13 Best Things to Do in Ratchaburi, Thailand in 2022 – A Complete Guide to Backpacking Ratchaburi

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13 Best Things to Do in Ratchaburi

Visit One of the Many Floating Markets

One of the most popular places to visit in Thailand that many people would travel all the way from their countries just to see is the famous Thailand floating market and there are quite a few in Ratchaburi and Samut Songkram, an adjacent province which is so near to Ratchaburi, we might as well consider it part of Ratchaburi.

Floating markets are basically a flea market that evolves around a body of water such as a canal where people would come and congregate with wooden boats and they barter and trade all kinds of things since forever.

It definitely is one of the most interesting and unique places to visit in Thailand for sure but due to how many tourists visited each year, some floating markets have turned into more of a tourist trap than an authentic experience.

I went to 3 floating markets in Ratchaburi and Samut Songkram so you don’t have to, and I found 2 of which were way too catered to tourists (tourist traps) whereas the other one, which is my favorite one, feels a lot more authentic.

Damnoen Saduak Floating Market and Amphawa Floating Market are two of the most well-known floating markets in Thailand. They attract the most tourists which in turn attracts all kinds of businesses that make the markets feel more like tourist traps.

Everything seems awfully overpriced in these 2 floating markets from boat tours costing upward of 3,000 THB for a short ride around the canal to a bottle of beer that costs 300 THB.

These 2 floating markets used to be popular among locals but since the world discovered them, the price kept increasing and eventually drove them away to other floating markets.

That said, Damnoen Saduak Floating Market and Amphawa Floating Market are definitely more lively and if you are looking for a place with many things to do and you don’t mind the inflated price tag, these 2 floating markets are great enough places to visit.

If you are looking for a more authentic floating market experience, I highly recommend you visit Tha Kha Floating Market instead. Tha Kha Floating Market is much smaller compared to the other 2 but with that comes a more authentic look of what the local life living by these canals is actually like.

There are plenty of street foods to try here and they are all very cheap. The prices of things you pay at Tha Kha Floating Market are local prices unlike at Damnoen Saduak Floating Market and Amphawa Floating Market.

Tha Kha Floating Market may not be as popular and as lively as the other two but if you are looking for a more peaceful and authentic experience, you will love Tha Kha Floating Market.

If you are planning to visit one of these floating markets, make sure that it is either Saturday or Sunday as floating markets are only open on weekends. It will feel pretty dead and dull if you decided to visit on weekdays. Trust me, I made that mistake a while ago and it was definitely not worth the trip 😅.

Watch A Train Goes Through the Mae Klong Railway Market

Not far from the floating markets, you will find Mae Klong Train Market or as it is also known as the “folded market”, one of the most unique things to see in the world and something you should not miss.

Mae Klong Train Market, as the name suggested, is a fresh market located right on the train track just before the Mae Klong Train Station and whenever a train is about to get into the station, the entire market folds up and make way for the train to go through.

The swift action of locals folding their storefronts before the train arrives is quite a sight to behold. I’ve seen some weird and cool things in my life but this one is definitely among the top.

The only place I know that does similar things is at a market in Vietnam, but you won’t find this anywhere else in the world so if you are looking for unique things to do in Thailand, this is it.

Keep in mind that the train runs on schedule and you will have to align your time carefully to see the market folds. Since Mae Klong Station is a terminus station, you should be able to witness the “folding” twice, once as it arrives, and another as it departs, if you wait long enough.

On a normal schedule, the Mae Klong train arrives 4 times a day at 8.30 AM, 11.10 AM, 2.30 PM, and 5.40 PM, and the train will depart the Mae Klong Station at 6.20 AM, 9.00 AM, 11.30 AM, and 3.30 PM.

Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, the schedule has been reduced to 3 times a day at 8.30 AM, 11.10 AM, and 5.40 PM for arrival and 6.20 AM, 9.00 AM, and 3.30 PM for departure from Mae Klong Train Station.

Stroll Around Muang Khu Bua Ancient Ruin

Muang Khu Bua Ancient Ruin is an ancient remnant of the once prosperous capital city of the Dvaravati Kingdom that reigned the area from the 6th – 11th centuries and it is a reminder of how rich in history Ratchaburi is. I gotta admit, I didn’t know just how important Ratchaburi was back in the day until I learn about it at the National Museum.

Unfortunately, only the base of what is considered to be one of the largest pagodas at the time that was only second to Phra Pathom Chedi in Nakhon Pathom, is left standing but you can still stroll around and visit the weekend market that surrounded the ruin.

Muang Khu Bua market is probably one of the most colorful markets you will see in Ratchaburi. The market is decorated with colorful lanterns, umbrellas, and all kinds of colorful decors. Within the market, you will find local people dressed in traditional dresses, selling street food, and snacks as well as handicrafts products.

If you are planning to visit the ancient ruin as well as the market, be sure to be there either on a Saturday or Sunday as the market only opens on the weekend.

Learn the History at Ratchaburi National Museum

Now that the history of Ratchaburi has piqued your curiosity, it is time to learn more about it at the Ratchaburi National Museum, a great museum full of information about Ratchaburi from the prehistoric time all the way to modern-day Ratchaburi.

The museum is located in this beautiful pink colonial-style town hall building and the exhibition is divided into time periods where you can learn all about the history of Ratchaburi from the beginning to present day, all in about a span of an hour.

The exhibition is very well designed and you will see many old artifacts from the Dvaravati era, all accompanied with English descriptions. The entrance fee for Ratchaburi National Museum is 100 THB for foreigners and 20 THB for Thais. If you want to learn more about Ratchaburi, there’s no better place to be than here.

Visit Wat Mahathat Worawihan

I actually almost miss this temple, but thanks to the information from Ratchaburi National Museum, I was able to make it to Wat Mahathat Worawihan, one of the most prominent and ancient temples in the city.

It was believed that the temple was built between the 10th – 11th Century during the Dvaravati period, right about the same time when the Ratchaburi City was actually settled. Since then, the temple has gone through several periods from Dvaravati to Khmer to Ayutthaya, which is reflected by the diverse architectural style of the principal stupa.

The principal stupa, which is over 24 m high, and its 3 surrounding stupas are very well maintained and you can walk around the temple or even climb up to the prayer room inside the principal prang and pay respect to the site.

There is not a whole lot of people around when I was there and I found it to be quite peaceful to walk around and observe all the little details on the stupas. The temple is open from 6 AM to 5 PM and it is free to enter.

Hike Up the Huppha Sawan Peak

Huppha Sawan is probably one of the best viewpoints in Ratchaburi and hands down, my favorite place in the province. Huppha Sawan is such a hidden gem that not even the locals know about it.

Huppha Sawan is a pilgrimage trail located inside the Wat Buriratchawanaram temple and the trail will take you up to the top of the mountain where you will be able to see a 360° unobstructed view of the surrounding landscape, as well as a statue of a Buddha and a Christ the Redeemer statue, all spread out on other peaks.

The trail consists of long and steep stairs that will take you from the temple ground all the way to the top in about 20 minutes of non-stop hiking. There are a few rest-stops along the way and there are several trails you can take once you are up at the top.

You can either enjoy the view once you reach the viewpoint or you can continue on further and hike to the Buddha image and Christ the Redeemer statue on the other 2 peaks that you see from the viewpoint.

There are several side trails you can do at Huppha Sawan and you can spend anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours for the hike so if you are looking to watch the sunset up there, be sure to time your hike carefully.

Huppha Sawan is definitely one of the best views in the province in my opinion and if you are looking for something active to do in Ratchaburi that will reward you with a stunning view unlike any other place, Huppha Sawan is the place to be.

Go For A Walk Around Khao Ngu Stone Park

Khao Ngu Stone Park is another stunning nature attraction in Ratchaburi that I really like. The Khao Ngu Rock Park is a small park with a lake surrounded by several large sandstone mountains that you can see from miles away.

If you drive along the road from Bangkok to Ratchaburi, you will probably notice just how flat the landscape is, until you see Khao Ngu Rock Park. When I first saw it, it reminded me of an oasis.

Surrounded by nothing but rice fields and flatlands, all of a sudden you stumbled upon this huge collection of jagged peaks all concentrated in one area around a lake. It sure was quite a sight to behold.

There are several walking paths within the park and you can spend anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour to walk stroll around and check out all the viewpoints in the park.

If you are planning to walk a lot, I recommend you visit the stone park in the early morning or in the evening as it can get extremely hot when the sun is above the mountain line.

There is no official opening time for Khao Ngu Stone Park so you can visit as early or as late as you want. It is also free to enter for both Thais and foreigners which is a huge plus.

Check Out the Stunning View at Wat Nong Hoi Park

Not too far from Khao Ngu Stone Park, you will find Wat Nong Hoi Park, a park surrounding a massive sacred temple located on top of a mountain where you can drive all the way up to the top to see just how beautiful the landscape in Ratchaburi actually is.

I was blown away just how beautiful the view was from the temple You can see just how beautiful Khao Ngu Stone Park all the way from here as well as other beautiful mountains around the area.

The temple is popular among the locals and you will often see many people visited the temple to pay respect to the Guan Yin image throughout the day. There are several buildings you can go into to get this similar view but the one at the top will offer you the best vantage point of Khao Nhu Stone Park and the surrounding mountains.

Just be mindful of monkeys and DO NOT feed them or have anything dangling around that monkeys could steal and you are all set. Wat Nong Hoi Park’s opening hours are between 06:30 AM to 6 PM every day and it is free to enter.

Explore the Caves of Wat Tham Nam and Tham Sati

Something I didn’t realize until now is that there are so many caves here in Ratchaburi and some of them are even turned into temples. Wat Tham Nam and Tham Sati are some of the prettiest temple caves in Ratchaburi and since they are so close together, you might as well visit both of them at the same time.

Wat Tham Nam, the bigger cave of the two, is a temple built inside a long water cave where they have turned each room into different prayer halls filled with Buddha images and they have constructed a walking path above the waterway to connect them all and for visitors to walk around.

It will take you around 20 minutes to walk all the way from the entrance to the end and back. That is how big Wat Tham Nam is. It is pretty unique and definitely worth the long drive to visit.

Tham Sati, on the other hand, is a much smaller cave temple consisting of only one prayer hall and an altar but what makes this cave worth a visit is this gray-colored seated Buddha image carved straight from the mountain itself.

It is a work of art and the more you stare at the image, the more you wonder how they did it. Both caves are open from 7 AM to 5 PM and they are both free to enter for both foreigners and Thais.

Watch Millions of Bats Fly Off at Wat Khao Chong Phran

One of the most unique things in Ratchaburi that I don’t think I have ever experienced anywhere else in the world is to witness millions and millions of bats flying off into the night for an hour at Wat Khao Chong Phran.

At about half an hour before sunset every day, there is a phenomenon near Wat Khao Chong Phran where you can witness millions and millions of bats emerged from its cave nearby and flew off into the night forming a huge line across the sky.

It goes on for more than an hour every day at around 6 – 7 PM depending on the time of year and if you don’t want to miss it, I suggest you first look up the sunset time and make sure to be at the temple parking lot 30 minutes before and you won’t regret it. I’ve never seen anything quite like it.

Watch Nang Yai Shadow Play at Wat Khanon Nang Yai Museum

Every Saturday at 10 AM and Sunday 11 AM, you can catch a free Nang Yai show at Wat Khanon Nang Yai Museum which is a traditional shadow play where several puppets made from painted buffalo hide are controlled by a puppeteer against an illuminated white background while the story is narrated through folk songs and traditional music.

Nang Yai is a traditional way in which the Thai people kept themselves entertained way back before the industrial revolution and Wat Khanon Nang Yai Museum plans to preserve this lost art by running free shows for tourists as well as preserve and showcase some of the most stunning painted buffalo hide puppets in the country.

Visiting Wat Khanon Nang Yai Museum and catching the play is a great way to witness something that is part of the Thai culture that you can no longer see in real life anymore.

The play itself is narrated in Thai but even if you do not understand it, you will definitely appreciate the effort the puppeteers put into narrating the story as well as the local musicians that kept the show going. Best of all, it is free of charge, both the play and the museum, as long as you are there either at 10 AM on a Saturday or 11 AM on Sunday.

Admire the Beauty of Khao Bin cave

Khao Bin Cave is another impressive cave to visit in Ratchaburi but unlike the other 2 caves I mentioned here, this cave is in its own league when it comes to how big it is.

Within Khao Bin Cave, you will find 8 massive halls all with their own unique features and different rock formations for you to explore. In each room, you will find all kinds of beautiful stalagmites and stalactites, many of which more than a thousand years old.

The cave is well-lit with a clear walking path that goes in a loop and it will take you at least 45 minutes to complete the loop. Keep in mind that once you are inside the cave, there is no toilet or resting spots so be sure to prepare yourself before entering the cave.

The cave is also extremely humid, even more so than any of the caves I have been to in Thailand and so make sure you bring a bottle of water with you when you enter.

Khao Bin Cave’s opening hours are between 8 AM to 4 PM every day even during COVID and the admission fee is 20 THB for both Thai and foreigner adults and 10 THB for children.

Visit Suan Phueng

Last but not least, if you are traveling with children and you are looking for a place for them to interact with animals or if you are a backpacker and is looking for a place near nature to relax in Ratchaburi, Suan Phueng, a small district located on the foothill of Tenasserim Hill is the place for you.

Suan Phueng is actually a very popular place among the Thais. The area is dotted with tourist attractions that are catered to Thai tourists like themed cafes and animal farms which is something I do not think most backpackers will enjoy.

That said, if you are traveling with children, places like Suan Phueng Highland and Alpaca Hills can offer you and your children a chance to interact with rare animals you can’t find in Thailand like alpacas and wallabies. Heck, even I was surprised just how much fun I had interacting with these animals at Alpaca Hill.

There are also a few adventurous things you can do in Suan Phueng such as Bore Klueng Hot Spring, Kaew Chan Waterfall, and even go up to Khao Krajom Viewpoint by the border between Thailand and Myanmar with a jeep. Unfortunately, none of these places are open for some time now due to COVID and there seems to be no end in sight.

All in all, if you are looking to be a little closer to nature in Ratchaburi, I highly recommend you visit Suan Phueng, spend at least 2 nights here, and take it slow before heading back down to Ratchaburi City.

What to Eat and Drink in Ratchaburi

Eat Lunch at Chum Tang Khong Aroi Restaurant

Chum Tang Khong Aroi Restaurant is a great place to stop for lunch in Ratchaburi city center. The restaurant is popular among locals here and they serve all kinds of delicious Thai street food from Lad Na (wide noodles in a thick sauce) to meatballs on sticks.

They have quite a lot of options to choose from and they are all very cheap and delicious. The restaurant opens from 10 AM to 5 PM and you should have no trouble finding a parking lot on the side of the road near the restaurant.

Check Out Street Food At Khoi Gi Weekend Night Market

If you are in Ratchaburi on a weekend and you want to visit a night market for some street food treat, I highly recommend you visit Khoi Gi Weekend Night Market, a night market located by the side of the Mae Klong River full of street food for you to indulge yourself in.

For street food, you can walk along the riverside section of the night market, buy whatever you want to eat, and find a nice spot to sit and eat or you can go inside Ratchapatsadu Market where you will find proper local restaurants with proper seats for dinner.

I went the street food route and found a nice restaurant selling Khanom Chin (fresh, thin rice noodles with selected topping) with chicken green curry topping for only 20 THB. 20 THB in 2021! Now, that is real cheap delicious Thai food I come to know and love.

Khoi Gi Weekend Night Market starts at 5 PM and goes on until 10 PM on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. There is not a whole lot of parking lot around the area so you will have to drive around the block until you find a space on the side of the street to park your car.

When to Visit Ratchaburi

The best time to visit Ratchaburi is from November to January where the weather is cooler and less humid than other months making it much more enjoyable to explore Ratchaburi.

That said, Thailand in recent years has suffered a lot from air pollution due to the burning season and it is extremely prevalent during Thailand’s winter period (December – January) so even though the weather is cooler, your visibility might not be the best. Be sure to buy a face mask if you decided to visit Thailand during this time.

March – April is the hottest and humid period of the year so if you can’t handle heat very well, avoid visiting during this time. The air quality may be a bit better during this time but it’s not guaranteed.

All the other months are considered to be a rainy season which, even though the weather is a little more manageable than the summer months, you will also be seeing a lot more rain which might prevent you from enjoying the outdoors. Air quality during this time should be better due to rain.

As you can see, the best time to visit Thailand used to be during its wintertime BUT now that the air quality is getting worst and worst, you will have to decide which is more important to you as a traveler, good weather but bad air quality or vice versa.

How to Get to Ratchaburi

Ratchaburi is located about 100 km away from Bangkok, the capital city of Thailand, and in order to get there from your home country, you are going to have to get yourself to Bangkok first.

Thankfully, Bangkok is one of the largest hubs in the region, you should have no trouble finding a flight from your home country to Suvarnabhumi International Airport.

From the US, unfortunately, there are no direct flights to Bangkok so you will have to rely on transit flights by Emirates, Qatar, or Turkish Airlines from the East Coast or ANA Airlines or Korean Air from the West Coast.

From Europe, you can fly from most popular European hubs like London, Paris, or Frankfurt via Thai Airways or local carriers like British Airways, Air France, or Lufthansa to Bangkok. You can also go with Etihad, Qatar, or Emirates if you don’t mind transiting.

From within Asia, there are several low-cost airlines offering several routes from many hub cities like Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Tokyo, Jakarta to Bangkok. AirAsia is a great option as they have the most connection to Bangkok from around Asia.

To find a cheap flight to Bangkok, I would recommend you use Skyscanner or Expedia to look for the cheapest route and schedule so you can compare and pick the best one.

Looking for a complete travel guide to Bangkok?15 Best Things To Do In Bangkok

Getting From Bangkok to Ratchaburi

By Trains: You can reach Ratchaburi from Bangkok by train. There are around 3 trains per day that depart from Hua Lamphong Train Station in Bangkok to Ratchaburi Train Station.

The whole journey should take around 2.5 – 3 hours and the price should cost between 80 – 300 THB depending on the class you pick. You can book the train from Bangkok to Ratchaburi here.

By Bus: You can also travel by bus from Bangkok’s Southern Bus Terminal to Ratchaburi bus terminal which leaves every half an hour from 6 AM to 11 PM every day. The journey should take around 2 hours and cost 83 THB per person. Unfortunately, you can not book this trip online so you are going to have to visit the bus terminal and get the ticket from there.

By Car: For the fastest, most convenient way to travel to Ratchaburi, you can rent a car straight from Bangkok’s Airports and drive directly to Ratchaburi which should take you about 1.5 hours.

Renting a car in Bangkok is pretty straightforward and should cost you around 26 USD per day. For the cheapest option, be sure to click the link below to find a cheap car rental place in Bangkok:

Rent a car in Bangkok

How to Get Around Ratchaburi

By Rented Car: Since most tourist attractions in Ratchaburi are all scattered around a large area, if you want to see them all, I highly recommend you rent a car so that you can explore these remote places at your own leisure. You can rent a car in Ratchaburi or Bangkok here.

By Motorbike: You can also rent a motorbike from Sombat Car Rent which is quite a reputable local company located right at the city center of Ratchaburi. A motorcycle rent fee should cost no more than 200 THB per day with around a 1,000 THB deposit.

How Many Days To Spend in Ratchaburi?

Two to three days is a great amount of time to enjoy both Ratchaburi and Suan Phueng (the highland area). Here is a rough itinerary for a 3-day trip to Ratchaburi:

Day 1: Visit the floating markets in the morning and watch the train goes through Mae Klong train market at 11:10 AM before visiting Muang Khu Bua Ancient Ruin, Ratchaburi National Museum
, Wat Mahathat Worawihan, hike up Huppha Sawan for sunset, and end your first day at Khoi Gi Weekend Night Market.

Day 2: Visit Khao Ngu Stone Park first thing in the morning, go up Wat Nong Hoi Park after, and visit Wat Khanon Nang Yai Museum around 10 AM (Sat) or 11 AM (Sun) just in time for the Nang Yai show. After than, contnie and explore the Tham Nam and Tham Sati caves, as well as Khao Bin Cave before heading to Suan Phueng to spend the night.

Day 3 (Optional): Enjoy a nice relaxing day at Suan Phueng visiting animal farms or just chill out one of the many cafes there.

How Much Money Do I Need For Ratchaburi?

With the rough itinerary above, we can calculate approximately how much you will be spending in Ratchaburi as follows:

Accommodation: For 4 nights in Ratchaburi, it should cost around 72 USD (2,300 THB) for accommodation.

Food: Food costs about 50 THB on average in Ratchaburi so you can expect to pay around 450 THB per person for 3 days.

Transportation: For transportation, if you rent a motorcycle for 3 days, you can expect to pay around 1,000 THB (600 THB for a rental fee + 400 THB for gas) for transportation or you can rent a car for 3 days which should cost around 2,100 THB and around another 1,000 THB for gas.

Activities: Most of the places we are going to visit in Ratchaburi are free except Ratchaburi National Museum (100 THB for foreigners, 20 THB for Thais) and Khao Bin Cave (20 THB) so expect to pay around 120 THB for activities in Ratchaburi.

Total Budget for 3 days in Ratchaburi: 3,870 THB (120 USD)

Is it Safe in Ratchaburi?

It is pretty safe in Ratchaburi. The locals are friendly as you can come to expect from Thai people and you won’t get as many scammers and touters as in Bangkok. In fact, I did not see any touters the entire time I was in Ratchaburi, and I get a lot as, for some reason, do not look like Thai to Thais 😅.

That said, if you choose to drive in Ratchaburi, it is my duty as a Thai to warn you that we are not the best drivers in the world. The roads are great throughout but be aware of motorbikes and pick-up trucks that can often appear out of nowhere and they do drive like maniacs sometimes! Just be extra careful when you are driving on Thai roads.

Internet in Thailand

Update: If your phone supports eSIM, I highly recommend you check out Airalo, a global eSIM marketplace, and get an eSIM so that you can stay connected affordably while traveling in Ratchaburi, Thailand without having to switch out your physical sim card.

Long are the days when you have to scramble your way to find a local sim card at an airport when you arrive. You can buy an eSIM prior to your arrival and you are good to go. If your phone doesn’t support eSIM, below is how you can get a local sim card in Ratchaburi, Thailand:

There are 3 major carriers in Thailand, AIS, DTAC, and True, all of which offer a pretty similar range of traveler’s packages as well as coverages. I personally use AIS as I have been with them since my first phone and they have a lot of Support Center around Thailand and their coverage hasn’t failed me yet so if you are looking for a reliable carrier, I can recommend AIS.

There are 3 packages for tourists, 5 GB for 5 days at 160 THB, 15 GB for 8 days at 299 THB, and 30 GB for 15 days. Depending on how long your trip to Thailand will be, you can pick one of these 3 packages that fit your itinerary the most.

With these 3 packages, you can top-up more in case you need more data or calls for your trip. More often than not, 5 GB is more than enough for me to travel around Thailand for a month.

For more information about Thailand’s local sim card: Thailand’s Prepaid Data Sim Card.

Tips: To stay connected with your loved ones at home, be sure to have a VPN service like NordVPN installed before traveling so that you can bypass whatever local Internet censorship you might run into while in Thailand.

What to Pack for Ratchaburi

As you know, I am a light traveler and packing light for a trip like this is an art in and of itself. Here are a few tips on what to pack for your trip to Ratchaburi, Thailand:

See My Packing List: 60 Travel Essentials

Looking for a more comprehensive packing list for Thailand? Check out:What to Pack For Thailand: The Essential Packing List

Don’t forget to Get Travel Insurance

If you are looking for travel insurance to go along with your trip to Ratchaburi, Thailand, I would recommend WorldNomads.com, which is what I use to look for travel insurance that fits my kind of adventure.

Get a Quote from World Nomads

Further Reading for Central Thailand

Looking for more information for your trip to Central Thailand? Here is a collection of articles about Central Thailand that you might find useful: