About Lopburi Province
Lopburi is one of Thailand's most historically layered cities — it has been continuously inhabited since the Dvaravati period (6th century), was a major Khmer provincial capital, and then served as a secondary capital to Ayutthaya under King Narai in the 17th century when French ambassadors, Persian traders, and Greek adventurers all congregated here. Today, the city is internationally famous for one thing above all: its thousands of macaque monkeys who have colonised the ancient Khmer prang temples and most of the historic district, creating a uniquely chaotic and photogenic urban wildlife spectacle. The annual Lopburi Monkey Buffet Festival feeds the monkeys ceremonially and draws large crowds.
Top Highlights
Prang Sam Yot
13th-century Khmer temple now occupied by hundreds of macaque monkeys
King Narai's Palace (Narai Ratchaniwet)
17th-century royal palace with French-influenced architecture
Lopburi Monkey Buffet Festival
annual November event with elaborate fruit offerings to the monkeys
Phra Narai National Museum
artifacts from Dvaravati, Khmer, and Ayutthaya periods
Getting There
Lopburi is 150 km north of Bangkok on the main northern rail line — trains from Hua Lamphong take 2.5–3 hours. Buses from Mo Chit take about 2.5 hours. The city centre is compact and most sites are within walking distance of the train station. Lopburi is usually combined with Ayutthaya as a two-day circuit.
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Senior Travel Writer · Bangkok · 12+ years in Thailand
James has lived in Bangkok since 2014 and has visited all 77 Thai provinces. He specialises in destination guides, itinerary planning, and transport logistics. Before moving to Thailand, he worked as a travel journalist in Hong Kong and Singapore. He speaks conversational Thai and is a certified PADI divemaster.
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