Planning a visit to Lopburi, but not quite sure what to do or how to get there? You’re in the right place! Take a look at our 2 day Lopburi itinerary to discover the best things to do, where to eat and our recommendations on where to stay.
You might have heard of Lopburi as the town overrun by monkeys, but it is so much more than that! With distant Thai mountains and beautiful sunflower fields surrounding the town, there are so many other things to do in Lopburi!
We were told by a local from Bangkok that the Lopburi monkey situation has improved in recent years since the ‘chief monkey’ was removed, before this they operated in gangs terrorising this small Thai town.
But don’t worry, there are still lots of monkeys to be seen at Phra Prang Sam Yot and the surrounding area of town. We’re excited to share how we spent 2 days in Lopburi!
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2 Day Lopburi Itinerary
Lopburi is close to Thailand’s ancient capital, Ayutthaya, so it’s packed with history and also a whole lot of monkeys! Once a Dvaravati hub, then a Khmer stronghold, it really started to flourish in the 1600s when King Narai made it his second capital, adding a splash of French and Persian flair.
Fast forward to the present day, and Lopburi is famous for its ancient ruins, cute old buildings, and a group of curious monkeys that rule the streets, especially around the iconic Phra Prang Sam Yod. Here’s our 2 day Lopburi itinerary.
Where to stay in Lopburi? Tatiphop Hotel (we stayed here)!
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Visiting central Thailand? Check out our Kanchanaburi and Ayutthaya itineraries!
Day 1 – Royal Palaces, Ancient Temple Ruins & Mischievous Monkeys
On the first day of this 2 day Lopburi itinerary, you will get to wander around King Narai’s Palace, explore ancient Thai temple ruins from the Ayutthaya period, and of course, watch the monkeys play around town, climbing temples as if they own the place. Let’s get into this 2 day Lopburi itinerary!
King Narai’s Palace and Museum
Lopburi was a favourite of former Thai King Narai, so much so that he made Lopburi the second capital city during the Ayutthaya period. He built a grand palace there so that he could live and enjoy Lopburi as and when he pleased. The grounds are beautifully kept with some interesting ruins to see.
The price is higher than the usual temple ruins in Ayutthaya, but we felt the price was worth it felt much more unique to wander around. Included in the ticket, you will also get access to the museum buildings on site, showcasing artefacts, history and information on how the surrounding land has changed over thousands of years!
A great place to start off this 2 day Lopburi itinerary!
💰 150 baht per person
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Prang Khaek
There isn’t much to see here, but it’s free to visit and quite unique as it’s a very old ruin located in the middle of the road in the town centre of Lopburi! Don’t go out of your way to visit, but chances are you’ll be passing by during your 2 days in Lopburi anyway!
💰 Free to visit
Wat Phrasi Rattana Mahathat
Wat Phrasi Rattana Mahathat was our favourite temple ruin in Lopburi! Large parts of the ruin are intact, and you can really see how it used to look in its former glory during the Ayutthaya period.
There are some great spots for photos, you can wander around freely and even enter the main part of the temple! Around 30 minutes will easily cover your visit here.
💰 50 baht per person
Phra Prang Sam Yot – Monkey Temple
You will know when you are getting close to Phra Prang Sam Yot, because you will start to see monkeys loitering along the pavements, climbing lamp posts and scaling the sides of buildings!
If you’re not used to seeing monkeys, this might be the main highlight of this Lopburi itinerary!
The temple itself is very small, but it’s fun to see a temple overrun by a local gang of monkeys! If you feel up for entering the grounds of the temple for 50 baht per person, as well as your ticket you will also be handed a stick in case you need to warn off any overly friendly monkeys.
You can enter the temple itself (through a barred gate), but we opted to keep our distance from these crazy but funny animals!
Sunset is a great time to visit the monkey temple, not only does the temple glow during golden hour, but the monkeys tend to group together at this time. It’s one of the best things to do in Lopburi!
IMPORTANT: Never feed or touch monkeys. They are highly unpredictable and become aggressive and jealous when food is involved. As a general rule, never feed wild animals so that they don’t become dependent on human feeding.
💰 50 baht per person
Heading to Bangkok soon? Take a look at our 3 day Bangkok itinerary!
Wat Nakorn Kosa
This is another free temple ruin to visit in Lopburi. As it’s right by the train station we wouldn’t suggest going out of your way to visit here. It’s worth passing by, but if you’ve recently been to Ayutthaya like we had, you’re probably ruined-out by this point anyway!
💰 Free to visit
Ban Chaophraya Wichayen
Ban Chaophraya Wichayen is another large ruin nestled into the history of Lopburi. We didn’t visit this one, but if you have time, it’s worth a visit during your 2 days in Lopburi, which is why we are including it in this itinerary for you! This 17th-century European-style residence was once home to Constantine Phaulkon, a Greek advisor to King Narai.
💰 10 baht per person
Visit Lopburi’s Night Market in the evening
Compared to other night markets across Thailand, Lopburi’s Night Market is a small strip of street food vendors dotted along the road. There isn’t much nightlife in Lopburi, but it’s nice to wander through and see if there are any snacks you might want to try!
Day 2 – Sunflower fields, Temples and Lakes
Day 2 of this relaxed Lopburi itinerary takes you to beautiful sunflower fields and cruising through the laid-back countryside dotted with Thai temples! It’s best to rent a scooter for this day, or if this isn’t possible you might need to arrange a private driver.
Lopburi Sunflower Fields
It might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of cultural Thailand, but not far from Lopburi are beautiful sunflower fields! Perfect for exploring the countryside and snapping some amazing photos during your 2 days in Lopburi.
We paid 20 baht each to enter the sunflower field, this meant we could freely roam and take as many photos as we wanted. You can also pay to ride in a tractor-trailer or on mini quad bikes. Dan also ate some of the best grilled corn in his life from one of the market stalls that lined the street outside.
🌻 Sunflowers in bloom: November to January
Sub Lek Reservoir
A short ride from the sunflower fields of Lopburi, you’ll find Sub Lek Reservoir. While there aren’t many activities to be done here, it’s nice to cruise around on a nice day and take in the scenery. You’ll also find a few small, local restaurants offering waterside eating.
Wat Khao Chin Lae
If you visit the Lopburi sunflower fields, there is a good chance you will see a Buddha perched peacefully along the hillside. Wat Khao Chin Lae sits over 450 steps high in the green countryside surrounding Lopburi and is a great place to seek tranquil panoramic views of the area. It’s also home to over 300 beautiful peacocks, another great reason to visit.
Make sure to pack lots of water as you climb your way up the steps to the Wat!
Chill at Noom’s Guesthouse
Noom’s Guesthouse is a popular American-style bar and restaurant, offering a huge food menu from Thai, to British to American foods (yes, you can get a full English breakfast). You can expect to hear classic rock music playing over the speakers, all while enjoying a game of pool or darts with friends!
It’s a busy hub for both foreign travellers and Thai people, during our visit there was a huge group of Thai bikers enjoying food and beer, generally being merry! It honestly felt like a scene out of a movie, sitting in an American-style bar surrounded by a gang of bikers, it was a fun experience!
We can only speak on behalf of their Thai food, portions were big, the flavour was good and prices were fair! We ate here a few times so we can wholeheartedly say it’s worth a visit! It is also a popular place for travellers to stay as they are a guesthouse. You can book a room at Nooms Guesthouse here.
After a day exploring the countryside, our Lopburi 2 day itinerary came to an end! Here’s some more things you might want to know about visiting the little monkey city.
How many days to spend in Lopburi
We think that 2 days in Lopburi is the perfect amount of time to take in everything the town has to offer, plus a day exploring the local countryside, seeing unique Thai temples and wandering through picturesque sunflower fields.
If you only have 1 day in Lopburi, that’s ok too! The town is small, this will be plenty to see the main sites and take pictures of mischievous monkeys!
Where to stay in Lopburi
Tatiphop Hotel – Great value for money in a quiet part of Lopburi. Clean and comfortable private double rooms with a private bathroom. We had a fantastic stay here and would recommend it to anyone! Check it out on Agoda here!
Noom’s Guesthouse – Backpacker travel hub in the heart of Lopburi. A great option if you want to socialise and experience a more lively stay in Lopburi. As previously mentioned, it’s a great place to eat! Book Noom’s Guesthouse on Agoda or Booking.com for the best prices.
Windsor Resort – Stay at Windsor Resort and book a private bungalow! A great option at a great price! This was our backup if we hadn’t stayed at Tatiphop. Take a look on Booking.com or Agoda for the latest deals.
How to get to Lopburi
You might be wondering, “how do I get to Lopburi?”. The most popular way of getting to Lopburi is by train. This could be coming from Ayutthaya, Bangkok or Chiang Mai, all are very popular destinations among travellers making Lopburi a great place to visit in Thailand and to add to your itinerary.
By Train – From Bangkok, the train journey should take around 2 hours. They are very local trains and we could only get a ticket on the day. You can also catch trains coming from Ayutthaya or heading to Sukhothai or Chiang Mai.
Check schedules on 12Go! You can purchase train tickets on the Thai State Railway (not for some local trains though) website or on 12Go. There are also buses running to Lopburi which might be quicker than a delayed train!
Where to eat in Lopburi
Noom’s Guesthouse – We ate at Noom’s a few times during our stay in Lopburi as they were able to accommodate vegan food for us. They have a large western menu and great Thai food at a great price! It is also a popular bar, so it’s a good place to go if you fancy a cold beverage!
ร้านอาหารเจลัดดา Thai Vegetarian Food – A small vegan Thai restaurant serving up traditional Jay food at a very affordable price.
Loving Hut Phraphutthabat Saraburi – If you’re vegan and take a scooter out for a day trip to the countryside, you need to visit Loving Hut! A sweet couple have built a small restaurant on the land of their home, it’s very tranquil and their menu is huge. We had an amazing experience here, plus it’s 100% vegan!
How to get around Lopburi
Walking – The best option for spending 2 days in Lopburi! You can reach most areas of Lopburi on foot within 10-20 minutes. Just be aware of the monkeys as you near the monkey temple!
Scooter – The best way to reach the surrounding area of Lopburi. A scooter isn’t needed to get around town as it’s very walkable unless your accommodation is further out and you need a set of wheels! Lopburi is a quiet town, so parking a scooter is no issue.
Buses – Lopburi is small, buses aren’t an option here unless you are trying to reach neighbouring towns or cities.
Is Lopburi worth visiting?
Absolutely, yes! Lopburi is worth visiting and we really enjoyed our 2 days there. Exploring the countryside by scooter, watching the monkeys play around Phra Prang Sam Yot and generally having a relaxed visit. It’s the perfect place to add to your Thailand itinerary!
That’s the end of our 2 day Lopburi itinerary and if you need any more help planning – send us a message on Instagram (@thesunrisedreamers) or leave a comment below!
If you have enjoyed this Lopburi travel guide, check out our other Thailand posts!
- 1 Month Thailand Itinerary
- 2 Week South Thailand Itinerary
- 3 Day Bangkok Itinerary
- 4 Day Phuket Itinerary
- 3 Day Kanchanaburi Itinerary
- 2 Day Ayutthaya Itinerary
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