4 Best Sights in Lopburi, Around Bangkok

Built for King Louis XIV of France's personal representative, De Chaumont, Vichayen House was later occupied by King Narai's infamous Greek minister, Constantine Phaulkon, whose political schemes eventually resulted in the ouster of all Westerners from Thailand. When King Narai was dying in 1668, his army commander, Phra Phetracha, seized power and beheaded Phaulkon.

This palace's well-preserved buildings, completed between 1665 and 1677, have been converted into museums. Surrounding the buildings are castellated walls and triumphal archways grand enough to admit an entourage mounted on elephants. The most elaborate structure is the Dusit Mahaprasat Hall, built by King Narai to receive foreign ambassadors. The roof is gone, but you can spot the mixture of architectural styles: the square doors are Thai and the domed arches are Western. North of Phra Narai Ratchaniwet is the restored Wat Sao Thong Thong.

Lopburi's most famous landmark is this classic Bayon-style Khmer shrine, whose three prangs symbolize the sacred triad of Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva. It was originally built in the 13th century by King Jayavarman VII of the Khmer Empire, but was later converted into a Buddhist temple by King Naraj. A stucco image of the Buddha sits serenely before the central prang. The most memorable aspect of the monument is its hundreds of resident monkeys, including mothers and nursing babies, wizened old males, and aggressive youngsters. Hold tight to your possessions, as the monkeys steal everything from city maps to cameras. Most tourists wind up having a blast with the monkeys, though. Approach them and stand still for a minute, and you'll soon have monkeys all over your head, shoulders, and just about everywhere else—a perfect photo op.

Built on a Hindu religious site originally established by the Khmers in the 11th or 12th century, this wat underwent so many restorations during the Sukhothai and Ayutthaya periods that it's difficult to discern the three original Khmer prangs—only the central one is intact. Several Sukhothai- and Ayutthaya-style chedis sit within the compound.