Lopburi is an easy day trip by train, about an hour north of Ayutthaya or two to two and a half hours from Bangkok. You go for Phra Prang Sam Yot, a Khmer-style temple with three towers, King Narai's palace, and the long-tailed macaques. Since 2024 the authorities have removed many of the monkeys, but some still live around the temples, so protect your bags and do not feed them.
Lopburi is one of the oldest towns in Thailand. Long before Ayutthaya, it was an important center under Khmer influence, and later King Narai of Ayutthaya made it his second capital in the 17th century. The old town is compact: the station, the main temples and the palace are close together, so you can see the highlights on foot in half a day.
Most visitors combine it with Ayutthaya. Our Ayutthaya guide covers the old capital itself; this page is only about the side trip north.
Lopburi day trip in brief
- Province
- Lop Buri, central Thailand, just under 150 km north of Bangkok (TAT)
- Train from Ayutthaya
- About 45 minutes to 1 hour 10 minutes on the Northern Line
- Main sights
- Phra Prang Sam Yot, San Phra Kan, King Narai's palace (Phra Narai Ratchaniwet)
- Monkeys
- Fewer since the 2024 removal program, still present at Phra Prang Sam Yot and San Phra Kan
- Monkey Buffet festival
- Normally the last Sunday of November
- Time needed
- Half a day in town
The monkeys in 2026: fewer, but not gone
For years Lopburi was known as "monkey town". Thousands of crab-eating (long-tailed) macaques lived in the old town, climbing over cars, raiding shops and grabbing food and phones from visitors. Bites and damage became a serious problem for residents.
In May 2024, the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment began a program to catch, health-check and sterilize the monkeys and move them into large enclosures. According to the Bangkok Post, a round in June 2025 aimed to catch another 450 animals, and a shelter for more than 3,000 monkeys was being built. The captured macaques are held at a municipal animal nursery in Pho Khao Ton, outside the old center.
The program has not been smooth. In February 2026 the municipality said it lacked money to feed and care for the animals, and on the night of 29 to 30 June 2026 nearly 100 monkeys broke out of the nursery, according to Khaosod English; most were recaptured. No official count of the monkeys still living in town has been published. The honest summary: there are far fewer on the streets than before 2024, but monkeys still live at Phra Prang Sam Yot and San Phra Kan, which are the places visitors go. Do not expect either a monkey-free town or the chaos of old photographs.
How to keep your bag, your phone and your skin
The remaining macaques are used to people and know that tourists carry food. Our overview of dangerous animals in Thailand puts them in context with dogs, snakes and other risks. A few simple rules prevent most trouble:
- Carry no visible food or drink. A plastic bag, a bottle or a snack in your hand is an invitation. Eat before you go to the temples.
- Close everything. Zip bags shut, put phones away when you are not using them, and take off sunglasses, hats and dangling earrings near the monkeys.
- Do not feed them, even if others are. Feeding draws a crowd of animals, and a monkey that expects food and gets none may grab or bite.
- Keep your distance from mothers with babies and do not crouch down to their level for photographs.
- If a monkey grabs something, let it go. A pair of sunglasses is not worth a bite.
- Keep small children close and do not let them run towards the animals.
A monkey bite or scratch is a possible rabies exposure. The World Health Organization counts any bite or scratch that breaks the skin as the highest-risk category. Wash the wound with soap and running water for at least 15 minutes and go to a hospital the same day. What happens next, and how the vaccine course works, is explained in our page on animal bites and rabies shots.
Rabies vaccination before travel reduces the treatment you need after a bite, but it does not replace it. Our page on vaccinations for Thailand explains when doctors suggest it. Check also that your travel insurance covers emergency treatment.
Phra Prang Sam Yot and San Phra Kan
Phra Prang Sam Yot is the symbol of Lopburi and of the province. Its three laterite towers (prangs), joined by passages, are built in the Khmer style that Lopburi is known for; the temple is generally described as a Hindu shrine that later became Buddhist. It is a small site, and you will see it in half an hour. There is an entry fee for foreigners; we could not find the current amount on an official Fine Arts Department page, so bring some cash.
San Phra Kan, a shrine a short walk away near the railway line, stands beside older Khmer-era ruins. It is a working shrine with a steady stream of Thai worshippers, and it is the other place where the monkeys gather. Dress modestly at both, as you would for any temple; see our guide to temple etiquette.
King Narai's palace and the old town
The palace complex of Phra Narai Ratchaniwet, built for King Narai in the 1600s, is the main sight for anyone interested in history. Inside its walls is the Somdet Phra Narai National Museum, with art from the Lopburi period and the reign of King Narai. Travel listings give its opening days as Wednesday to Sunday, like the national museum in Bangkok, but we could not confirm them on an official page. If the museum is your main reason for coming, avoid Monday and Tuesday.
Between the palace and the station you can also walk past Wat Phra Si Rattana Mahathat, a large temple ruin with a Khmer-style central prang, near the railway station, and the remains of Ban Wichayen, the residence built for foreign envoys in King Narai's time. Both are low-key and rarely crowded.
Trains from Ayutthaya and Bangkok
Lopburi is on the Northern Line to Chiang Mai, and most trains that stop at Ayutthaya also stop at Lopburi. The State Railway's own timetable site could not be reached from our research machine in October 2026, so the times below come from the timetable published by seat61.com (updated 1 October 2026). Treat them as a guide and check at the station.
| Train | Bangkok (Krung Thep Aphiwat) | Ayutthaya | Lopburi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 111 | 07:30 | 08:38 | 09:44 |
| 7 (air-conditioned railcar) | 07:30 | 08:23 | 09:08 |
| 3 (air-conditioned railcar) | 11:20 | 12:16 | 13:00 |
| 109 | 14:15 | 15:19 | 16:23 |
| Train | Lopburi | Ayutthaya | Bangkok (Krung Thep Aphiwat) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 106 | 12:20 | 13:11 | 14:40 |
| 112 | 14:39 | 15:59 | 17:20 |
| 8 (air-conditioned railcar) | 16:05 | 16:48 | 17:40 |
| 102 | 18:06 | 19:16 | 20:25 |
These long-distance trains leave from Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal, not Hua Lamphong, and call at Don Mueang on the way. Some slower local trains also run on the line. Fares were not available from an official source; third class is cheap and sold on the day, while the air-conditioned railcars have reserved seats, so book these ahead through the State Railway's D-Ticket service or at the station. Our guide to booking Thai trains online explains how. For trains between Bangkok and Ayutthaya, including the new Bangkok Connex service, see our page on Bangkok to Ayutthaya by train.
Lopburi station is right in the old town. The main temples are a short walk from the station, so you do not need a taxi. Leave large bags at your Ayutthaya hotel: a backpack is one more thing for a monkey to pull at.
A sample day from Ayutthaya
- Take an early morning train north (for example the 08:38) and arrive in Lopburi before 10:00, when it is still cooler.
- Walk to Wat Phra Si Rattana Mahathat, then to Phra Prang Sam Yot and San Phra Kan, with your bag zipped and no food in sight.
- Have lunch in town, away from the temple area, then visit King Narai's palace and museum if it is open.
- Return on an afternoon train (for example the 14:39 or the 16:05) and be back in Ayutthaya in time for the evening.
From Bangkok the same plan works with the 07:30 departures, but it makes a long day. If you can, stay a night in Ayutthaya and do Lopburi from there.
The Monkey Buffet and the sunflower season
Lopburi's best-known event is the Monkey Buffet Festival, when tables of fruit are laid out for the monkeys at Phra Prang Sam Yot and San Phra Kan. TAT says it is normally held on the last Sunday of November, which in 2026 would be Sunday 29 November. It went ahead in 2024 despite the removal program, but no 2026 date had been announced when we checked, so confirm with the TAT Lopburi office (+66 36 770 096) before you plan around it.
From about November to January, TAT also promotes the sunflower fields of Lopburi and neighboring Saraburi province, including the Khao Chin Lae area. They are outside the town and best reached by car or tour.
Frequently asked questions
Are there still monkeys in Lopburi?
Yes. Many were caught and moved into enclosures from May 2024, but monkeys still live around Phra Prang Sam Yot and San Phra Kan in the old town. There are far fewer on the streets than in older photos and videos.
Is Lopburi safe to visit with children?
Yes, with care. Keep children close at the temples, carry no food, and do not let them approach or feed the monkeys. Any bite or scratch that breaks the skin needs washing and a same-day hospital visit.
How long does the train from Ayutthaya to Lopburi take?
About 45 minutes on the air-conditioned railcars and just over an hour on ordinary trains, according to the published timetable. Most trains on the Northern Line from Bangkok stop at both towns.
Can I do Lopburi and Ayutthaya in one day from Bangkok?
It is possible but rushed: you would see Lopburi briefly in the morning and only a few Ayutthaya temples in the afternoon. A night in Ayutthaya makes both visits far more enjoyable.
Sources
- Bangkok Post – Lop Buri monkey-catching operation resumes (checked October 2026)
- Khaosod English – Lopburi appeals for funds to manage monkeys (checked October 2026)
- Khaosod English – Nearly 100 monkeys escape enclosure in Lopburi (checked October 2026)
- World Health Organization – Rabies fact sheet (checked October 2026)
- Tourism Authority of Thailand – Lopburi Monkey Buffet Festival (checked October 2026)
- Tourism Authority of Thailand – Thailand's flower blooming calendar (checked October 2026)
- Seat61 – Train travel in Thailand (Northern Line timetable) (checked October 2026)