Wat Ko Petchaburi

Wat Ko Petchaburi is a working temple in the middle of Phetchaburi town, not a sea island despite what the name suggests. “Ko” here refers to the way the temple compound sits on land historically bounded by a canal — the same naming logic behind river-town temples elsewhere in Thailand — rather than any location out in the Gulf of Thailand.

The temple’s real draw is inside the ubosot: murals dating to the 1730s, during the reign of King Borommakot, making them a rare surviving example of late-Ayutthaya religious art. Most temple painting from that era was lost when Ayutthaya was sacked in 1767, so a set this old still on its original walls is unusual. The north wall depicts the Seven Great Places where the Buddha spent his first seven weeks after enlightenment; the south wall shows the Eight Great Events of his life, starting with his birth. Look closer and the murals also include depictions of early Western and foreign visitors to Siam — a Jesuit priest painted in monk-like attire, Persian merchants on horseback — a detail that reflects how international Ayutthaya-era Siam’s contacts already were by the early 18th century.

Insider Tip: If the mural hall door is shut when you arrive, you don’t need to hunt down a monk with a key — visitors are generally free to push the door open and let themselves in.

Watch out: This isn’t a beach stop or a boat-trip destination. It’s a landlocked town temple, so don’t plan a visit around water access, snorkeling, or a ferry — none of that applies here.

Being in the middle of Phetchaburi town, it pairs easily with a wider walk through the old town — Phra Nakhon Khiri Historical Park on its hilltop, and the riverside old town, are both within reach on the same day.