Temples, living traditions of worship, local crafts and unusual traces in the rock shape discoveries in Amphoe Ban Tak. Alongside religious sites, a festival drum, broom-making and petrified wood offer insights into different aspects of the district.

Temples, worship and historical interpretations

Wat Phra Borommathat is an old temple in Amphoe Ban Tak. Its pagoda was built around the 18th Buddhist century. The temple stands on the site of the former town of Tak, before it was moved to its present location. Religious architecture and the history of the former town site thus meet in this place.

Luang Pho Thanjai, a Buddha statue that people regularly visit to pay their respects, is also venerated at Wat Phra Borommathat. The Yutthahatti Chedi offers a different kind of historical association: it is said to have been built in honour of King Ramkhamhaeng. The historical interpretation links the king to a victory in an elephant duel against Khun Sam Chon, the ruler of Chot.

At Wat Phra Phutthabat Doi Lon, a procession or ascent takes place every year in April after Songkran to pay homage to the Buddha's footprint. If you plan to attend, confirm the current arrangements locally.

Another Buddha footprint is located in Ban Chalom, on a high hill and enclosed by a mandapa. Ban Chalom is also home to a large Buddha statue: it is 20 metres wide at the lap and 38 metres high.

Local traditions and crafts

The Klong Tung Ye at Wat Ban Chalom is a large, elongated, single-headed drum. It is used during temple community activities and village festivals. Its form and use make it a distinctive subject alongside the district's temple buildings and religious traditions.

Local craft traditions in Thong Fa include making brooms from coconut leaf ribs and grass, as well as weaving textiles. These place everyday items and textile work side by side as different expressions of local craftsmanship.

Landscape and petrified wood

Doi Soi Malai lies within the Mae Tuen Wildlife Sanctuary. At Kaeng Huai Tak Waterfall, naturally formed, particularly striking rock formations are a defining feature. These two places draw attention to different aspects of the landscape: a mountain in a protected area and the rock formations at a waterfall.

The Tak Petrified Wood Geopark covers four amphoe: Ban Tak, Sam Ngao, Mueang Tak and Wang Chao. Several dozen pieces of petrified wood, including eight large pieces, have been discovered at the geopark's petrified wood site. There are also seven excavation pits. The finds and pits give the subject of petrified wood a specific connection to this site.

By the Ping River

Kat Datong is a visitor attraction by the Ping River, with a historic bamboo bridge leading to a river island. If you are planning a visit, check the condition of the bridge in advance. This lets you include the bridge as a route to the island in your plans without assuming it is currently in a particular condition.

For the broader travel guide: Tak.