We left our hotel around 10am and travelled to the Southern Bus Terminal (Sai Tai Mai). The long-distance buses departing for Nakhon Pathom is not in the main bus terminal building. It is at the outdoor bus terminal to the left of the main building. We have to cross over the terminal to the opposite side where buses travelling to Nakhon Pathom are stationed. The many travel guides mentioned buses 997 and 83. The bus departed shortly after we have boarded it. It cost around 40Baht one way. Total journey time is 50minutes and we arrived at the southern gate of the Phra Pathom Chedi at 11.50am.
Here is the largest chedi in Thailand as seen at the entrance. It is said Buddhism first arrived to Thailand in this city.
Here we have the shrines at the southern gate where devotees are making offerings of gold.
The main chedi from within the interior passageway. This is quite an embarassing and funny moment for us. We noticed this photogenic spot while walking through the passageway, so we just hang around the walkway and attempt to take a photoshot from below. There is a shrine just opposite the Buddha representation where people in the shrine can see the Buddha and the stupa clearly. As we are in a bright outdoors environment, we didn't really know they could see us. Only after we made our way out to the shrine did we realise it. I feels as if we are Mr Beans trying to take a photoshot. haha.
At one section of the stupa is a long row of alms bowl where devotees can make monetary offerings.
At the northside entrance facing the train station is a market. It sells lots of cheap stuffs and foods.
Nakhon Pathom is famous for its bamboo rice.
We bought one of those to sample and it is really fragrant.
There is one other lesser sight to the west of the Chedi - Sanam Chan Palace. But it appears to be closed. So we just depart to Bangkok from the southern gate of the Chedi. There are buses travelling enroute to Bangkok from there so they will stop to pick us up. The cost and journey time is similar to the journey to Nakhon Pathom.
