An Overnight Stay at Wat Pa Na Bun: A Different Side of Thailand.
After spending some time in Khon Kaen, it was time to head toward Sukhothai with my wife and mother-in-law.
Along the way, we made a stop at Wat Pa Na Bun, a Buddhist temple on the outskirts of Sukhothai.
But this wasn't going to be just a quick visit to look around the temple. We were actually going to spend the night here.
Now, if you've read some of my previous travel posts, you'll know that I usually stay in some pretty nice hotels. Westin, InterContinental and Sheraton are more my usual style.
So spending the night at a Buddhist temple was certainly going to be something different.
There was also a family connection to this visit. The abbot of Wat Pa Na Bun happens to be my wife's uncle, which made this stop a little more special.
Still, I wasn't quite sure what to expect. I had a feeling I might be roughing it for the night!
Arriving at Wat Pa Na Bun
When we arrived, I was pleasantly surprised to see the small building where we would be staying.
It certainly wasn't a luxury hotel, but the building looked quite nice and had a few features I wasn't expecting.
There was a ramp leading up to the entrance, which was a nice touch for anyone with mobility issues. There were also stairs with handrails on both sides.
Having those accessibility features was something I really appreciated.
Our Room at Wat Pa Na Bun
When I walked into the room, I was surprised again.
The room was actually quite large, with two beds and plenty of space to move around.
Now, I won't pretend the beds were anything like what you'd find at a Westin.
The mattresses were definitely a little thin for my liking, and after being spoiled by the Westin Heavenly Bed on previous stays, this was going to take some getting used to.
But then again, this wasn't a Westin, and the price certainly wasn't the same either!
And to be fair, the room had something that many luxury hotels don't always offer—a completely different kind of charm.
The room also had air conditioning, which I was very happy to see, along with fans if you preferred to use those instead.
For a simple overnight stay at a temple, I thought the accommodation was actually quite good.
The Bathroom
The bathroom was fairly basic, but it had everything we needed for the night.
They had even provided soap and shampoo, which was another small detail I hadn't expected.
Again, this wasn't luxury accommodation, but everything was perfectly adequate for our overnight stay.
Exploring the Grounds of Wat Pa Na Bun
For me, the real highlight of staying at Wat Pa Na Bun wasn't the room.
It was the surroundings.
Walking around the temple grounds was such a change from the busy streets, shopping malls and large hotels that I had been experiencing during the rest of my trip.
It was incredibly quiet and peaceful.
Looking out across the rice paddies, with the mountains in the distance and the temple buildings surrounded by greenery, I found the whole setting very relaxing.
There was no traffic noise, no busy hotel lobby and no crowds of people coming and going.
Just a peaceful setting where you could walk around, enjoy the scenery and slow down for a while.
I think that was what I enjoyed most about this stop.
Sometimes when travelling, it's easy to spend so much time moving between airports, hotels and attractions that you forget to simply enjoy where you are.
Wat Pa Na Bun was a nice reminder of that.
A Different Experience From My Usual Hotel Stays
This was only meant to be a quick overnight stop before continuing on to Sukhothai, but I'm really glad we stayed here.
It was certainly different from my usual hotel experiences.
There was no Club Lounge, no room upgrade and definitely no Westin Heavenly Bed.
But what Wat Pa Na Bun offered was something completely different.
It gave me a chance to experience a quieter side of Thailand, spend some time with family and enjoy surroundings that I probably wouldn't have experienced if we'd simply booked another hotel.
Being able to visit my wife's uncle, who is the abbot of the temple, also made the stay more meaningful.
And although I wasn't sure what to expect when we first arrived, I ended up enjoying the experience much more than I had anticipated.
Final Thoughts on Wat Pa Na Bun
I know this isn't my usual hotel review, but I wanted to include Wat Pa Na Bun in my travel blog because it was such a different and memorable part of the trip.
The accommodation was simple but surprisingly comfortable, the room was spacious, and having air conditioning was certainly appreciated.
The mattresses might not have been my favourite, but that was a small price to pay for the experience.
What really stood out was the peaceful atmosphere and the beautiful surroundings, with rice paddies and mountains in the distance.
Would I stay at Wat Pa Na Bun again? Absolutely.
Even though it's not a hotel, given the opportunity, I would happily return and spend another day or two simply relaxing and enjoying the temple grounds.
Sometimes the most memorable places you stay aren't necessarily the most luxurious.
And Wat Pa Na Bun was a perfect example of that.
After our night at the temple, it was time to continue exploring Sukhothai, including a visit to the historic park. That visit would eventually lead to another overnight stay, this time at the beautiful Legendha Sukhothai, a traditional Thai-style hotel that would turn out to be another highlight of the trip.
This post reflects my personal experience during my overnight stay at Wat Pa Na Bun. All views and opinions expressed are entirely my own.
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