There are still so many places in Thailand that see only few foreign visitors despite their huge cultural and historical significance. I walked down a few blocks from the train station, looking for a guesthouse.
The first impressions of Phitsanulok were pretty unspectacular, seemed just like a typical provincial town, but I knew it had a lot more to offer. They had fan rooms for Baht and aircon rooms for Baht. There is another very popular budget hotel right next to it, called Lithai Guest House, with similar room rates. If you are looking for something on the top end, the Grand Riverside Hotel is maybe the most famous hotel in town.
I had a shower and just took it easy during the rest of the day with a walk along the riverbank, which is pretty calm and relaxing during the day but the place to come for shopping night market and partying during the night. But more on that later. The good thing is they are located within short walking distance from eachother and also just about 20 mins walk from the railway station or the night market river bank. It was cast in the late Sukhothai style, however the head of this Buddha is a little bit wider than standard Sukhothai and therefore the statue makes a very solid impression.
This temple is slightly smaller than Wat Yai on the other side of the river. I really loved the calm and quiet atmosphere here, as well as the beautiful paintings on the walls. It was built in , when King Trailokanat of Ayutthaya moved the capital of his empire to Phitsanulok. Today, only the chedi is what remains from the original construction picture. There is a year old golden Buddha in the wi-hahn, next to it a sacred tree with ladders that visitors climb up, leave an offering, ring a bell and descend repeating this three to nine times , an ubosot chapel with beautiful murals and a large wooden boat decked with garlands that formerly served to transport King Rama V on an visit to Phitsanulok.
I was pretty lucky to experience that and watch a few races from the bridge as the Long Boat Racing Festival is held only once a year during Thai Buddhist Lent Period in September or October when the river tide is highest. There was Thai TV but not that many spectators, however women in traditional Thai dresses on the opposite site of the stands dancing nonstop.
