| The Ancient City | |||
| UPDATE : 14 January 2010 | |||
Covering 800 rai (128 hectares), Muang Boran (The Ancient City) includes 116 small-scale buildings, with plans afoot for many more. It’s arguably the perfect place for families to have an outdoor adventure together, while having the opportunity to marvel at the country’s unique culture. A ‘mini-Thailand’ Muang Boran’s shape resembles a map of Thailand and incorporates full size and scaled-down models of historical buildings from many of the country’s provinces. Its largest attraction, in the northeastern part of the park, is a huge model of Khao Pra Viharn (known as Prea Vihear in Khmer), the mountain-top temple located along the Cambodian border. It will take you a good deal of effort to climb to the summit, but the stunning views are well worth the effort. Visitors enter the park at the southern tip of the map. Just inside the park, rows of replica houses lead up towards an old market town. Although this provides a ‘picture postcard’ view of traditional Thai life, use your camera sparingly since many other stunning sites await you. Three Pagodas and more… As visitors head northwards along the southern strip, they will then reach a replica of Thon Buri Audience Hall with a traditional Thai-style home called Dvaravati House nearby. Just beyond this point, at the site of a small bridge, the road splits in two. Turn left and you will pass a replica of the Three Pagodas Pass, the mountain border pass which links Sangkhlaburi in Kanchanaburi province with Payathonzu in Myanmar. Just beyond this point, you will reach the ‘Re-creation area’. This area reflects Thai Buddhist beliefs and traditions, including a sala featuring 80 figures in a range of yoga-like positions. There are plenty of photo opportunities here, including the ‘Sala of Ten Reincarnations’, a statue of a goddess of mercy known as the mondop of Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara (also known as Kwan Im), as well as Rainbow Bridge. In Thai, a mondop describes a square structure with a tapering roof. Should you choose to turn right at the bridge following Dvaravati House, you will soon come across a scaled down replica of Bangkok’s Grand Palace and Ayutthaya’s Sanphet Prasat Palace. Enlightened footprints and godly gardens Not far from these palace replicas, you will see on a hill the graceful replica figure of the Lord Buddha’s footprint, also housed in a mondop. The original can be seen in Saraburi province. Although it is not in such a high position as the replica of Prea Vihear, the site still boasts superb views of the nearby terrain. It is quite breezy here, so it might be a good time to take a short rest.
Elsewhere on site, the Ancient Theatre Pavillion and the Hall of Wat Nimit are also worthwhile spots to shelter from the sun. Wat Nimit offers a great view of the replica of Prasat Satok Kok Thom, a stone palace which is located in Sa Kaew province. As you get deeper into the park, you will notice lots of wild deer. They help ensure the grass areas are tidy and trimmed, while adding to the natural feel for visitors. If you head towards the north of the park, you will see signs for the Gardens of the Gods. Here you can find some large bronze casts of Hindu deities and other religious figures. These are conveniently located near an area boasting plenty of shade from nearby trees. There is also a stream nearby and this spot is popular among experienced and inexperienced photographers. Indeed, the bronze statues are often featured in publicity materials for the Ancient City. Ancient lifestyles Finally, we will take a closer look at the floating market found in the northern part of the park. This part of the Ancient City takes visitors back two centuries ago to the beginning of the Rattanakosin era. There is a historic community, featuring Thai-style wooden homes, a Chinese-style shrine, a Christian church and an Islamic masjid (mosque). This area highlights Thailand’s acceptance of different races and religious beliefs. Overall, it is fair to say that the park finds a pleasant balance between adventure and tranquility. Out and about If you have your own vehicle, or can easily hire a vehicle, this is a very useful option when visiting the park since using a car allows you to stop, when and where you like, to take in sights at your own pace or sample the numerous food options. However, visitors not sufficiently confident to drive in Thailand can always opt to use the replica tram service. There are plenty of well- trained guides on hand for speakers of English, Chinese or Japanese. Hiring bicycles offers another leisurely transport alternative. One more option would be to hire a taxi for a few hours. Always enquire with your hotel to see whether or not this can be arranged before trying to organize it yourself. Admission Adult: 300 baht (US$9) Children: 200 baht ($5.80) Admission prices do not include the cost of the tram and English-speaking guide, which is an additional 75 baht per person.
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วันพฤหัสบดีที่ 11 กุมภาพันธ์ พ.ศ. 2553
The Ancient City
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