Kamphaeng Phet

Travel Guide

Hotel Deals of the Day

best price guarantee

The provincial capital Kamphaeng Phet is split into the new city, which is a fairly typical central Thai city and the old city, encircled by the original walls, which is home to the historical park. During your visit, you'll most likely sleep and eat in the new city but spend most of the rest of your time in the old.

The modern town is characterised by concrete egg-carton architecture facing onto a surprisingly pretty and well maintained riverfront area. There's plenty of eating options and a fair range of hotels -- including an excellent guesthouse. Be sure to try the night market, and if you've always wanted to try a silkworm or grasshopper-topped pizza, then you're in the right place.

A half-day to a day would allow you to see all the main historical sites within town, but as Kamphaeng Phet is also a handy base from which to visit Khlong Lan National Park (some 60km away) some travellers linger longer.

Ruins aside, take a walk along the river's edge, cycle around town and just soak up the small town atmosphere. Be sure to swing by Triple J Guest House during your time in Kamphaeng Phet -- they've got enough information to keep you exploring the province for ages.

Our recommendations

The ruins at Kamphaeng Phet are well worth a one night diversion -- and if you end up staying at Three J Guesthouse you'll be likely needing more than a single night to see what this province really has to offer. Arrive late afternoon, grab dinner near the river and see the ruins early morning -- they're best seen by bicycle -- easily hired from, you guessed it, Three J Guesthouse.

Text and/or map last updated on 11th August, 2009.

Jump to a different destination in Thailand

Get orientated with a map of Kamphaeng Phet, Thailand

Kamphaeng Phet reviews

Backchat from the Travelfish community

Diamond in the Rough

Despite being at the midpoint on the major road route between Bangkok and Chiang Mai, Kamphaeng Phet has managed to keep a friendly, small town feel.

The old city includes a UNESCO World Heritage site area with Sukhothai-era ruins (100 baht), but there really isn't much to see, particularly if you have already visited Ayutthaya or Sukhothai or Satchanalai. The place is most worth a stopover for those who want to experience that off-the-beaten-path "real" Thailand that people talk about. English-language menus are few and far between and there's not a banana pancake in sight, although there is one backpacker-friendly guest house in town so you won't have to figure everything out on your own.

Kamphaeng Phet has a particularly excellent night market with a good range of Thai dishes in the 25 to 30 baht range. There is a great local nightlife too, with a good selection of bars clustered between Eagle Pub and the night market. The sports park along the river is the spot to catch a sunset, and the hot springs 30KM out of town is worth a side trip as well.
- Sights & activities
- History & culture
- Scenery & environment
- Eat & drink
- Traveller's scene
- Romance
- Value for money
- I'll be back (or not)
By exacto (dabbler)
Written on 17th December, 2009 after a visit to Kamphaeng Phet in December, 2009

Also reviewed by exacto: Champasak, Chiang Mai, Ko Maak, Lopburi, Mukdahan, Nakhon Ratchasima, Nong Khai, Pakse, Phitsanulok, Savannakhet,

Have your say

You need to be logged in to add a review.

Username: Password:

Not a member? you can join here.
Review title

Snappiness encouraged ;-)

When did you visit here?

This gives your review a bit of context - especially if you were last in Chiang Mai in 1932.

Your review

(Remotely sensible, non-ranting comments are much appreciated. If you don't like somewhere, please explain why -- it's all far more helpful for others that way.) Serial ranters, loons and spammers will be banished!
And please, no self-promotional URLs -- that's what your signature field is for.

So how does it rate?

On a scale of one to ten (with 10 being outstanding and 1 being bloody awful) how would you rate here under the following criteria?

Note: Ratings are OUT OF TEN -- not five!
Please note comments are edited for clarity, typos and style before they appear. Ranting tirades, spam and anything else that really belongs somewhere else won't make the cut. If you want to rant, go to Thorntree.

Please login and refresh this screen before writing your review -- thanks!