About Phitsanulok Province
Phitsanulok is a significant historical city in lower northern Thailand, birthplace of King Naresuan the Great (one of Thailand's most celebrated monarchs who expelled Burmese rule in the 16th century) and home to Wat Phra Si Rattana Mahathat, which houses the Phra Buddha Chinnarat — widely considered the most beautiful Buddha image in Thailand after the Emerald Buddha. The city sits on the Nan River and serves as a transport hub for visitors heading to Sukhothai (50 km away), Phrae, and the Northern provinces. It has an excellent floating restaurant scene and a traditional amulet market that is one of the most active in the north.
Top Highlights
Phra Buddha Chinnarat at Wat Phra Si Rattana Mahathat
Thailand's most revered Buddha image after the Emerald Buddha
Phitsanulok floating restaurant strip
dozens of restaurants on the Nan River banks
Sergeant Major Thawee Folk Museum
extraordinary collection of traditional northern tools and artifacts
Naresuan the Great's birthplace
Phraya Lithai shrine and historical park
Getting There
Phitsanulok Airport (PHS) has several daily flights from Bangkok (55 minutes) with Nok Air and Bangkok Airways. Trains from Bangkok's Hua Lamphong take 5–6 hours. Buses from Mo Chit take 5–6 hours. The city is 50 km from Sukhothai (1 hour by bus) and 3 hours from Chiang Mai.
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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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