Phanat Nikhom: History, Handicrafts and Nature

Phanat Nikhom offers more than one reason to explore: prehistoric and ancient settlements, a traditional art of bamboo weaving, temple traditions and flying foxes are among the area’s many facets. When planning your trip, you can focus on what interests you most: history, local handicrafts, a festival or wildlife watching.

Ancient Settlements and Traces of the Past

Ban Khok Phanom Di is a prehistoric settlement in Tambon Tha Kham. Mueang Phra Rot, in Tambon Na Phra That, is an ancient urban settlement. Archaeological finds suggest that it originated in the Dvaravati period and continued through the Lopburi period. The dates are approximate: Dvaravati is placed around Buddhist centuries 12 to 16, and Lopburi around Buddhist centuries 17 to 18.

The two sites therefore represent different historical contexts: Ban Khok Phanom Di is classified as a prehistoric settlement, while Mueang Phra Rot is associated with the Dvaravati and Lopburi periods. If you are interested in early settlements and archaeological history, you can consider these places as distinct points of interest when planning your trip.

The landscape around Mueang Phra Rot can also be described through specific features. Several waterways run through or into the area of the ancient city, including Khlong Sa Klang, Khlong Luang and Khlong Phan Thong. Sa Siliam contains a square pond excavated in laterite. Its stone surfaces are cut vertically downwards and smoothed—a distinctive form of workmanship that sets it apart from a simple description of a body of water.

Temple Traditions and Bamboo Handicrafts

At Wat Hua Thanon, a procession passes through the village every year on April 19 during the Songkran festival. It carries a Buddha image carved from Taeo or Tew wood. The temple is in Tambon Hua Thanon in Amphoe Phanat Nikhom. If you want to plan your trip around a specific cultural event, this is the date to note; it is explicitly part of the annual Songkran festival.

Another aspect of local culture is showcased at the Traditional Bamboo Handicraft Center in Phanat Nikhom District. The center preserves bamboo-weaving techniques and a folk art passed down through generations. In 1978, its preservation was supported by a project of Queen Sirikit’s SUPPORT Foundation. Phanat Nikhom can therefore also be explored through craftsmanship and the passing on of skills, not only through historic sites and festivals.

In Amphoe Phanat Nikhom, the Wat Kaew Noi Community Museum and the Local Water Heritage Museum were also developed as part of a project focused on destinations for sustainable cultural tourism. If you are interested in community-based culture and water heritage, these are two more places that explore those themes.

Temple Grounds and Wildlife Watching

Visitors to Wat Luang Phrommawat can see large groups of flying foxes. The animals have been roosting in trees within the temple grounds for more than 100 years. The temple is in Tambon Wat Luang in Amphoe Phanat Nikhom, along Route 315. From the road entrance, it is approximately 700 metres to the temple. This distance can help with orientation; it describes the route from the entrance to the temple, not the time it takes to walk.

The flying foxes add a nature element to a temple visit, while the procession at Wat Hua Thanon offers a cultural event. Together with the settlements, museums and bamboo handicrafts, they provide a range of options for different interests without needing to be combined into a single sightseeing itinerary.

Choose the Right Focus for Your Trip

When looking for a holiday rental in Phanat Nikhom, the kind of trip you want can help you decide: Are you most interested in archaeological history, traditional handicraft techniques, the Songkran procession or flying foxes in the temple grounds? These topics offer different reasons to explore the area.

If you would like to broaden your search to other destinations in the same broader area, you can find them here: Bang Lamung, Ban Bueng District, Nong Yai District, Chon Buri District and Phan Thong District.

For the broader travel overview: Chonburi.