Category Archives: Lakes

The Terracotta Garden at Lamphun…

…Not What It Seems.

While I was staying in Chiang Mai on the Great Northern Road Trip, I made a one day visit to Lamphun Province. After going to the Khun Tan Train Tunnel and a few other places I stopped by the Terracotta Garden. It’s really more of a park than a garden.

You drive in, park anywhere you want as there’s no formal parking lot, take photos of the lake…

terracotta garden at lamphun thailand

…you notice that there’s a lot of ancient looking relics (other than me) …

terracotta garden at lamphun thailand

terracotta garden at lamphun thailand

terracotta garden at lamphun thailand

terracotta garden at lamphun thailand

…and you decide you must be in yet another historical park.

To get a better idea of how big this place is, you ask Maxie to go up take a look around…

terracotta garden at lamphun thailand

terracotta garden at lamphun thailand

terracotta garden at lamphun thailand

…and then you notice that all the other visitors are walking down this pathway…

terracotta garden at lamphun thailand

…to get to this building…

terracotta garden at lamphun thailand

…and then it hits you. That’s a restaurant, and this place isn’t old at all. In fact it’s all brand new, and as far as I could figure, the only raison d’être of the whole place, is to draw people to the restaurant!

If you don’t believe me, well look, they’re still building the place…

terracotta garden at lamphun thailand

terracotta garden at lamphun thailand

All quite bizarre.

wwiIn fact, while I’m travelling, I try to make notes at the end of each day. After Day 11 I wrote “Attractive but a bit silly.” I think that sums it up quite nicely.