Ayutthaya | Day Trip from Bangkok - Explore | Learn

Ayutthaya is the former capital of Thailand and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Centre since 1991. Once an important hub of global commerce and the largest city in the world, it is now an archaeological place with remains of tall towers and Buddhist monasteries.

The ancient city is located about 85 km north of Bangkok. Therefore, you can visit yourself and get a train / a bus to Ayutthaya, or book a guided day trip with a local travel agency. We chose the second option and went on a tour.

Explore with us Ayutthaya’s best spots and learn more about the history of this beautiful place. Don’t miss also our travel tips at the end of this article.

Table of Contents

Learn About the Past of Ayutthaya

Some Basic History

This old city was the second capital of the Siamese Kingdom. Founded back in 1350, until the 18 century, Ayutthaya was one of the largest urban areas in the world and a very important trade center. Moreover, the capital was strategically located on an island, surrounded by three rivers, connecting it to the sea.

Unfortunately, the Burmese army attacked Ayutthaya in 1767. They burned it to the ground and forced the residents to leave and abandon the city.

Today, Ayutthaya is an extensive archaeological site and a UNESCO World Heritage Centre.

Ayutthaya Day Trip from Bangkok

While staying in Bangkok, we decided to explore the nearby historic city of Ayutthaya. Ivan and I booked a guided day trip with a local agency. It cost us 500 THB per person (around $15) at that time and included: a pick-up and a drop-off at our accommodation, an English-speaking guide, air-conditioned transport, all entrance fees, and lunch at a Thai restaurant. You will easily find a lot of travel agents in Bangkok who provide this tour.

By the way, if you haven’t researched any names in advance, don’t worry. We didn’t either. For instance, we went for a walk on Khao San road and saw the offer on an agency’s window. Don’t forget to check a few sellers before booking, because you may get a lower price for the same tour, at the next travel company, down the road.

The next morning, a van came and picked us from our hotel. We traveled around 1.5 hours to Ayutthaya, on a relatively good paved road, and arrived there around 10 pm. It was a beautiful day with blue skies, perfect for exploring and taking photos.

Wat Yai Chai Mongkhol

Our tour started with visiting Wat Yai Chai Mongkhol. Unfortunately, we weren’t the only ones. There were already crowds of tourists wandering around.

Never mind, we managed to find beautiful spots without any people in the photos!

Historical Background

In the year 1357, two princes of Ayutthaya, Chao Kaeo and Chao Thai, died of cholera. King Ramathibodhi I (r. 1350 – 1369) ordered the bodies of both princes to be exhumed and at the cremation site, a monastery with a holy monument (stupa) and a preaching hall (vihara), be established. He gave the monastery the name “Wat Pa Kaeo” or “The Monastery of the Crystal Forest”.

Wat Phra Mahathat & Buddha Head in a Tree Ayutthaya

Our next stop was Wat Phra Mahathat. The ancient temple was built around the 14th century.

Unfortunately, the Burmese invasion of the city destroyed it in 18 century. The site remained abandoned until the early 1950s when the Department of Fine Art of Thailand began the restoration work.

How did The Buddha Head get There?

We learned from our tour guide that there is still no exact answer to how the Buddha’s head became entwined in the roots of a Banyan tree. Among many theories, one suggests that the tree grew around the head of the Buddha when the temple was left abandoned.

On the other hand, another theory suggests that a thief tried to steal it but couldn’t move the heavy head beyond the walls and left it behind.

Reclining Buddha Statue Wat Lokayasutharam

The next place we visited on our day trip was the statue of The Reclining Buddha at Wat Lokayasutharam. It is the largest statue of Reclining Buddha in Ayutthaya and a popular pilgrimage site for Buddhists. Furthermore, the statue was constructed of bricks and cement during the Middle Ayutthaya Period and it is very well preserved nowadays, compared to other monuments in the Historical Park.

As with other similar Buddha monuments, the head is placed on a lotus flower, and the legs overlap squarely to show the equalized toes. Moreover, the statue is 37 meters long and 8 meters high. It’s pretty impressive, isn’t it?

Wat Phu Khao Thong (Golden Mount)

Another beautiful place in Ayutthaya is Wat Phu Khao Thong. This monastery is situated in the field called “Thung Phu Khao Thong” which means “Golden Mountain”, located on the northwest outside of the Ayutthaya city isle. The main monument is a huge square-based Stupa, called Phukhao Thong.

According to Ayutthaya Chronicles, King Ramesuan built this monastery in 1387. It also says that he made it in celebration of his victory over the Burmese invaders.

Stop for Lunch & Afternoon Walk at Wat Phra Si Sanphet

Our day trip to Ayutthaya included lunch. Around noon, the guide took us to a lovely restaurant where we ate delicious Thai food, served family-style on long tables. I guess the travel companies have an arrangement with this place and bring tourists for lunch on a daily basis. After the one-hour break, we visited the ruins of the majestic Wat Phra Si Sanphet.

Wat Phra Si Sanphet

Wat Phra Si Sanphet, or the temple of the Buddha Si Sanphet, was the most important temple of Ayutthaya. It was first built in the 14th century and reached the peak of its glory in the second half of the 17th century.

Being a part of the Royal Palace complex, the temple used to be a place where the royalties performed their sacred rituals. Another interesting fact is that there weren’t any resident monks at this place. They were only invited here on special religious occasions.

How to dress for visiting Ayutthaya

As with all temples and sacred places, remember to dress formally when visiting Ayutthaya. Therefore, men should wear long pants (that’s why Ivan is wearing these funky elephant pants :-)), women should cover their knees (a skirt below knees is ok) and shoulders (no tank tops, a t-shirt is fine). This is a sacred Buddhist site, so we need to respect it by wearing suitable clothes.

Some more tips before heading to Ayutthaya

The ideal time to visit Ayutthaya is in winter months from November to February. The hottest months are March to May and the rainy season comes from June to September.
Spending one day in Ayutthaya is more than enough.
You will learn more about the history of this place if you get a local guide (our opinion for visiting historic places).
Take a bottle of water, a hat (for example a head ban or a scarf works too), and sunscreen with you since you may be walking around temples under the sun for long time. Put also comfortable shoes!

Check also our full travel itinerary about the lovely town of Pai, up in Northern Thailand.

Go back to Bangkok and final thoughts

Around 4 pm, we got in the van and traveled back to Bangkok. The driver left us at our hotel, which was very nice of him. At the end of the day, we were super tired from walking under the sun but very satisfied with this guided tour.

In conclusion, if you are visiting Bangkok, definitely book a day trip to Ayutthaya and explore the former capital of Thailand. It is a must-see historic place, equal, for example, to Angkor Wat in Cambodia. We are sure that you’ll love it as much as we did!

Used resources:
Fine Arts Department of Thailand Information platforms on site https://whc.unesco.org

Happy travels,
Explore | Learn | Inspire

Why don’t you also explore Pai, Thailand? Find out why we love it so much and didn’t want to leave it. Check the White Buddha on the hill and other holy places in our complete itinerary for Pai and Tham Lod Caves.