed to stay at least 50 metres away and switch off their engines when the dolphins come near.

Choose an operator that follows these rules; mornings from February to September are best.

A row of cut leather shadow puppets of Nang Talung characters on a white wall — Nang Talung shadow puppets.

Nakhon Si Thammarat Museum

The city museum in Srinagarindra Park traces the history of Nakhon Si Thammarat from prehistory to the present, including the twelve-animal symbol of the city, according to the directory, which lists it as open 9:00 to 17:00, closed on Mondays.

It is a good introduction before visiting the temple.