4 Best Sights in Phetchaburi, Around Bangkok

Studded with stalactites, this cave overflows with images of the Buddha, among them a 10-meter-long reclining one. Some were put in place by kings Rama IV and Rama V. For a donation of B20 or so to pay for the electricity, a nun will light up the rear of the cave for you. It is about a kilometer's walk from the entrance, but a shuttle service is provided for B15. The cave is best appreciated on a clear morning, between 9 and 10, when the sun shines in and reflects off the bronze iconography.

On a forested hill of Khao Wang at the edge of Phetchaburi, the park includes one of King Rama IV's palaces and a series of temples and shrines. Many of these are set high on the hilltop and offer good views of the plains below. Cable-car rides to the top and back are included in the admission price.  Watch out for the monkeys, who are a major shoplifting hazard around the gift shops at the foot of the hill.

Intended as a rainy-season retreat by King Rama V and started in 1910, the palace was eventually completed by a German architect for King Rama VI in 1916. It was modeled on a palace of Germany's Kaiser Wilhelm and consequently has a grand European-style design with art nouveau flourishes. Arranged around an open courtyard, the palace has a distinctive portico with decorative panels that reach to the roof of the upper floor. The dining room has ornate ceramic tiles. Located on a Royal Thai Army base, the former palace now operates as a museum.

This 800-year-old Khmer-influenced structure on the western side of the Phetchaburi River is a royal monastery located in a charming district with narrow lanes and wooden shophouses. It comprises five large prangs (Khmer-style towers) that are visible from all over town. It is notable for its fine stucco work, which is characteristic of the Phetchaburi school of art seen in many of its temples.