A day trip from Bangkok to the ancient capital of Ayutthaya made it onto mine and Chars to do list because we desperately wanted to escape the city, and we had seen a lot of Pinterest posts telling us that it should be done. Most people would say that it should be more than just a day trip and in fairness, I can see why. The ruins cover a vast area!
Unfortunately we had very limited time and it was a last-minute decision so a day trip it had to be! So here is your simple guide to an Ayutthaya day trip from Bangkok.
Getting to Ayutthaya…
In fitting with our last-minute decision making and lack of planning we missed the last cheap train from Bangkok Hualamphong Station (which leaves at 9.25am for those of you more organised than us – you can find the train timetable here). We then opted for plan B. Get a taxi.
This may sound completely bonkers but considering it is a lot faster than the train it was looking appealing. We found a driver who for 1000 Baht each took us to Ayutthaya, around the main temples and right back to our hostel in Bangkok.
Why visit Ayutthaya?
Ayutthaya itself is a big place. At one point, around 1700, Ayutthaya was the biggest city on Earth. It was later invaded by the Burmese and burnt to the ground. What remains of the old city are a handful of ruined temples that despite their dishevelled appearance, still manage to have an air of beauty and grandeur about them. Many of these temples are far apart and looking back we would never have done it in a day by ourselves.
Wat Yai Chai Mongkon
Our first stop was Wat Yai Chai Mongkon. We didn’t know it at the time but this temple is one of the only ones where the Buddha statues still have their heads intact. Being one of the less dishevelled temples it was a nice introduction to Ayutthaya. The sun beating down on us and causing us to profusely sweat after just a few minutes in its glare highlighted to us how lucky we were to be able to get back into a taxi with air con! Make sure you take appropriate sun protection and lots of water with you. Trust me, you will need it.
#TopTip – Be hyper aware of pick pockets at this temple. Myself and Char were both fine but they clearly have an issue with it here.
Pit Stop
Now I must tell you that many tours of this type will involve the driver making a couple of extra stops to try and make some extra commission. Our driver chose the worst possible place to take two vets who are well clued up on animal welfare. We stopped at an elephant riding company and immediately felt uncomfortable.
Riding elephants is something we disagree with anyway because of the huge strain it puts on them physically and emotionally. The fact that these elephants were chained made it worse. We had to say no emphatically and repeatedly before we were allowed to leave. They even tried to tempt us by telling us we could come and stroke a tiger. Another massive no! Unfortunately, you can’t really be too mad at the locals. Tourists who don’t know any better keep this trade going by providing cash flow.
It is so so important to try and be animal welfare friendly when travelling. Always research thoroughly any activities you’re going to do that involve animals and boycott those that do not seem to have the animal’s best interests at heart. Don’t be afraid to say no!
Mahathat
Despite this minor set back (I thought Char was going to punch something) we made it to our next temple a little more relaxed. Mahathat is one of the most famous temples in Ayutthaya. It is home to the Buddha head that sits in the roots of a tree. It honestly was quite a sight to behold. The rest of the temple lay in absolute ruins. It must have once been so spectacular. You can only imagine how grand the place would have been when faced with the rubble before you.
Wat Phra Si Sanphet
Following on from this we arrived at Wat Phra Si Sanphet. This temple is famed for its three pagodas which house the ashes of three past kings. Previously part of the Royal Palace Complex it was the setting for many important occasions and grandiose events. You can just picture how it would have looked back in the day. Next door is the much more humble Wat Phra Ram. Make sure to head over and take a look around. You should also pay close attention when arriving at and leaving the temples. Many have miniature reconstructions at their entrances. No exceptions here, the scale of the original temple complexes left us both stunned.
Wat Lokaya Sutha
Wat Lokaya Sutha lies almost completely flattened and taken over by weeds. The only remaining part of the once glorious temple is a large and intact reclining Buddha that is resting on lotus leaves. It is hard to believe that this large Buddha was once completely enclosed. The scale of it all is just immense.
Wat Chai Watthanaram
Our final stop was Wat Chai Watthanaram, along the banks of the Chao Praya river. It was impressive from both up close and at a distance. The pagodas were also home to a family of bats which me and Char found highly entertaining. Cue us standing inside the pagodas staring at the ceilings and attempting to video them in flight. We failed. When we were paying attention to the scenery around us we did notice that there are still some intact carvings along the walls.
I must admit that our whistle-stop tour of Ayutthaya was incredible despite our setbacks getting there! I would highly recommend it to anybody who is visiting Bangkok. Plan in advance if you can and stay for a couple of days, however if you’re stuck for time the aircon, ease and speed made the 1000 Baht per person fee all so worth it.
Have you visited Ayutthaya? I would love to hear about your experiences and your favourite temples! Comment below your own recommendations.
