May is the end of the hot season and the beginning of the rainy season in June. As a salaryman who works hard to make a living, I finally have a day off. I want to get out of my comfort zone and open my eyes to see something new besides the bus stop, traffic jams, and the fast-paced life in the capital. I want to live a slow life and travel around. I want to stop by anywhere there is something delicious to eat, but I only have one day to go in the morning and come back in the evening. I started watching reviews, thinking while sitting, thinking while lying down, but I still can't figure out where to go on this holiday.

Let's start with the provinces near Bangkok. Let's start with the nearby provinces because we only have one day. Looking at the reviews of the provinces in the surrounding areas, I came across information about tourist attractions in Phetchaburi. Wow, Phetchaburi has Khao Luang Cave too. Judging from the pictures, it's very unseen. Let's go here. Phetchaburi. Nudge the person next to you. Let's go...

Setting off... As soon as we entered Phetchaburi, we headed straight to the "Fried Noodles and Fish Cake Shop". They say this shop is amazing. Even though it's just simple food, it's not easy to make it delicious. The shop is located opposite "Wat Khoi". But when we drove there, the shop was closed... End of story. We drove a little further and turned left into Wat Khoi.

Wat Khoi is said to be a religious site that is a high art work of the craftsmen of Phetchaburi or the ten groups of craftsmen, which has a unique architecture. Both the exterior and interior are very beautiful. If you see it with your own eyes, it will be more beautiful than in the picture. When you come inside, the ceiling is called something I can't remember, but it's really beautiful. The wind blows in cool and comfortable. I sat there so comfortably that I almost fell asleep.

At the base of the Buddha statue, you will notice that Sangkhalok bowls have been cut into pieces and used to decorate the base. In addition, the walls are painted with scenes from the life of the Buddha in intricate detail and beautiful gold paint.

At the front, there is an area for lighting incense and candles to worship the Buddha and apply gold leaf (please do not light incense inside).

From Wat Khoi, drive straight along Khiriratya Road and you will find 'Wat Phutthaisaiyasn (Wat Phra Non)'. Inside, there is a large reclining Buddha enshrined in the ordination hall. At this temple, incense sticks are only allowed to be lit outside, and flowers can be offered on the tray inside.

Exiting the ordination hall on the left, you will find a large painting of the Buddha from floor to ceiling.

From Wat Phra Non, we continued to 'Tham Khao Luang'. To get there, we couldn't drive up ourselves. We had to park our car at the bottom and take a small local songthaew up. This is to prevent accidents caused by unfamiliarity with the road, as the way up is quite narrow and steep. It also helps to prevent accidents with monkeys, as there are a lot of them here.

After getting off the car, we have to walk up the stairs for another 10 minutes until we reach the mouth of the cave and then down the stairs to the bottom. During the day, the sun is quite hot, so it is advisable to bring an umbrella or hat. Food should not be brought up because the monkeys will come and snatch it away.

Khao Luang Cave Temple is a temple built since the reign of King Rama IV. There is light shining from outside into the cave through the top opening. Inside the cave, besides the large main Buddha statue, there is also a reclining Buddha and many other Buddha statues in various postures. On the cave walls, there are many stalactites and stalagmites. Some people might imagine the stalactites and stalagmites as various animals.

From Wat Khao Luang, continue to 'Wat Yai Suwannaram' located in Mueang district. It is an ancient temple with a prayer hall in the late Ayutthaya period architectural style. The walls are made of plastered wood with gold leaf, but later painted red all over. The main Buddha image is a stucco Buddha statue in the attitude of subduing Mara. The gilded bronze statue of the Supreme Patriarch Tangmo is beautiful.

After paying respects at the temple, walk out to the front of the temple and you will find a noodle shop called 'Pen Prik Ped' on the opposite side. This shop is popular with both locals and tourists. It is not a big shop, but the noodles are delicious. The signature of this shop is that they have a thick dipping sauce for dipping with pork and meatballs, and they also have sweet pork in the noodles. If you come to pay respects at Wat Yai Suwannaram, you should not miss it.

In the afternoon, we went to relax at "Chao Samran Beach". Along the beach, there are rows of large pine trees providing shade. We brought a mat to sit and lie down. This area is not crowded, the water is clear, and it is quiet and peaceful, perfect for relaxing or reading a book. If you want to order food, there are vendors from nearby restaurants who will take your order. Within a few minutes, delicious food will be served to you at your spot. The prices are reasonable, and the taste is not bad.

Phetchaburi is a province with many temples. If you want to pay respect to the Buddha, ask for blessings, and relax in a peaceful atmosphere, not far from Bangkok, Phetchaburi is another option that you should not miss.