The great golden-orange dome of Phra Pathom Chedi towers over Nakhon Pathom, and at over a hundred metres tall it is one of the largest stupas in the world. Tradition holds that Buddhism first reached the region here, more than a thousand years ago, when this was a centre of the Dvaravati culture, and the original, much smaller stupa was later encased in the present structure in the nineteenth century by King Mongkut, who had seen the ruins as a monk. Walking around its base, with its galleries, shrines and bells, is an experience not to miss.
Nakhon Pathom is a busy provincial city west of Bangkok, surrounded by rice fields, orchards and canals. King Vajiravudh built the Sanam Chandra Palace here in the early twentieth century, a curious mix of Thai and European styles, set in a large park. The city is also known for its food, particularly its sticky rice cooked in bamboo tubes, khao lam, and its pomelos, grown in the orchards around the city.
The riding here is about getting through traffic. The roads are flat, busy and full of trucks, buses and motorcycles, and the heat can be intense. The main highways to Bangkok and to Kanchanaburi are fast but chaotic, and the minor roads through the countryside are quieter but can be narrow and rough. In the rainy season, sudden downpours can flood the roads.
Nakhon Pathom has plenty of fuel stations, markets and restaurants, and the market around the chedi is a great place to eat. Try the khao lam, a sweet treat of sticky rice, coconut milk and beans. Ayutthaya, the old capital, lies to the north, a pleasant ride along the river.