Lampang Things to Do Tips by Willettsworld Top 5 Page for this destination

Wat Phra That Lampang Luang - Museums Part 2

...just some more photos from the museums located within the Wat Phra That Lampang Luang.

Wat Phra That Lampang Luang - Museums Part 1

If you exit the temple compound via the southern gate (the main staircase entrance is to the east), you'll come to another compound. Walk along the path underneath the trees and you'll come to a few buildings. Each one of these is a museum. One displays mostly festival paraphernalia plus some Buddha images. Another contains a whole range of items such as coins, banknotes, Buddha images, silver betel nut cases, laquerware, bronze ware and ceramics. The third features shelves of Buddha figures, manuscripts and more ceramics.

Wat Phra That Lampang Luang - Main chedi

Behind the viharn is a very big 24-metre high chedi that dates back to 1449. It enshrines a piece of the Buddha's hair. It is adorned with guardian statues and wrapped in a huge orange sash.

Wat Phra That Lampang Luang - Paintings

The paintings in the Viharn remain in reasonably good condition and tell stories from court life. They date from the early 19th century.

Wat Phra That Lampang Luang

Wat Phra That Lampang Luang is one of the most spectacular wats in Thailand and was, indeed, one of my favourites. Set atop a small hill around 20km from Lampang, it dates back to 1476 and is believed to be one of the oldest wooden buildings in Thailand. The central viharn is open-sided and held up by two rows of massive teak pillars. The murals within remain in reasonably good condition and tell stories from court life. The wat is home to two important Buddha images, Phra Jao Lan Tang, which was cast in 1563 and is enclosed in a golden mondop towards the rear of the viharn and Phra Jao Tan Jai, which sits behind it. Also behind the viharn is a very big 24-metre high chedi that dates back to 1449. The entire complex is surrounded by a high brick wall and the main entrance is via a large staircase, the arch of which is topped by beautiful and intricately carved lintels depicting intertwined dragon heads dating to the 15th century. The complex also includes a few museums which are worthy of a visit.

National Elephant Institute

The National Elephant Institute, which was formerly known as the Thai Elephant Conservation Centre until it changed its name in 2002, is located 33km north-west of Lampang on the main highway to Chiang Mai and is probably the main reason why most visitors come to Lampang.

The main objective for the establishment of the National Elephant Institute is to develop elephant conservation in a sustainable way and preserve local traditions for future generations. The Institute also aims to improve the tourism business, in which there is an extensive involvement of elephants in tourism-related activities, for the benefit of elephants as well as tourists.

The main reason for coming here is to see the daily elephant shows which take place at 10am and 11am. The show starts with a parade of about 12 elephants of different ages/sizes with their Thai or foreigner mahout (handler) sitting on top around their necks. The show consists of several displays with logs such as pulling, carrying, pushing etc in a number of different ways as they would be used in the wild. Then the elephants performed music by playing different instruments with their trunks and then some of them painted flowers using brushes in their trunks (which you can then buy from the shop - see my shopping tip). The show lasts for about 45 minutes and then you can and feed them bananas and bamboo sticks. You then have the option to ride them around some of the lovely 122 acres of land that the institute has - a short 10 minute ride costs 50 baht. I've included some video of the show on my Lampang page.

Shows: 10am & 11am. Admission: 50 baht.

Directions: km. 28-29 Lampang - Chiang Mai Highway, Hang Chat Lampang

Website: http://www.thailandelephant.org/

Wat Si Rong Meuang

This temple is located in the western part of the town centre near the river. It was formerly known as Wat Tha Kha Noi Phama and built in 1900. It houses Lampang's most beautiful teak vihara (chapel) which took 7 years to be completed (1905-1912). The decoration of the Vihara in the Burmese style is of great interest, particularly the coloured glass inlay as well as gold patterns on all the columns and, of course. the overlapping red roofs.

Address: Th Thakhrao Noi

Chinese Temples

There are (at least), two Chinese temples in the town which are located not far from Wat Sri Chum, to the south of the town centre, along, or near, Th Upparat.

Wat Sri Chum

This wonderful Burmese-style temple is located just to the south of the town centre. "Sri Chum" means Bodhi tree in the northern Thai language. It is the biggest Burmese temple in Thailand and was built by a rich Burmese in 1892. Important monuments to be found in this temple are a golden stupa enshrining Buddha relics brought from Burma in 1906, a chapel enshrining a Burmese-styled Buddha image This chapel has decorative door panels made out of teak. Inside are mural paintings depicting scenes from the Buddha's life as well as a draft plan of the temples construction plan. The temple was reconstructed following a tragic fire in 1992.

Admission: 20 baht.

Address: 198 Th Upparat.

Wat Phra Kaew Don Tao

Wat Phra Kaew Don Tao, on the West Bank of the Wang River, is said to have housed the Emerald Buddha between 1436 and 1468. The temple features a small bot in the centre that dates from around 1800. Other interesting structures include a large Chedi containing the hair of the Lord Buddha, a Burmese-style Mondop, an ancient Vihan housing a reclining Buddha and a museum exhibiting ancient relics of the Lanna era.