In my time from living in Thailand I ventured around quite a bit and ended up living in a village just outside of the hustle and bustle of Bangkok, but also it wasn't completely off the grid either. I was living in a smaller hidden gem called Nakhon Pathom in the village of Kamphaeng Sean.
Nakhon Pathom is the province that is just near Bangkok and I easily could take a bus or a train around all of Thailand and also be in Bangkok within two hours depending upon how heavy the traffic is. I am a small town girl still and while Bangkok is very thrilling, I still love nature, small town quaintness and also I really enjoy a more local experience. In Nakhon Pathom I got to experience living in Thailand more as a local and away from all of the expat scene in Thailand.
I have found it is really important for me to explore a place, but in a less common way compared to other travelers. That doesn't mean I won't go to the touristic sights, however I love to explore more of the authentic just local experiences. I enjoy making local friends, going to really local food places, and doing things out of the ordinary and try to experience the place as authentically as possible. I love these types of experiences because it pushes your limits and the stories and things you will learn are endless.
My favorite local experiences
In Nakhon Pathom my favorite things to do were explore different foods, local life, nature, and temples.
Here are some great things to do in Nakhon Pathom
1. Phra Pathom Chedi and weekend night market
The temple is a golden pagoda located in the city of Nakhon Pathom of Nakhon Pathom. It is in the center of the town and has a weekend market to explore as well. This city is historic and is of high honor because of this gorgeous temple. It is one of my favorite temples in Thailand and it makes the town look gorgeous. Nakhon Pathom is not nearly as modern as other places in Thailand, so it is really cool to see more traditional architecture and this gorgeous pagoda glistening in the sun.
2. Floating Market
In the province of Nakhon Pathom there are a few nearby floating markets. These floating markets are an amazing experience for local food and handmade handicrafts. What I like in particular about this provinces floating markets is it is not aimed for tourists. You will get to experience much more local style snack food and other Thai street food you wouldn't normally find in one of the most famous floating markets around Thailand.
3. Abundance of fresh coconuts
Nakhon Pathom is known for its coconuts. Thailand in general has many coconuts that are grown, however Nakhon Pathom is one of the provinces that produce the most coconuts. This makes the landscape of the province very gorgeous as there are a lot more coconut trees and also it is super easy to find fresh coconuts. I loved when I would just be out and about and there would be stalls set up, a street cart, or how the markets would always have an abundance of fresh coconuts. Because there were so many fresh coconuts there also were a lot of coconut desserts that were available at the markets. Some of my favorite coconut desserts are khanom tuy, khanom krok, khanom tom, khanom tako and they all are made with coconuts.
Here are pictures of some of the coconut desserts I loved eating in Nakhon Pathom in Thailand.
4. Wat Samphran Temple
This temple is a special temple in Nakhon Pathom that is much different than other traditional temples. This is a dragon temple and it is super tall. I am surprised more people don't know about this temple, but I thought it was so unique. For this temple I wish I had a drone to give you the full view.
5. Some of my favorite local restaurants
This is going to be specific to my town in Kamphaengsean, but if you ever find yourself in this small village head to these local places.
In Nakhon Pathom in the city center there are some great places to try as well. I recommend going to sushi, hot pot, or for the weekend market at the Phra Pathom Chedi as there are a bunch of good local eats there. Another thing I loved doing for fun was going to hot pot with coworkers or a good karaoke session. There were a good amount of karaoke bars in this province and there was one right near to my apartment in Kamphaengsean that I would often go to for drinks, eats, or socializing.
6. Big bike trail in my town
For the nature lovers and bikers in Kamphaensean there is a big bike trail that is in the KPS university. The trails goes all around the whole campus and there is lots of things to explore in the campus as well. There are lots of gardens, places for picnicking, a lake, you can go boating, there are restaurants, golfing, soccer fields, and other nature things to do. I would ride my bicycle often. Some weekends I would ride for a long 15km bike ride. Other times I would just spend the whole weekend in the nature picnicking, reading, exercising, doing yoga, and enjoying the amazing weather. In the campus once a year they have a huge agricultural event hosted by the university and it happens in late November to December. This is a huge event with a huge market on the campus. You will have to check it out for good music, endless street food, good bargains on clothes, plants, and anything you would normally find at a Thai market.
Another charming thing about Nakhon Pathom is the small town feel it has, but also not being a super rural style village. I also liked it because it was extremely cheap to live, but was only a two hour bus ride to Bangkok. The nearby provinces to Nakhon Pathom were Ratchaburi, Kanchanaburi, and Bangkok. Ratchaburi has many floating markets, light museums, and nature. Kanchanburi is a popular destination for tourists and has caves, waterfalls, mountains, gorgeous temples, and the famous river kwai. Kanchanaburi would be a weekend trip of mine sometimes. I would just go solo to some of their gorgeous cafes in the mountains or for a nature escape. The Erawan Falls is a national park a bit outside of the city centre and has a seven tiered waterfall.
If you are wanting to make a trip to Kanchanburi, check out my post about all of the things you can do for a nature escape in Kanchanburi.
In Nakhon Pathom I got to learn how to live more like a local and be surrounded with mostly all Thais. I became comfortable in this environment, having less Western amenities. I lived in a Thai style apartment, rode my bicycle, and ate Thai food almost every single day. While in school I would teach and speak English, and when I was out and about I would practice my Thai. I made Thai friends to the best of my ability. I pushed myself to try and make an effort to learn Thai so I could integrate into the culture better. Living in this smaller town I really learned to appreciate the experience. I loved the nature, the local foods, the school, and being in that environment.
If you too love travel for the experience, maybe push yourself to do more local things. Making friends with locals makes all the difference. You might not have the picture perfect moments, but you will open your mind and have some great adventures to tell.