Wat Khao Banchop

Wat Khao Banchop sits in forest outside Ban Thung Phen, about 39 kilometres from Chanthaburi town in Makham district. There’s no waterfall here, despite what some older write-ups claim — the draw is a genuinely old tree archway and a quiet wooden ordination hall, both free to visit daily from 06:00 to 18:00.

The temple’s best-known feature is Pratu Sawan, or “Heaven’s Gate” — a tree archway more than a century old that locals still point to as the site’s signature photo. A wooden suspension bridge crosses a natural stream nearby, where visitors feed fish as a small merit-making gesture rather than swim; the water here is shallow and meant for wading, not the swimming holes some listings describe. The ordination hall itself is old timber construction, its pillars carved with traditional Thai patterns and finished in gold leaf, worth a slow look before or after the bridge.

Forest presses close on all sides, and the setting feels remote even though it’s a manageable day trip from the coast. Monks here keep a visible daily rhythm — morning alms rounds, offerings accepted through the late morning, chanting after dark — and visitors are welcome to sit in quietly on any of it without needing an invitation.

Bring your own water and snacks; the temple itself has minimal facilities, though a small café near the entrance, Mali Cafe, serves drinks if you want to sit by the stream afterward. For a change of pace nearby, the hilltop forest temple of Wat Khao Sukim and the pilgrimage trail at Khao Khitchakut National Park both sit within range of the same day trip.

Insider Tip: Aim for the archway in mid-morning light, when sun filters through the canopy rather than sitting directly overhead — the tree’s texture and the wooden bridge photograph far better than under a flat midday sun.

Wear closed shoes if you plan to cross the wooden bridge or walk the paths around the stream, and dress modestly as you would for any working temple.