The province of Lopburi lies just over 150 kilometers due north of Bangkok, at the eastern edge of the great flat flood plain of the Chao Phrya River. Aside from the historic city of Lopburi, there's not much else to see in the province. Vast fields of commercially grown sunflowers have proved a popular weekend day trip for Thais, but certainly aren't worth making a special trip for the foreign tourist.
Your welcome to Lopburi Today, although historically important, Lopburi rarely appears on tourist itineraries. Most visitors to the city are Thais on a day trip from Bangkok to see the historic sights and the fields of sunflowers. There are several trains between Bangkok and Lopburi every day. For the foreign tourist, the easiest way to get to Lopburi is by train. The main sights of the historic city are a short walk from the train station (see map).
A juvenile monkey. He may look cute, but watch your belongings. Among Lopburi's many attractions, one of the more unusual features of the city is its large monkey population. The monkeys can be spotted throughout the city, but are most ubiquitous around the ancient Khmer shrine of Prang Sam Yod. The monkeys here have grown fat on the handouts of visitors to the shrine.
However, just because they're used to being fed doesn't mean these monkeys are tame.
A field of sunflowers in Lopburi province. Each year, from some time in November until February or March, the fields around Lopburi province are filled with bright yellow sunflowers. These are commercial crops raised for producing seeds and oil, yet they have become something of a tourist attraction.
This is a very "Thai" tourist sight. The fields aren't even mentioned in most guide books. Still, the large fields of yellow and green flowers set against the steep limestone hills surrounding the Lopburi plain are quite striking.
