Chai Nat Travel Guide: Chao Phraya Dam and Bird Park

Most people meet Chai Nat through a car window, on the road between Bangkok and the north. Stop and you find real things to see: the Chao Phraya Dam, the first large dam built in Thailand, a bird park that claims the biggest aviary in Asia, a temple that has been revered since the early Ayutthaya period, and a hill temple with hundreds of steps and a sunset view over the river.

This guide is assembled from the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), English and Thai Wikipedia, Wikivoyage and the official websites of hotels, all of which we read on 16 October 2026. Where sources disagree we show both numbers. Where we could not read an opening time or an entrance fee on an official page, we say so and tell you to call before you go.

What kind of province this is

English Wikipedia says Chai Nat sits on the flat river plain of the Chao Phraya valley and borders Nakhon Sawan, Sing Buri, Suphan Buri and Uthai Thani. Forest covers only 64 square kilometres, 2.6 percent of the province, so this is a place of river towns and rice fields rather than mountains and waterfalls. Thai Wikipedia adds that 99.06 percent of the area is lowland, with small hills scattered about, among them Khao Thammamun, which it calls an important symbol of the province, plus Khao Phlong and Khao Khayai.

The area figures differ slightly. English Wikipedia gives 2,506 square kilometres and Thai Wikipedia 2,469.746. Both agree that the province has eight districts: Mueang Chai Nat, Manorom, Wat Sing, Sapphaya, Sankhaburi, Hankha, Nong Mamong and Noen Kham.

On the name, Thai Wikipedia translates it as "the roar of victory". English Wikipedia says the town served as a base against Burmese armies, and that tradition holds the Burmese were beaten there every time, which is how it got the name "place of victory". The provincial slogan on Wikipedia lists the highlights neatly: the revered monk Luang Pu Suk, the renowned Chao Phraya Dam, the famous bird park and the Khao Taeng Kwa pomelo. Wikivoyage adds that the old main settlement moved to the left bank of the river in the reign of Rama V.

Getting to Chai Nat

Wikivoyage puts Chai Nat town 194 km from Bangkok. By car, take Highway 1, switch to Highway 32 through Ang Thong and Sing Buri, then turn left back onto Highway 1. Thai Wikipedia lists the province's main highways as 1 (Phahonyothin), 32 (Asia Route), 311 (Lopburi to Chai Nat) and 340 (Suphan Buri to Chai Nat). English Wikipedia puts the town 188 km north of Bangkok, a small difference between the two sources.

The 12Go page for Bangkok to Chai Nat showed 46 trips when we opened it in a real browser on 16 October 2026, for Sunday 18 October and 2 travellers, priced from THB 266 to THB 7,375. That split into 36 bus trips from THB 266 and 10 taxi trips from THB 2,645. The bus operator we saw was Chainattour, leaving from the Mochit New Van Terminal in Bangkok; the first listing said 15 departures starting at 06:00. The taxi operators we saw were Than Car Service and Kim Transfers Thailand. The page showed no trains. Prices and times change by date and as results finish loading, so open the page for your own date and read the figures there.

Chao Phraya Dam and Wat Karuna

Chao Phraya Dam

English Wikipedia says the dam, formerly Chai Nat Dam, impounds the river for flood control and to divert water into the country's largest irrigation system. It was finished in 1957 and was the first dam constructed in Thailand. TAT gives the details: it stands at Moo 3, Bang Luang subdistrict in Sapphaya district, is 237.5 metres long and 16.5 metres high, is reinforced concrete with 16 spillways, and was opened on 7 February 1957 by King Bhumibol Adulyadej and Queen Sirikit.

TAT says the dam is at its prettiest in January and February, when thousands of waterfowl visit, and that it is open daily from 08:00 to 17:00. The phone number on TAT is 0 5640 5266. Wikivoyage recommends it as a place to watch the sunset over the river and lists entry as free. TAT also mentions 19 rooms for hire at the dam, but that line on TAT's page looks old and we did not check it with the dam office, so call if you are interested.

TAT's route is from Mueang district along Highway 304, then left towards Sapphaya for another 6 km. The bus numbers on that page are dated, so check them again.

Wat Karuna

TAT places the temple opposite the dam's reception building. It enshrines Phra Phutthamahasila, a large sandstone Buddha that locals regard as the most beautiful in Chai Nat and that is believed to date from the early Ayutthaya period. TAT adds that in 1957 the King and Queen paid respects to the image at the dam opening. It lists daily hours of 08:00 to 17:00, which makes it an easy pairing with the dam.

Wat Intharam, Sapphaya

Thai Wikipedia lists Wat Intharam among the province's notable places, and the Wikimedia Commons description places it in Ta Luk subdistrict, Sapphaya district, and says it is over a hundred years old. We found no TAT page for it and did not check opening hours.

Chai Nat Bird Park

TAT puts the park about 4 km before Chai Nat town. It was built in 1983 and TAT calls it the largest aviary in Asia, with more than 100 bird species living in natural surroundings, over 60 other cages, small man-made waterfalls, gardens, a snake park, a rabbit park and a wild animal park. There is a pavilion in the middle of a pond, and an aquarium of freshwater fish from the Chao Phraya River. Shops sell local products such as wickerwork, bird carvings and fruit. English Wikipedia gives the area as 248 rai and says birds are released into the surrounding countryside.

Hours and fees differ by source, which is a good reason to phone. TAT says the park is open 08:00 to 18:00 and the aquarium 08:00 to 17:00, with adults at THB 150 and children at THB 75. Wikivoyage, updated August 2025, says 08:00 to 17:00 with adults at THB 60 and children at THB 25. We cannot tell which is current. Both sources give the same number, 0 5647 6624.

The photo here is taken from beside the lake inside the park. We found no official information on any tram or other services inside the park, so we say nothing about them.

Temples in and around town

Wat Phra Borommathat Worawihan

TAT says the temple is in Ban Thai Mueang, Chai Nat subdistrict, Mueang district. It is a second-class royal monastery, respected since the early Ayutthaya period. Its Borommathat Chedi is in the U-Thong style and holds Buddha relics, and local people and visitors from nearby provinces venerate it. A celebration is held on the full moon of the sixth lunar month. TAT's detail: the chedi is round on a square base, with seated Buddhas in arches on all four sides; the vihara stands on the east side, 13 metres by 24; the ubosot is on the south, 9 metres by 24, with a lacquered and gilded seated Buddha in the Sankha Buri style; and a stone inscription from the reign of King Thaisa, about renovation of the chedi, hangs on the vihara wall behind the Buddha image.

The websites of two hotels in town add that the chedi was first built in laterite in the Khmer period and renovated in the Ayutthaya and Rattanakosin periods. That is the hotels' wording, not TAT's. TAT says the temple is four kilometres from town along Highway 340 and gives the phone number 0 5642 6416.

Wat Thammamun Worawihan and Khao Thammamun

Wikivoyage describes Wat Thammamun Worawihan as a Sukhothai-era temple reachable by car, but says the hill that overlooks the temple and the Chao Phraya River needs a very steep climb of 565 steps. At the top a path leads on to the shrine of a famous monk from the province, and it is a good place to watch the sunset. English Wikipedia says the provincial seal shows the Dhammachakka wheel enshrined in the temple's vihara, built on the hillside. We found no official opening hours. Go late in the day, mind the dusk, and carry water.

Wat Pathomathet Sana Aranyawasi (Wat Khao Phlong)

Wikivoyage says this temple is on a hill overlooking Chai Nat, open 09:00 to 17:00 and free, as of its August 2025 update. The hill gives a view of the town.

Wat Pak Khlong Makham Thao

English Wikipedia places it in Wat Sing district, by the mouth of Khlong Makham Thao on the Tha Chin River. It was the residence of Luang Pu Suk, a revered monk known for his amulets; the most respected of his disciples was Prince Abhakara Kiartivongse, Prince of Chumphon. The hotel websites we read say the temple holds murals painted by that prince, which is the hotels' claim and not something we have checked. The slogan line about "Luang Pu Suk" refers to this monk.

Wat Phra Kaew and Wat Mahathat

Wikivoyage says Wat Phra Kaew in Chai Nat is an Ayutthaya-era temple that was abandoned before being reoccupied in the Rattanakosin era, with a Lopburi-style pagoda nicknamed "The Queen of All Pagodas in Southeast Asia"; it is open 06:00 to 18:00 and free, and it warns that this is not the better-known Bangkok temple. For Wat Mahathat at Phraek Si Racha in Sankhaburi, Wikivoyage says it is much smaller than Ayutthaya's temple of the same name but has beautiful ruins. TAT's province page also mentions Wat Maha That as an old temple standing in Phraek town, with a Lopburi-style pagoda called Phu Ma Phuang.

History and museums

Khun San Statue, Sankhaburi

TAT says the statue stands in front of the Sankhaburi district office and commemorates Khun San, a Bang Rachan folk leader called the "Hero of the Noi River". He was the first volunteer from Sankhaburi more than 220 years ago and fought in seven battles against invading Burmese forces. The statue was opened on 19 January 1983 and worship days are held on the same date every year. TAT gives hours of 09:00 to 16:00 daily.

Chainatmuni National Museum

Thai Wikipedia lists the Chainatmuni National Museum among the province's notable places. English Wikipedia says a stone wheel of the law with a Pali inscription, found in 1988 in Manorom district, has been kept there since 2018, after the finder's sister presented it to Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, who passed it to the Fine Arts Department. We found no official opening hours or fees, so check with the museum or the Fine Arts Department.

Sapphaya old police station

English Wikipedia describes the old Sapphaya police station as over 100 years old, dating from the reign of Rama V: a single-storey wooden building with a hip roof that won an Association of Siamese Architects conservation award in 2018. We found no information on visiting the inside, so it suits a look from the outside when you are at the dam.

Nature and the river

Muang Thao U-Thong Island and Krachab Yai Swamp

TAT places it on the west side of Hankha district, 2 km from the district office. The 120-rai Muang Thao U-Thong Island sits in the middle of the 1,116-rai Krachab Yai swamp, a fish breeding place and a habitat for many birds that local people revere as holy ground. Wikivoyage adds a wooden bridge to the island, boat tours around it and a role as a major Loy Krathong site in November, with free entry. We found no official hours or boat prices.

River cruises

Wikivoyage says many companies in the province offer late-afternoon boat tours on the Chao Phraya to see the sunset and local life on the river. The websites of two riverside hotels also advertise their own cruises. We did not check schedules or prices; ask your hotel or the operator.

Festivals, food and gifts

Straw bird festival

Thai Wikipedia says the festival turns unused rice straw into large bird figures mounted on decorated floats in a parade, then shows them on the lawn in front of the provincial hall. It is held around early February each year, with stalls selling local products and farm produce. Exact dates change, so check with TAT or the provincial office.

Pomelos and the pomelo fair

The Khao Taeng Kwa pomelo, "white cucumber", is the province's star fruit. Thai Wikipedia describes it as round with smooth, thin skin and a sweet, crisp, slightly sour taste without bitterness, and says a pomelo fair is held each year in late August or early September in front of the provincial hall, with a contest, exhibitions and stalls selling saplings and fruit. Wikivoyage says the flesh is drier than other Thai pomelos. Its listing for the local shop Ran Khong Dee Chainat says it sells fruit, rice, soap, honey and souvenirs, open 08:30 to 17:00 as of April 2026.

Eating

Wikivoyage recommends Ton Takhop Restaurant for pad thai and freshly caught river fish, open 09:00 to 17:00 daily except Thursdays, and Chom Bua Restaurant at Chao Phaya Thara Riverside Hotel for river fish with a river view, 11:00 to 22:00. The hotel's own restaurant page says 10:00 to 22:00 daily, so we show both. Chainat Grand Hotel's website calls its Tha Phra Chan restaurant a must-visit for river fish, including garlic-fried, chu chi and tom yum styles, which is the hotel's own claim.

TAT and Wikivoyage agree the province is known for basketry, carving, weaving and Benjarong porcelain. TAT says villagers' groups make them and that they sell at home and abroad. Ask at the shops in the bird park or the souvenir shops in town.

When to go

We found no official source that sums up Chai Nat's seasons, but sources date some events: waterfowl at the dam in January and February (TAT), the straw bird festival in early February and the pomelo fair in late August or early September (Thai Wikipedia), and Loy Krathong at Bueng Krachap Yai in November (Wikivoyage). If you go in the rainy season, expect the hill climbs and the open-air bird park to be less pleasant; that is our own guess, not an official statement.

A sample plan

We have not copied anyone's itinerary. This is simply the places the sources list, put in order of location.

• Day trip from Bangkok: leave early, reach the bird park when it opens, visit Wat Phra Borommathat Worawihan mid-morning, eat lunch in town, then drive to the dam and Wat Karuna in Sapphaya. Stay for dusk at the dam or on Khao Thammamun before heading back.
• One night: the same first day, adding Wat Thammamun at dusk. On day two go to Wat Pak Khlong Makham Thao in Wat Sing, then on to Hankha for the swamp, or to Sankhaburi for the Khun San Statue and Wat Mahathat.
• With more time: continue to Uthai Thani or Nakhon Sawan, which Wikivoyage lists as next stops.

We did not check drive times between these places; use a map for real timings before you set out.

Where to stay in Chai Nat

We looked for official hotel websites in Chai Nat. Most places on the provincial office's list of lodgings have only a Facebook page or a booking-site listing. Four have a website of their own that we could read in full. That is fewer than we need for a full where-to-stay page, so here is a short list instead. Every statement comes from the property's own website, with no prices and no review scores.

• Chaophaya Thara Riverside Hotel says it is in Mueang Chai Nat near the Chao Phraya River, with some rooms that have a river-view balcony, a 24-hour front desk, a complimentary breakfast, free Wi-Fi and the Chombua riverside restaurant. Its rooms page lists sizes from a 22 m2 standard room to a 65 m2 suite, so ask which room has the river view.
• Chainat Grand Hotel says it is on a main road in the centre of Chai Nat, with 63 rooms and parking. It suits a budget room in town. The site is a standard hotel template with room lists and facilities only, and a main-road location means asking about noise.
• Suwanna Riverside Resort says it sits on the bank of the Chao Phraya River, with a riverside kitchen restaurant that has an upstairs deck and a boat, the Charoen Sri Nava, for up to 200 passengers. Its facilities page still carries a notice that the pool is closed indefinitely (a Covid-era notice), and its home page still shows a promotion valid until March 2022, so confirm everything before you book.
• Baan Phuang Khram Resort has a Thai-language site saying it is in the centre of Hankha district with 19 rooms in two types, single bed and twin bed, and that day trips out and back are easy. It suits a driver who wants a quiet base. The site lists no facilities, so ask about breakfast, Wi-Fi and parking.

On areas, the advice we can support is this: if you plan to see the town, the bird park, Wat Phra Borommathat and the dam, stay in the Ban Kluai area of Chai Nat town, where most of the town's hotels sit. For Hankha, the swamp and a run on into Suphan Buri, Hankha is more convenient. We did not check drive times between areas. We will add a full where-to-stay page once at least eight places pass our check against their official websites.

Nearby destinations

• Uthai Thani: the western neighbour, with raft houses on the Sakae Krang River and Huai Kha Khaeng.
• Kamphaeng Phet: a World Heritage historical park, further north via Nakhon Sawan.
• Ayutthaya: the old capital, an easy day from Bangkok; see also the Ayutthaya day trip.
• Bangkok: the starting point, about 194 km away.
• Thailand overview
• Nakhon Sawan: Paknam Pho, Bueng Boraphet and Mae Wong

Frequently asked questions

Prices, schedules and entry rules change. Figures here are approximate as of 2026; always confirm on the official or operator page before you book. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.