Lampang

Lampang Airport (LPT) is served by three daily turboprop (ATR72) flights by Bangkok Airways from Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) taking 1½ hours (2000 baht and up, departures 08:20, 12:40, 16:25 daily), as well as by one flight by Nok Air on newer and larger Bombardier Q400 turboprops from Don Mueang International Airport at 17:20 daily (fares from 1750 baht, October 2022).

Another option is to take a low-cost flight (Air Asia, Nok Air, Thai Lion Air) to Chiang Mai, then connect to Lampang by bus or train. But it is at least two hours by road from Chiang Mai to Lampang, plus you'll need to connect from the airport to the bus or train station across the city.

The Northern railway line from Bangkok to Chiang Mai passes through Lampang. As such, there are several trains in either direction every day. The journey from Bangkok takes 10-12 hours; 2nd class air-con sleeper ticket costs 734-804 baht, air-con seat car is 574 baht. 2nd class fan sleeper is 150-200 baht cheaper than air-con.

From Chiang Mai, the trip takes around 2 hours. Express fan car tickets are 23 baht. Air-con car tickets are just over 100 baht.

Many buses run from Bangkok's Mo Chit terminal, most of which continue on to Chiang Mai. First-class air-con bus ticket costs around 400-450 baht, the trip takes 8-9 hours (as such, overnight buses are recommended).

From Chiang Mai (Arcade bus station), buses are very frequent, and it takes 1-1½ hours to get to Lampang. The price is 40-90 baht, depending on the class (first class air-con bus costs 90 baht)

Finally, many buses going from Chiang Mai to various other destinations in central and northeast Thailand stop in Lampang, so it is pretty well connected.

From Bangkok take Highway 32 to Nakhon Sawan. then Highway 1 via Kamphaeng Phet and Tak to Lampang. Distance from Bangkok is 600 km.

• Thai Elephant Conservation Center (ศูนย์อนุรักษ์ช้างไทย) (km28-29 Lampang-Chiang Mai Hwy, Hang Chat), ☏ +66 54 247871. The proceeds from this government-run centre go toward research and elephant conservation initiatives. The center is home to about 50 domesticated elephants, including the first elephant born from artificial insemination, and six of the 10 royal white elephants. The center hosts three daily elephant shows (200 baht for adults, 100 baht for children) at 10:00, 11:00, and 13:00, lasting about 30-45 minutes. During the show the elephants obey commands of the mahout, traditional logging techniques, painting, and playing instruments. After the show you can feed the elephants treats for 20 baht, and pet and have your picture taken with an elephant. You can also ride an elephant in the riding grounds for 500 baht, visit and feed baby elephants and their mothers in the nursery (free) and see sick elephants being cared for in the elephant hospital (free). You can also watch the mahouts bathe the elephants at 09:40 before the first show, or at 13:40 after the last show. A shuttle bus circles the park or you can walk. The centre also has a museum, a homestay program, and a mahout training program. The centre can be reached by public transport from Chiang Mai Arcade bus terminal (minibus, 1 hour, 70 baht) or Lampang. A good alternative to many of the high-priced for-profit "sanctuaries" around Chiang Mai. 

• 🌍 Wat Pha Fang (วัดป่าฝาง) (Samam Bin Road). Temple erected in the 19th century with a golden chedi containing reliquaries brought here from Burma. Built during the reign of King Rama IV by Burmese, Wat Pa Fang has a large, glittering gold chedi containing a holy relic brought from Burma around 1906. The extensive Sala Kan Parian (preaching hall) is made entirely of wood with Burmese-style overlapping roofs. Almost across Wat Pa Fang is Wat Chai Mongkhon (วัดไชยมงคล), notable is the kuti (monk's living quarters) which is a white cement building with Burmese-style wooden roof. Inside is housed a bronze Buddha statue of fine workmanship cast in Mandalay, Burma. 

• 🌍 Wat Phra Kaew Don Tao (วัดพระแก้วดอนเต้า) (Phra Kaeo Road). It used to be the place where the Emerald Buddha was once enshrined (the statue is now installed in Bangkok). Interesting structures include the large chedi containing the hair of the Lord Buddha, a Burmese-style mondop, an ancient viharn and a museum exhibiting ancient relics of the Lanna era. 

• 🌍 Wat Si Chum, Wat Si Chum Road. The temple has a small ceremonial hall in Burmese-style. The temple is the seat of a small community of monks from Burma. 

• 🌍 Wat Si Rong Mueang (วัดศรีรองเมือง) (In the western part of the city). A temple erected in Burmese-style in 1905 when the teak wood trade flourished and Burmese traders came into the town. Major architectural works include the viharn made of wood with several overlapping gables in the Burmese style. 

• Wat Phra That Mon Phaya Chae (วัดพระธาตุม่อนพระยาแช่) - is on a hillside and it affords a clear view of Lampang. Its most outstanding feature is the long staircase leading to the chedi enshrining a holy relic.

• Wat Phra That Sadet (วัดพระธาตุเสด็จ) - one of Lampang's major sites, it is believed to have been built by Queen Chamthevi some 500 years ago.

• Wat Chedi Sao Lang (วัดเจดีย์ซาวหลัง) (5 km from the city center on the road to Chae Hom). The temple has 20 white chedis and a statue of Buddha in Burmese-style. Cool and shaded by large trees, the temple has 20 chedis in its compound, each made in the combined Lanna-Burmese style. A Chiang Saen-style bronze Buddha statue is also enshrined here, commonly referred to as "Phra Chao Than Chai" by the local people. 

• Wat Phrathat Chom Ping (วัดพระธาตุจอมปิง) (14 km from city center). The amazing aspect of this temple is the natural-coloured reflection of the phrathat passing through the hole of the window and appearing on the floor inside the Phra ubosot all the time when there is light, both during the day and at night. 

• Wat Phrathat Lampang Luang (วัดพระธาตุลำปางหลวง) (About 12 km from Lampang centre). Traditional Lanna architecture on the site of ancient Lampang city is famous for murals from the 19th century. The city seal features a white cockerel in the temple's gate. A paradigm of temple building of Lanna. The temple itself is prominently sited on a hillock surrounded by walls. The entrance arches, called Pratu Khong (ประตูโขง), is adorned with fine plaster designs. The wall-less main viharn houses a bronze Buddha statue called the Phra Chao Lan Thong (พระเจ้าล้านทอง). 

• Wat Chong Khem was completed in 2006 and is the tallest temple in the district. It houses an extensive collection of Buddha images from wood and stone, semi-precious stone such as jade and other semi- and precious metals in glass cabinets the full lengths and breadth of the inner walls.

• Khantok Chang Fair (งานขันโตกช้าง หรือ สะโตกช้าง), Elephant Conservation Centre. First Friday and Saturday in February. Elephants are fed with fruits and vegetables on the traditional Lanna Tok tablet. There is an elephant show and the pachyderms are feasted with their popular fruits and vegetables which are placed on the tok, a traditional food tray of the Lanna people. 

• Luang Wiang Lakhon Fair (งานหลวงเวียงละคอน), Wat Phra Keao Don Tao and Wat Phra Thta Lampang Luang. End of October, beginning of November. Festival related to the history of the city, local customs and traditions. It is held just prior to the annual Loy Krathong featuring Lampang's historical background and long-established customs and traditions. A Khrua Than procession is organized with local people dressed in native attires carrying various traditional household appliances, some of which are of ancient vintage. 

• Lampang Trains and Horse Carriages Day (งานวันรถไฟรถม้าลำปาง) is organized at the Nakhon Lampang Railway Station at the beginning of April to commemorate the first royal train that arrived at the station on 1 April 1916. In the event, there will be an exhibition and Kat Mua market, where the participants will dress up in the traditional style of costume of some 80 years ago, when the horse carriage was first used in Lampang. The carriage service is also provided in the event.

• Salung Luang Procession and Songkran Festival (งานแห่สลุงหลวงและสงกรานต์) is the Songkran festival of Lampang, organized from 12–14 April every year. On 12 April, the Salung Luang procession will be beautifully decorated (salung means 'water bowl' and luang means 'large'). The participants in the parade dress up in the ancient Lanna style and carry a giant silver bowl around the city to receive lustral water soaked with turmeric and acacia from the people to be poured onto the Phra Kaeo Don Tao, the revered Buddha image of the town enshrined at Wat Phrathat Lampang Luang. Then, during 13–14 April every year, there will be a merit-making ceremony at the temple, sand pagoda making, ceremony of pouring water onto the elderly, splashing of water, fairs and various forms of entertainment.

• Baan Sabaidee, 218 Talad Kao Rd, ☏ +66 54 223612, fax: +66 84 4858482. Wooden colonial house, family-run, clean, great value. 200-600 baht. 
• Kim Hotel, 168 Boonyawat Rd, ☏ +66 54 217721, fax: +66 54 226929. Clean rooms, central location. Often full. 330 baht. 
• Lampang Guesthouse, ☏ +66 54 231101. Clean rooms, small, nice atmosphere, not many visitors. 200-250 baht. 

• Riverside Guest House, 286 Talad Kao Rd, ☏ +66 54 227005, fax: +66 54 322342. Often full. Also has good restaurant. 200-1,000 baht. 
• 🌍 Tonnam/Tonlux Guesthouse (In front of Riverside Guesthouse on Talad Kao Rd), ☏ +66 839417653. Run by a nice Thai couple. They have a small garden access to the small parking area in front of Please Bar and Gibbon Bar. 250 baht for double with en suite bath and fan, 300 baht with air. 

• Asia Lampang Hotel, 229 Boonyawat Rd (Downtown, a few blocks from the Clock Tower), ☏ +66 54 227844. Quite acceptable. From the bus station, a songthaew charges 40-60 baht. The hotel is a little dated, but clean and the air-con is good. The breakfast is a choice of either two Thai dishes of rice porridge or fried noodle, or toast and jam. There is Internet at the hotel, and an Internet cafe is difficult to locate anywhere near the hotel. 540 baht with Thai breakfast. 
• Ma Chic & Cozy, 258 Tambon Phrabaht (near Srichum intersection, Tesco Lotus, and Central Plaza Lampang; from the bus station, a songthaew charges 40 baht per person), ☏ +66 54 011 110, +66 91 068 8686, info@ma-lampang.com. Check-in: 13:00, check-out: 13:00. Modern accommodation. Safe, clean rooms and friendly staff. Breakfast buffet 07:00-10:00. Free Internet and welcome drink. 590 baht for a double room. Breakfast 100 baht per person. 
• Tipchang Lampang Hotel, 54/22 Takrow Noi Rd, ☏ +66 54 226501-6. 
• 🌍 Lampang Hideaway (ลำปาง ไฮ ดา เวย์ บิสโทร&คาเฟ่), ทับหมาก ซอย ๙ (Thap Mak Soi 9), ☏ +66 897556656. Check-in: 14:00-21:00, check-out: 8:00-11:00. Very nice guesthouse with pool and restaurant. There is one double Bedroom and one family bungalow. You will stay in a wooden hut with private bathroom, fridge, air-conditioning, kettle and kitchen sink. They also have a shared kitchen with microwave and gas stove for some light cooking on-site. Food at the restaurant is very affordable and very tasty. 750 - 1000฿. (updated Dec 2022)

• Lampang River Lodge, 330 Moo 11, Tambon Chompoo (south of Lampang between the highway and the Wang River), ☏ +66 54 336640, info@lampangriverlodge.com. Cabins in a forested area between a large pond and the river. Safe, clean and friendly staff. Nice swimming pool next to the pond. Standard room 1,850-2,350 baht. 
• Wienglakor Hotel, 138/38 Phaholyothin Rd, ☏ +66 54 228095, info@lampangwienglakor.com. Charming wooden style hotel. Very well maintained. No buffet breakfast, just a la carte. From 1,800 baht.