Lamphun Things to Do

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The two stupa's Ku Chang and Ku Ma are not among the most impressive. It is the legend told about them which is a reason for visiting.

Chammathewi, the first queen of Haripunjaya (the present Lamphun) had two sons, Mahayasa and Indaravara. Because of her good deeds the gods presented the queen with a white elephant, which she in turn gave to her sons to use as a war mount.
The gift of the gods came at the right time, because then the barbarian king Bilangka with an army of 80,000 besieged the town of Haripunjaya. The two sons made a sortie mounted on the elephant. and the enemy king saw its tusks as if lit up by a red glow. This struck fear in him so much that he and his army fled the battlefield.

The name of the elephant was Phu Kam Nga Khiao, meaning 'dark elephant with green tusks'. The Ku Chang chedi is believed to be the cemetery of this war elephant that saved the kingdom. Behind it is the Ku Ma chedi, said to be the cemetery of a horse, the younger son's mount. This explains the devotion of the effigies of elephants and horses at the site of theses stupa's.

Address: Nai Muang XIV, Muang Lamphun, Lamphun 51000.

Directions: Ku Chang Ku Ma lies 1.5 km north of the former city wall. Follow the narrow road (Chittawong Phan Rangsan Rd.) north­east along the banks of the river for about 1km. Go through the first crossroads (to the right is a bridge over the river), then after about 300 m take a lane to the left marked Thanon Ku Chang. The site is on the right after about 300m. 

Website (on Lamphun history including Ku Chang Ku Ma): http://www.thailandbytrain.com/Lamphun.html

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This is the north-eastern city gate, known as Tha Nang gate. It is a reconstruction of the original gate, as all city walls and gates have long disappeared.

The gate stands very close to Kuang river bank. We wonder whether the river has become wider or this is not the original location of the gate.

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When you go by train from Bangkok to Chiang Mai, at 1.5 hours from your destination you pass trough the longest train tunnel of Thailand, the Khun Tan tunnel. After passing through the 1352 metres long tunnel, most trains make a stop at Khun Tan station. Construction of the tunnel took six years of blasting through granite rock and is said to have cost the lives of over 1000 mainly Lao workers. Sources on the internet differ with regard to when the tunnel was built. The TAT brochure on Lamphun states that the work was begun under supervision of a German engineer named Emile Eisenhofer, continued by Thai engineer Krommaphra Kamphaeng Phet and completed in 1918.

Khun Tan station lies at an elevation of 758 m within Doi Khun Tan National Park, at 1.3 km from the National Park Office. From the office one can go hiking in the park, to waterfalls and to Doi Khun Tan peak at 1373 m. However, we visited on a day tour with a rented car and had only time to see the tunnel.

Addres (tunnel): Khun Tan railway station, Amphoe Mae Tha, Lamphun province.

Address (park): Doi Khuntan National Park, Moo 8 , Tambon Tah- pla-duk,
Amphoe Maetha, Lamphun Province. Tel: 053 - 311608.

Directions: By train get off at Khun Tan station. By car drive to Lamphun and follow highway #11 direction Lampang. At Mae Tha take the turnoff to the northeast and follow the signs for 18 km.

Website (park, with map): http://www.trekthailand.net/north6/index.html

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Every year in August before mother day.. There are big Longan Festival.. a long parade start from City hall to the main stadium. Many activities such as Longan contest, beauty contest, parade contest. Lamphun is well known for Longan City.

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Where I stayed for less than $35.
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I want to start by saying this endorsement was not solicited, but I would like to share this experience that I stumbled upon, and it was an experience of a lifetime. While traveling in Lamphun Thailand, a friend suggested that I visit the Massage School that I am about to describe. I was so impressed with the facility, and the people, that I took a course in Foot Reflexology, and am now certified to practice. Although I have only used this with my family and friends, I have been so impressed with the results. Anyone going to Chiang Mai should take the time to visit Lamphun, about 26 km to the south. The School, or Spa teaches Thai massage, foot reflexology, or if you want to just go and enjoy the herbal steam bath, massages, and foot treatments, it is well worth the time, and is cheaper than a normal stay in the Holiday Inn in the USA. For Aprroximately 2000 baht a day I lived in a luxurious home, was fed 2 delicious meals, and took the class to be certified by very professional staff. They also have a Doctor in accupunture who will treat any assortment of conditions. I was so impressed. The owners lived in Ca for years, and speak English. They will arrange pickup at the airport in Chiang Mai, and also have a van to take you to different sites of interest after your completely relaxing massages and treatments. They have a homepage at www.huensamunprai.com where you can find out more details, and contact them. It would be a perfect get away from the city, especially for a group, and they give group rates. I left there feeling refreshed, and was treated like a king during my whole stay. This place is a winner, and could be a great base for relaxation, study, and travel, yet far enough from Chiang Mai to really feel what Thailand is like, and close enough to Chiang Mai for excursions there. I plan on going back.

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Wat Prathat Hariphunchai or Hariphunchai Temple was founded by King Athidthayaraj (one of Jamadhevi Dynasty) in 17th Buddhist Century. The Chedi contained some of Loard Buddha relics. It's a sacred temple with beautiful Lanna Acchitecture.

Hariphunchai Kingdom(Lamphun) is oldest than Lanna Kingdom(Chiang Mai). At Hariphunchai Temple they said Jedee (pagoda) which contains Buddha’s relics, more than 2,000 years old
After Buddha's death, his bodily remains - ashes and bones - were divided into eight parts by his disciple and distributed among eight local kings, They were later taken out by Indian great emperor, King Asoke, and placed in many other smaller domes almost 2,000 years ago, they belive that some distributed to Asia, same as Buddha taught and teaching.

Wat Phra Yuen means " Standing Buddha Status Temple" Another ancient temple in Lamphun. The Ku Chang-Ku Ma Chedi at the temple is surrounded on four directions by standing statues. The Chedi itself is cylinder-shaped and commemorates Queen Chamthewi's war elephant and her son's steed

Not only historical places to visit, Khuntan is very well knowned for natural places.
The Khun Than mountain range of the Doi Khun Than National Park forms a natural boundary between Lamphun and Lampang provinces. At Khun tan you can find the longest rail tunnel in the country, which is 1,352 metres long and takes five minutes to traverse.

You can enjoy taking train to Khuntan. There are place for camping and the nice hut for staying.