Chai Nat Temple Day Trip
Thammamun – Luang Pu Suk – Old Sankhaburi

🔄 Updated 21 Jun 2026

If you've got a single day and want to make your Chai Nat temple run count, three stops stand out: the town's own Wat Thammamun Worawihan, the amulet-world favorite Wat Pak Khlong Makham Thao of Luang Pu Suk, and the cluster of centuries-old temples in old Sankhaburi. The three sit in different districts, but they line up along one route if you sequence them well.

This plan starts at Wat Thammamun in Mueang district in the morning, then runs west toward Wat Sing district to pay respects to Luang Pu Suk, and finishes at old Sankhaburi. A private car is by far the easiest way to do it, since there's no direct public transport linking the three temples — but the distances between stops are short, just a few dozen minutes of driving each.

One-day Chai Nat temple timeline

Wat Thammamun Worawihan — the town's temple on the hill

Wat Thammamun Worawihan is one of Chai Nat's old royal temples, set on the slope of Khao Thammamun beside the Chao Phraya River in Mueang district. It's thought to date back to the early Ayutthaya period, around 1577 CE. What draws people here is Luang Pho Thammachak, a standing Buddha image in the calming-the-relatives pose with a dharma wheel on its chest — a blend of late Chiang Saen–early Sukhothai and Ayutthaya styles, regarded as the town's guardian image.

The appeal here is the hill-and-river setting. Climb the stairs to the wihan on the rise and you'll see the Chao Phraya stretching out below — a spot several past kings visited. It's quiet and calm, a good way to start a temple day without rushing.

• Location — slope of Khao Thammamun by the Chao Phraya, Mueang Chai Nat district, near the town center
• Sacred image — Luang Pho Thammachak, a standing Buddha in the calming-the-relatives pose with a dharma wheel on its chest
• Time needed — about 45 min–1 hr, including the climb to the wihan for the river view
• Good for — temple-goers, fans of old riverside temples, and anyone who likes wide river views

Wat Pak Khlong Makham Thao — Luang Pu Suk and the royal-hand murals

Wat Pak Khlong Makham Thao sits in Makham Thao subdistrict, Wat Sing district, right at the mouth of Khlong Makham Thao where it meets the Tha Chin River. It's the temple of Luang Pu Suk Kesaro (1847–1923), a renowned monk whose disciples included Prince Chumphon Khet Udomsak. Collectors of amulets and sacred objects know this temple well.

The highlight you shouldn't miss is the wall paintings inside the ubosot — murals done by the hand of Prince Chumphon and his retinue, annotated in Khom script. It's rare, historically valuable work. People who come to pray here usually ask for protection from harm and for good fortune.

Old Sankhaburi — Wat Phra Kaeo and Wat Mahathat

Sankhaburi district was the ancient town of Phraek Si Racha, an old settlement that predates Ayutthaya. Within Phraek Si Racha subdistrict, several old temples line up in a row. The two most people stop at are Wat Phra Kaeo and Wat Mahathat. Both are around 20-some kilometers from Chai Nat town and sit close to each other, so you can do them back to back in one go.

Wat Phra Kaeo has a handsome square chedi that many rate as one of the region's finest — a Lopburi style blended with late Dvaravati, with high-relief stucco Buddha images on all four sides, around 600–700 years old. In front stands the Luang Pho Chai wihan. Wat Mahathat, meanwhile, stands out for its three carambola-petal prangs in Lopburi style, plus Luang Pho Mo, an old Buddha image that locals make vows to over illness, by tradition.

Where to eat along the temple route

This temple route runs through Mueang, Wat Sing, and Sankhaburi districts, with plenty of roadside and riverside spots to stop at along the way — pick one to match the rhythm of your plan. For lunch, an easy spot near Wat Sing before Wat Pak Khlong Makham Thao works well, and to finish, head back to sit by the Chao Phraya in town.