🔄 Updated 21 Jun 2026
When it comes to Thai herbal medicine, the name 'Abhaibhubejhr' is one of the first you'll hear, and it all traces back to Prachinburi. Chao Phraya Abhaibhubejhr Hospital was one of the first places to seriously research and produce medicine from native herbs, growing into a brand you can now buy across the country. So this trip isn't just souvenir shopping; it's a chance to see where the products you use every day actually come from. We've split the route into the main stops, which you can realistically do in a single day or stretch into a relaxed two.
Chao Phraya Abhaibhubejhr Building — Traditional Thai Medicine Museum
The first stop on the herbal trail is the Chao Phraya Abhaibhubejhr Building, a pale-yellow baroque-style building over a hundred years old, set inside the grounds of Chao Phraya Abhaibhubejhr Hospital on Prachin Anuson Road, Tha Ngam Subdistrict, Mueang District. The upper floor now houses the Abhaibhubejhr Traditional Thai Medicine Museum, which tells the story of old medical texts, traditional doctors' instruments, and the origins of the brand. The building itself is a popular photo stop too, thanks to its handsome architecture and shady grounds.
- Hours — Open daily, roughly 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. (sometimes adjusted to 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.)
- Admission — Free, for both the building and the museum
- Location — Inside Chao Phraya Abhaibhubejhr Hospital, Tha Ngam Subdistrict, Mueang Prachinburi District
- Nearby — There's an Abhaibhubejhr herbal shop within the hospital grounds, so you can pick up souvenirs right there
Tip
The building sits inside a working hospital that still treats real patients. You're free to walk around and take photos, but keep your voice down and park only in the designated spots so you don't block the way for patients.
Want more out of Prachinburi? Book tours & activities
Booking online ahead on Klook or GetYourGuide is usually cheaper than the gate and skips the queue. Pick only the experiences you actually want — prices and availability are shown live on each site.
Abhaibhubejhr Day Spa — Herbal Massage and Herbal Food
A short hop from the old building is the Abhaibhubejhr Day Spa, which combines two crowd-pleasers in one place: a herbal massage spa and a health-focused restaurant. The spa side runs from relaxation treatments like herbal-oil massage, foot massage, and herbal compress, to beauty treatments like body scrubs and facial masks, all herb-based. The restaurant out back leans on native vegetables and herbs grown without chemicals, with flavors that aren't too heavy, ideal if you want something light.
- Hours — Generally open Wednesday–Sunday; the kitchen/restaurant runs roughly 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. (hours shift seasonally, so it's worth a call first)
- Call to check — 037-211088, ask for the day spa, to confirm massage availability and timing before you go
- What people order — The herbal set meal, mixed-veg kaeng liang, and chilled herbal drinks that beat the heat
- Good for — A lunch break after the old building, and a massage to loosen up before moving on
Know before you go
Massage slots fill up fast on weekends. If you really want a treatment, call ahead to book or arrive right at opening to get a slot more easily. If you just want the herbal food, you can walk straight in.
Phummibhubejhr — Bang Decha Herbal Learning Center
Another spot herb lovers shouldn't skip is Phummibhubejhr, a learning center for herbs and health wisdom in Bang Decha Subdistrict, Mueang District. It's a wide site laid out in zones you can walk through and actually learn from: a Thai-healer's house that tells the story of folk doctors, a herb garden grouped by symptom and disease so you can see which plant treats what, and an earthen-jar zone with so many on display that it's become a favorite photo corner. There are herbal drink and food stalls to rest at too.
- Hours — Roughly 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. (some sources say daily, others Monday–Friday; check their page first)
- Location — Bang Decha Subdistrict, Mueang Prachinburi District, not far from the town center
- Highlights — Herb garden grouped by symptom · Thai-healer's house · earthen-jar zone
- Snacks — Herbal sodas and dishes made from edible flowers and native vegetables, good for a cool-down break
From late February to early March, Prachinburi usually hosts a herbal festival (the Prachinburi Wellness Fest) that brings traditional Thai medicine and herbs together in one event. If you can time your trip around it, you'll see the herbal city at its liveliest. Check that year's schedule before you travel.
Herbal Souvenirs People Actually Take Home
Wrap up the trip with souvenirs. Abhaibhubejhr products are available at the hospital shop, at Phummibhubejhr, and at authorized stockists around town. They're reasonably priced, lightweight, and easy to carry on a plane or tuck into a bag. Here are the ones people buy again and again.
Herbal inhaler
The classic everyone buys, a fresh herbal scent that's easy to carry and easy to buy in packs to hand out. It's the safe opener that almost no one skips.
Plai cream / plai oil
The brand's headliner, rubbed on to ease aching muscles. Working folks and gym-goers love it, and it keeps for a long time so it's worth stocking at home.
Herbal compress ball
Steam it hot, then press it on to relax tense muscles. A great gift for older relatives at home, giving them a spa feel they can recreate themselves.
Smelling salts / herbal lozenges
Ya hom smelling salts for dizziness and herbal lozenges to soothe the throat, the kind of thing older relatives like to keep in their bag. Not expensive either.
Balm / massage oil
Herbal balm and muscle-relief massage oil that work for both insect bites and aches, the everyday staple that's never a waste to buy.
Herbal cosmetics & soap
Herbal soaps, creams, and lotions, like tamarind, turmeric, and aloe vera, a good gift for the women in your life, with packaging nice enough to give as a present.
How to shop smart
Buying at the Abhaibhubejhr shop in the hospital or at Phummibhubejhr is your surest bet for the genuine article. Try grabbing one of the ready-made souvenir sets, which usually work out cheaper than buying pieces separately, and always check the expiry date, especially on creams and supplements.
A 2-Day Herbal Trail Plan
From Bangkok it's about a two-hour drive to Prachinburi. You can do this herbal trail in a single day, but if you'd rather not rush and want a full spa session, staying one night is worth it. Here's a relaxed two-day plan you can actually follow.
Old building, day spa, and the evening market
Phummibhubejhr and souvenirs to close the trip
Planning a Trip to Prachinburi, the Herbal City
Getting there
From Bangkok it's about a 2-hour drive via Route 304/305, or take a minivan/bus into town and rent a motorbike or grab a taxi from there.
When to go
It's good year-round, with the nicest weather from November to February. If you can hit the herbal festival in late February to early March, it's especially lively.
Where to stay
Prachinburi town has hotels and guesthouses across a range of budgets. Pick somewhere near the hospital to reach the herbal stops easily.
Check out well-located hotels in Prachinburi town before you plan your trip
See the Top 10 Prachinburi hotels →