Nonthaburi Travel Guide: Ko Kret, River Temples, IMPACT

Nonthaburi sits directly north of Bangkok, so close that Wikivoyage says you would hardly notice where one ends and the other begins without the signposts. It is still worth a visit. The province has Ko Kret, an island where Thai-Mon families make pottery, old temples on the Chao Phraya River, a pier that is the last stop for the express boats, and IMPACT in Muang Thong Thani, the arena and exhibition complex. Wikipedia also says the province is renowned for durian.

This guide uses only facts we could check on 16 October 2026 against the sources listed at the end, and it says where a source is old or two sources disagree. For hotels, read where to stay in Nonthaburi or the Thai version, ที่พักนนทบุรี.

What Nonthaburi is like

Wikipedia gives Nonthaburi an area of 637 square kilometres, the third smallest province in the country by land area, and says it is the most densely populated province after Bangkok. It lies in the Chao Phraya River basin with the river crossing it from north to south. Wikipedia says there is no forest area in the province and that most of it is as urbanised as the capital, so do not expect mountains or beaches. What you get instead is river history, Mon culture and a city that grew out of old fruit orchards.

The history goes back to Ayutthaya. Wikipedia says Nonthaburi was declared a city in the middle of the 16th century, after starting as a village called Talat Khwan. A canal dug as a shortcut in the reign of King Prasat Thong became the new course of the river, which is still the riverbed today. In 1665 King Narai built a fortress because the shorter course gave enemies an easier route to Ayutthaya, and the town moved near it. From 1943 to 1946 the province was part of Bangkok.

Ko Kret

Ko Kret is why most visitors come. Wikipedia describes a small island in the Chao Phraya, about 3 km long and 3 km wide, with an area of over 4.2 square kilometres and seven main villages, best known for Thai-Mon people who make pottery for a living. It was not always an island. Wikipedia says it was a meander of the river and that a canal was dug in 1722, taking around 10,000 men and about a month. The river then widened the canal until it became the main channel and left the island behind.

There is no bridge. Wikivoyage says you arrive and leave by boat. Independent visitors usually reach the Pak Kret bank and take a short ferry from behind Wat Sanam Nuea; Wikivoyage says the ferries run almost non-stop and charge 4 baht, but that figure is old, so ask at the pier. From Yaek Pak Kret station on the MRT Pink Line it is under 2 km to the pier, according to Wikivoyage, and bus 166 from Victory Monument runs to the Pak Kret market, from where you walk or take a short ride.

Opening days are where the sources disagree. Wikipedia, citing a Thai source, says the island is open to visitors only on Saturday, Sunday and public holidays from 9:00 to 17:30. Wikivoyage says the island is accessible all week, 24 hours a day, but the highlight is the market on weekends. We suggest going on a Saturday or Sunday if you want the market and all the shops open, and checking with a shop or your hotel before a weekday trip.

Wat Paramaiyikawat is the main temple, beside the ferry landing. Wikipedia calls it a second-rank royal temple built in the late Ayutthaya period, restored in the Mon style on the order of King Chulalongkorn in 1874. At the corner of the island stands the leaning white pagoda, the symbol of Ko Kret. Wikipedia says it was upright at first and tilted about 1891 after water eroded the bank, and that an attempt to restore it in 1992 failed. It also says the temple has a ferry pier opposite Pak Kret, which makes it the gateway to the island.

Wikivoyage says the main activity is walking and browsing the shops. A path runs around the island, about 2 km along each side, and the full circuit takes 1.5 to 2 hours. Bicycles can be rented, and sightseeing boats that loop the island leave hourly from 9:00 to 17:00 at 50 baht a person, according to that page. For food it mentions khao chae, a Mon speciality of rice in chilled jasmine water, spiced fish cakes with local ginger shoots, and fried snacks in banana-leaf bowls. Prices and times change, so treat these as reference points.

Mon pottery

Pottery is the province's emblem. Wikipedia says the provincial seal shows earthenware, and the slogan names Ko Kret as the home of pottery. Wikivoyage explains that Mon people allowed to settle on the island around 1757 made pots from river clay because the laws of the time banned foreigners from farming. Kwan aman, the local style, is unglazed red clay with intricate carving. The page says there are around 20 workshops and that the smallest pots start from about 5 baht, rising to hundreds or thousands of baht for large pieces. We did not check current prices, so ask in the shop.

If you want a pottery class, we found no official source listing workshops and fees, so we name none. Ask at the pier or your hotel and compare more than one shop before you decide.

Temples and the river

Wat Chalerm Phrakiat Worawihan stands on the west bank of the Chao Phraya in Mueang Nonthaburi district. Thai Wikipedia says it is a second-rank royal temple built in 1849 on the order of King Rama III, on the site of the former home of Phraya Nonthaburi Si Maha Uthai (Bunchan) and Khunying Peng, his maternal grandparents, to honour his mother, Sri Sulalai. What visitors remember is the wall around the ordination hall, made like a fort wall, which the page calls the only one of its kind in Thailand; it is often used to film period dramas. The hall is in the Rama III royal style, mixing Thai and Chinese art, and a monument to King Rama III stands by the river. We did not check opening hours from an official source, so go in daylight and dress modestly.

Nonthaburi Pier (N30) is the town's main pier. Wikipedia says it is the final stop for all Chao Phraya Express Boats except the green-flag boat, and that a cross-river ferry runs to the Bang Si Mueang side. It sits next to the Nonthaburi Clock Tower and the Old Nonthaburi City Hall, and the area has restaurants, coffee shops, banks and a market. Wikivoyage recommends the orange-flag line and says the trip from Sathorn takes about an hour; the fares and times on that page are old, so check with the operator.

The Old Nonthaburi City Hall is a teak building from the reign of King Rama VI, according to Wikipedia. It now serves as a provincial museum and is registered as an ancient monument by the Fine Arts Department, so you can combine it with the pier in half a day.

Wat Ku is a riverside temple in Pak Kret. Kalanan Riverside Resort says it is a well-known temple in Nonthaburi, next to the resort and on the bank of the Chao Phraya. That comes from the resort's own site, which is promotional, so read about the temple elsewhere before you go.

Durian and local food

Wikipedia says Nonthaburi has grown durian for about 400 years, called Durian Non, in six groups: Kop, Luang, Kan Yao, Kampan, Thong Yoi and others. Most orchards sit near rivers, but many have disappeared because of flooding and pollution, and the 2011 flood cleared almost all of the durian trees in the province, while housing keeps spreading into farmland. So do not expect big orchards. The page puts Kan Yao at around 10,000 to 20,000 baht a fruit, an old figure we have not checked. We have not confirmed the fruiting months from an official source, so we give none.

IMPACT and Muang Thong Thani

Muang Thong Thani is in Pak Kret district. Wikipedia describes a large real estate development centred on the IMPACT exhibition and convention centre, built on facilities made for the 1998 Asian Games, and the home of Muangthong United football club. Novotel Bangkok IMPACT says the IMPACT Arena seats up to 11,000 and that Thunder Dome is a popular choice for K-pop concerts. If you come for a concert or show, sleeping in the complex avoids event-day traffic, but rooms sell out and rates change by date, so check the event calendar first.

Getting to Nonthaburi

Nonthaburi is close to Bangkok and there are several ways in. The MRT Purple Line runs from Tao Poon to Khlong Bang Phai in Nonthaburi; Wikipedia says its northern section opened on 6 August 2016 and is 23 km. The Pink Line is a 34.5 km monorail with 30 stations from Nonthaburi Civic Center to Min Buri, which opened for a free public trial on 21 November 2023. The two lines interchange at Nonthaburi Civic Center. The Pink Line serves part of Pak Kret district and has a branch to IMPACT.

Booking the trip

When we opened the Bangkok to Nonthaburi page on 12Go in a browser on 16 October 2026, searching for Sunday 18 October for 2 travellers, it showed 23 trips from THB 70 to THB 2,000: 16 trains from THB 70 (Thai Railway) and 7 taxis from THB 1,062. The taxi operators we saw were Glassflower, Thailand Limo by Datum and Kim Transfers Thailand. One caution: the train rows we saw ran from Don Mueang to Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal Station, both in Bangkok, so check that the arrival point matches your hotel before you book. These figures are what the page showed in that one search, not a promise for your date. We link it for easy comparison, and some links on this site may earn us a commission, which does not change the times or prices you see.

When to go

We cannot name one best season for Nonthaburi. Wikipedia describes a tropical savanna climate: winters dry and warm, temperatures rising until May, and a monsoon season from May through October with heavy rain and somewhat cooler days while nights stay warm. It gives a maximum of 41.1 C in April and a minimum of 18.2 C in December. Ko Kret is an outdoor walk, so go early or late and carry water. Wikivoyage lists a Mon Songkran festival on the island about a week after 13 April. Check the weather for your dates with the Thai Meteorological Department and read Thailand long holiday planning if your trip falls on a public holiday.

Where to stay in Nonthaburi

Our stay guide compares five areas, and every hotel fact is checked against the hotel's own site. Wikivoyage itself says there are few accommodation options in the city.

• Nonthaburi city: Riverine Place says it is a Chao Phraya riverside hotel, and Grand Richmond is on Rattanathibet Road.
• Pak Kret riverside: Kalanan Riverside Resort says Wat Ku is next to it and that it runs boat trips to Ko Kret.
• Chaeng Watthana and Tiwanon Road: Koo Hotel and Best Western Matter Tiwanon are near the Government Complex and the IMPACT area.
• Muang Thong Thani: Novotel and ibis are inside the IMPACT area.
• Bang Kruai: Livotel Express is near the Rama 7 Bridge pier.

Open where to stay in Nonthaburi for the area table and 8 hotel cards.

Nearby destinations

• Bangkok: next door to the south, and the start of most trips
• Ayutthaya: the old capital upriver on the Chao Phraya
• Nakhon Pathom: to the west, home of Phra Pathom Chedi
• Bangkok day trips
• Bangkok BTS and MRT guide
• Thailand overview
• Pathum Thani: temples, theme park and the science museum

FAQ

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.