Phetchabun

Phetchabun lies on highway 21,approx 350 km north of Bangkok, in the Muang district and is a market town famous for Sweet Tamarind.

If you do not have a car, the easiest way to get there is by coach from "Morchit" bus station in Bangkok. Double decked coaches run hourly, nearly 24 hours a day and the journey time is approx 5 hours. The coaches are air conditioned with reclining seats, with free cold drinks and snacks provided during the journey. About 3 hours into the journey the coach stops for about 30/40 minutes at a food court/shop/rest area, giving you time to stretch your legs and have a meal if you want. You travel mainly through flat featureless country, with the occasional town stops to pick up passengers and there is usually a video being shown. The fare is a very reasonable 240 baht and you can book your seat in advance. (recommended)

The main market place is an ideal place to start your day and is a thrive of activity daily, with local farmers selling their produce.

There are numerous small markets situated around town on specific days, but the two most popular are the Saturday afternoon market at the ornamental lake area and the Sunday evening market, 1 kilometre south of the town centre, on the main highway. At both of these markets (which start about 4pm) you can always get a good bargain in clothing, electrical goods, household wares, tools, shoes etc and the ready cooked food stalls are especially good.

The ornamental lake to the south east of the town is a popular place in the evenings and is surrounded by BBQ type restaurants and barrows selling local specialities, which give very good value. It is a wonderfully peaceful place to sit and relax in the evenings. There is also a lively sports and aerobics area there, opposite the new bus station.
 

Travelguide for Central and North Thailand. Budget accommodation.
north.sawadee.com/north/petchabun

Hotels in Phetchabun

Phetchabun Province
Extensive guidebook to Northern Thailand.
www.thailandguidebook.com/provinces/phetchabun.html

ThailandMaps.net-Phetchabun
It is the mountains that draw tourists. The rolling peaks of Khao Thor, known as Little Switzerland.
www.thailandmaps.net/phetchabun/phetchabun.html

Central and the Northeast. The central part of the province is on the Pa Sak river basin with mountain ranges running along both the western and eastern sectors. Because of the fertility of the land, Phetchabun has always been an agriculturally productive area. The very name of the province actually means the land of crops and foods.Today, Phetchabun is a province with rich tourism potential. Its climate is pleasant due to the mountainous and forested areas and it has a history of richness and prosperity for more than 1,400 years. As and Sukhothai styles have been discovered.
Phetchabun is administratively divided into the following districts: Muang, Lom Sak, Lom Kao, Chon Daen, Nong Phai, Wichian Buri, Si Thep, Bueng Sam Phan, Wang Pong, Nam Nao and Khao Kho.

Daily air -conditioned bun services of Phet Tour(17 trips a day, tel.0 2936 3230) and the Transport Co.,Ltd. (12 trip a day, tel.0 2936 8522) are available from Bangkok, at the Northern Bus Terminal, to Phetchabun. The tourists can rent local motorcycle or minibus to visit all attractiona in Phetchabun.

Si Thep Historical Park 

Some 130 kilometres south of Phetchabun on Highway No. 21, and with another 9 kilometres after a left turn, is the Si Thep Historical Park. Si Thep is an ancient town where many architectural structures still remain indicative of its past prosperity during the 11th-18th Buddhist Centuries. It was once the centre of contact between the Dvaravati kingdom in the Central Plain basin and the Khmer kingdom in the Northeast. A twin-city, there were over one hundred ancient sites all built with bricks and laterite, most of which have crumbled. There are also remains of several ponds spread out all over the area. Most of the ancient relics recovered are parts of architectural nature such as elaborate lintels, plastered designs and Sema stone (used to mark out limits of Buddhist temples) and human skeletons still adorned with ornamental pieces.

 Tat Mok National Park