Wat Phra Pathom Chedi Rachavoramahaviharn is a first class royal monastery, and also the tallest pagoda in the world with a height of 120 meters and 234 meters wide. It is located in Nakhon Pathom province.  The present temple that you see today was constructed during the reign of King Rama 4 in 1853, and completed during the reign of King Rama 5 in 1870. It is assumed, however, that the temple dates back to 539 AD due to its similar architectural style as Sanchi Chedi in India.

Phra Pathom Chedi houses the Lord Buddha’s relics. After its renovation, during the reign of King Rama 6, the temple became a royal temple. Another important artifact is the Buddha image, Phra Ruang Rodjanarith. The position of the image is a Buddha bestowing pardon. 40 Baht is a small price to pay to see the immense temple; like none you’ve ever seen before. During November, the temple has an annual fair. The temple is decorated with lights, and people from all over come to take part. To the south of the temple compound is the National Museum of Phra Pathom Chedi, which is also worth a visit. It is a 2-story modern Thai building that houses artifacts and historical remains.

To the side of the temple, every evening from 5pm to midnight, you will find Phra Pathom Chedi night market. You can have dinner here at the market, or stop by for dessert. Although the market is open till late, the really good food shops are the fastest to close because they’ve all sold out. Make sure to come early if you don’t want to miss out on certain foods. A lot of the stalls have been open the same time the market began over 40 years ago.

A popular ice-cream stall in the market is Ice Cream Loy Fah – Flying Ice Cream. Watch the stall owners’ playful way of scooping and throwing ice cream into cups. If you want a hot dessert instead, look for or ask around for Kanom Krok Mae Sa-gnud. Kanom krok is a coconut milk-based dessert which is cooked on a dimpled hot plate. It’s a classic sweet for Thais of all ages. If you want to have dinner, try out the fried shellfish from Hoy Tod Nai Pom. Usually, the Hoy Tod dish is made with mussels. At this stall however, you can choose from a variety of shellfish instead of mussels. There is even a no-flour version for those of you who are weight watchers.

The market has much more to offer than the three fore mentioned stalls. You will find noodle stalls, stalls selling rice with chicken pork or beef, seafood stalls, made-to-order food stalls, and a lot of desserts for you to choose from. The immense pagoda is quite a sight to see. Once you’re done, you also get to visit the town’s popular night market for food or snacks. It is no surprise that the size and grandeur of this temple makes it the symbol of Nakhon Pathom Province.

Address : 27, Kwaphra Road, Phra Pathom Chedi Sub-district, Nakhon Pathom, 73000

GPS : 13.819617,100.058883

Contact no. : 034 242 143

Opening Hours : Temple open from 07.00 – 20.00; Night Market open from 17.00 – 24.00

Entrance Fee : Thais: Free, Foreigners: 40 Baht

Highlight : Annual Temple fair that takes place in November.

Activities : Sight-seeing/ Praying/ Worshiping/ Eating/ Shopping

From Bangkok, take Phetkasem road until Nakhon Pathom town. Take the bridge that goes to town and continue  on Thesa road until the end. You will see the temple in front of you.