Lopburi: Sunflower Field, Monkeys & Historical Sites

Sepulang dari business trip ke Jakarta dan lanjut mudik ke Bandung pada Desember 2014 akhir, gw masih punya waktu buat liburan di Thai sebelum masuk kerja lagi tanggal 5 Januari 2015.

Rasanya badan masih cape dan bawaannya ngantuk aja, maklum kan lagi winter #alasan :p

Tadinya pengen ke pantai, tapi kok ya males, akhirnya diputusin buat pergi ke Sunflower Field di Lopburi, kebetulan ada temen mahasiswa yg udah pernah kesana jd gampang tinggal tanya-tanya aja.

Abis dari dulu udah ngeceng abis sama si kebun bunga matahari ini, kabita bgt liat poto orang2 yg udah kesana, cocok bgt buat pre wedding eh post wedding deng *secara dah ampir 6 thn menikah hahaha :p

So how to go?

1. By train: our choice :D

    Buy Economy Class train from Hua Lampong or Don Mueang or Rangsit or Chiang Rak, depends on your location. For us we go to Rangsit Train Station. Fare: 40 baht/person, 

Since we stay in AIT, we go by taxi to go to Rangsit Train Station, even though Chiang rak train station is nearer, but unfortunately the taxi driver does not know the location. FYI, the train arrived at 8.01 am and tooks around two hours to reach Lopburi.

2. By minivan

    You can simply go to Victory Monument and search the van that go to Lopburi Bus station. Fare: 60 baht, duration: 2.5 hours.

What to see:

Many!! Even for only one day, and apart from the Sunflower Field, all the historical sites are within walking distance from the city centre.

Tips: if you see Travel Information booth in Train/Bus Station of any new city that you go, just simple ask how to go to the tourist destination that you would like to go. As for us, we would like to to go to the Sunflower Field, so ask them directly how to go there, what is the price, etc. They will happily answered you and provide many maps and leaflet for your guidance, also do not forget to check the schedule of your train/bus for return trip, so you can estimate your travel time and won't miss your train/bus.

These were what we visited in Lopburi:

1. Once you arrived at Lopburi Train Station, you will be greet by the beautiful ruin of Thai Ancient Temple (Wat) during King Narai reign, right in front of the train station. It was similar impression as I walked out Koln train Station, Germany and suddenly faced magnificent Koln Catedral.

2. Only 5 mins walk from the Train Station and that Wat, you will again see another ruins just across the street

And we also impressed by the street light ornament:

My personal travelling tips:
Do not only focus of what object/view in front or beside you, always check what above you as well, it might surprise you, and also behind you, seriously! Finding the vantage point of taking picture while travelling is super fun :)

3. Walk a couples meters, you will find many monkeys in front of you, yes monkeys! As Lopburi also famous for its Monkey Festival at the end of every November. But don't afraid! They are not as aggressive monkeys in Bali that can stole your camera of hat. They seem not really care about you, which is good! hahaha. Across the street, you will find the Monkey Temple exactly on the busy junction.

4. Sunflower Field
As we already asked the Travel Information on Train Station of how to get there, so you can do the same as well :) But I will share the general direction here below.

How to go:
- Go to the Bus Stop in front of Phiboon Withayalai School
- Hop on any Song Thew or Bus
- Stop near the Lopburi Bus Station.
  Tips: if you see this beautiful round about, just press the button to stop there, it located near the bus station

- At the bus station, hop on the Bus no.601 (green and super old one, honestly, that was the ugliest bus I ever ride in my life, but still OK though, fare: 15 baht). Ask the driver to drop you on the Sunflower Field or "Dok Tantewan" in Thai. This was the sign:

- Walk 500 - 800 meters then you will be greet by the vast and free of charge Sunflower Field. So take a lot of picts as much as possible.
Tips:

• Do not use white clothes, the pollen and powder from the flower with cause yellow stain.
• Better go on December while all the flower still blooming and straight
• Bring a lot of water
• Have fun! :D

How to go back to the Lopburi Train Station or Bus Station:

Go by Song Thew by the main road, fare: 20 baht.

6. King Narai Palace

One more historical site that we managed to visit during our one day trip in Lopburi, pretty King Narai Palace that still on the neighbour area with the Train Station. You can also find KFC and Mister Donuts just within the walking distance, Again, make sure you ask for the map from the Travel Information in the train station. 

You can also find many nice Lopburi souvenirs here. Around 20 baht for key chains or fridge magnets.

Enjoy Lopburi, one of the oldest city in Thai, me...loving it!