Among many interesting museums of Nakhon Si Thammarat province we choose five among the most popular and easy to find, which we also believe will be useful for the visitors.
Free entrance in all of them.
Free entrance in all of them.
1. Nakhon Si Thammarat city museum, Talad Park
City museum in Nakhon Si Thammarat is a large exhibition with few areas with many rare exponents presented according by epoch. Also here you can read exiting stories about Tambralinga-Ligor-Nakhon Si Thammarat glorious past and beautiful present. Combine it with visiting other parts of the park around, such as Buddha park, water adentures, zoo (I don't like zoo concept, but ... its there) and peacock area.
Among the other places recommended to see we can mention:
Among the other places recommended to see we can mention:
- Khao Kha museum and ancient site between Sichon & Tha Sala.
- Small museum with local flora and fauna of Khao Plai Dam, Sichon, in Tong Yang national park.
2. Museum of Wat Phra Mahathat Woramahawihan
Museum located on a large territory of Wat Phra Mahathat Woramahawihan - main city temple of Nakhon Si Thammarat - unique story of its foundation described in paintings at Talad park and in city museum above. Open til 4 pm, museum has a wide collection of old Chinese tea-ware (important for us tea-lovers), which was very popular times ago - before present cold-Espresso-Cappuccino super-trendy-madness:)
3. Suchart Subsin Shadow Play, NakhonSi city
Suchart Subsin is a legendary Nang Talung (shadow play) master, who was rewarded by King during His Majesty's visit. Now he gave this family tradition and business to his children. Visit master's family home & shadow play museum with workshop & souvenir shop. Also here you can watch the national Nang Talung show -usually by pre-arrangement.
4. Museum at Wat Parian, Tha Sala
However museum at Wat Parian is not officially open and don’t listed yet in public info-sources, its a great place and source of knowledge for the fans & seekers of traditional history & culture. Some of presented exponents shows old culture from not only NakhonSi & South Thailand, but the whole ancient civilisations of SEA. Some items here has undefined age and can’t be found anywhere else. Wat Parian deserved the visit at any time, in any weather!
5. Hat Sai Kaeo museum, Tha Sala
Hat Sai Kaeo museum located on a beach behind the resort with same name in about 2 km from Tha Sala town.
The place was highlighted in press few years ago with a story of lost-or-stolen statuette of Nataraja - 4-handed God Shiva, dancing his cosmic dance Tandava. You can read the full story on English and see more while visiting the museum. Also here are the large collection of old & new Lingas, statuetes of Ganesh and others. Beach restaurant available on site. Read more information about Hat Sai Kaeo here - link deactivated and soon will be reactivated.
The place was highlighted in press few years ago with a story of lost-or-stolen statuette of Nataraja - 4-handed God Shiva, dancing his cosmic dance Tandava. You can read the full story on English and see more while visiting the museum. Also here are the large collection of old & new Lingas, statuetes of Ganesh and others. Beach restaurant available on site. Read more information about Hat Sai Kaeo here - link deactivated and soon will be reactivated.
5. Khao Kha museum & Mo Khlan
Khao Kha historical site
Khao Kha is the unique archaeological site with small museum room on the entrance (works until 4 pm, business days only). Unique because not just the remains itself very interesting, but the nature surroundings look like same as thousands years ago. Path going up to the site itself with a few areas, each with its own atmosphere. Ancient Lingas & Yonis. Place used to be as a Shivaist (and probably others) spiritual spot to do the rites, most of them lost, unknown and forgotten. The trees were specially grown here by people of that times in a special order.( Maybe its combination with proper preparation will give us legendary ‘soma” -“haoma” in Zoroastrian)? Black-colored smelly Noni fruits on photo below is one of them. Others under MPI-research. Nice sea-view here! Beautiful, if you like the beauty, and mysterious, even if you don’t like the mystery. Lord Shiva - Phra Isuan, as had been once noticed here, revealing Himself stronger everywhere -just after day visit on Khao Kha.
Wat Mok Lan
Temple and archeological site in Baan Mok Klan, not far from Tha Sala. Area nearby has a same Mok Lan name, what makes more interesting to ask the local people for directions. Traditional pottery stores around here.
New Ganesha on the entrance with his friend mouse giving him laddoo. Here you can read story to which that scene refer to. Old yonilinga and ancient structures remains from pro-Siam era, before Buddhism appears here.
Khao Kha is the unique archaeological site with small museum room on the entrance (works until 4 pm, business days only). Unique because not just the remains itself very interesting, but the nature surroundings look like same as thousands years ago. Path going up to the site itself with a few areas, each with its own atmosphere. Ancient Lingas & Yonis. Place used to be as a Shivaist (and probably others) spiritual spot to do the rites, most of them lost, unknown and forgotten. The trees were specially grown here by people of that times in a special order.( Maybe its combination with proper preparation will give us legendary ‘soma” -“haoma” in Zoroastrian)? Black-colored smelly Noni fruits on photo below is one of them. Others under MPI-research. Nice sea-view here! Beautiful, if you like the beauty, and mysterious, even if you don’t like the mystery. Lord Shiva - Phra Isuan, as had been once noticed here, revealing Himself stronger everywhere -just after day visit on Khao Kha.
Wat Mok Lan
Temple and archeological site in Baan Mok Klan, not far from Tha Sala. Area nearby has a same Mok Lan name, what makes more interesting to ask the local people for directions. Traditional pottery stores around here.
New Ganesha on the entrance with his friend mouse giving him laddoo. Here you can read story to which that scene refer to. Old yonilinga and ancient structures remains from pro-Siam era, before Buddhism appears here.