Ayutthaya - Thailand's Ancient Capital City
Ayutthaya was founded in 1350 as the capital city of Thailand. At this time, it had a population of over 1 million and was one of the worlds largest cities.
It is estimated that over 400 temples existed in Ayutthaya but now only 41 remain due to the Burmese invasion in 1767.
In 1991, the city of Ayutthaya was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Site list.
Ayutthaya is located 75 km from Bangkok and can be accessed easily by public transport or taxi. Many tourists visit for a day trip from Bangkok but I visited for 2 days and 1 night to ensure I had enough time to truly explore this nostalgic city.
Within this post, I am going to share my personal experience of Ayutthaya and my own recommendations for a great trip.
Arriving from Bangkok
Although it was my 3rd time in Bangkok, I have to admit that I was reluctant to get the train – just because of how hectic Bangkok can be. I was stunned at how easy the whole process was and at the ridiculously cheap price!
We left our hotel in the heart of Bangkok, at 06:30 am, and paid 250 baht (£5.60) for a bolt to Bang Sue Grand Station to start our journey to Ayutthaya.
The station is very big but surprisingly quiet – this may be due to the early morning start. Luckily, the Thai woman serving us at the train counter spoke good English and we paid for our 3rd class tickets (no air conditioning) to Ayutthaya. Our ticket cost just 20 baht each – equivalent to just 45 pence! She wrote the platform number on our ticket and directed us to the waiting area.
We were impressed with the 3rd class carriage, it was very quiet, fans on the ceiling, lots of luggage storage overhead and windows that opened wide. Due to the departure time at 07:10 am, it was still reasonably cool so we were comfortable without air conditioning but it may be worth considering if you are travelling later in the day.
The journey was scenic and offered insights into the suburban locals lives. We arrived under 90 minutes later at Ayutthaya Station.
Most accommodation in Ayutthaya is located within the centre, approximately 30 minutes walk from the station. If you are arriving with heavy luggage (like us!) then you will need to either order a bolt/grab or a tuk tuk from outside the station.
We ordered a bolt which cost us 59 baht (£1.33)
Be mindful that the tuk tuk’s line the street outside the station and there is a bit of an altercation between the drivers so if you are ordering a bolt/grab the driver will ask you to meet them at 7-11 which is a one minute walk to the left when you exit the station.
Chommuang Guest House
It was a blessing in disguise when our original hotel booking got cancelled the day before. We quickly hopped on Agoda to find ourselves a cheap stay within our budget of £20 per night and stumbled across this little guest house in the centre of Ayutthaya, named Chommuang. We paid £12.36 for one night – £6.18 each and to be quite honest, we were not at all expecting to love our stay as much as we did!
We arrived at 09:00 am and were greeted by the friendly owners of Chommuang Guest House. They were super accommodating and provided us with a map of Ayutthaya and the best temples to visit – which were all within reasonable distance. We dropped off our bags at the luggage compartment and left some valuables – all which were very well looked after.
Our stay here at Chommuang really was a highlight of our trip to Ayutthaya. The communal area was very relaxing, with hammocks and beds to chill out on. There are also yoga mats provided and a wooden balcony area perfect for a yoga session after a long day of walking! All other guests were very respectable and quiet – unlike a lot of hotels! I also loved that you had to take your shoes off to walk around the entire communal area – it was all very clean.
We spent a lot of time speaking with the owners who helped us a lot with our stay in Ayutthaya. The room was very homely, the bed was the comfiest we have had in Thailand so far and the entire stay felt like we were at a second home. To top it off, they had little kittens which were adorable. If you are looking to visit Ayutthaya, I would highly recommend booking a stay here – I could have stayed for an extra night purely for the accommodation. Book Here
We were also allowed to use the communal area until our train arrived at 21:00 pm the following evening – free of charge. The hosts really went above and beyond.
Exploring Ayutthaya
We were able to explore Ayutthaya primarily by walking from our accommodation at Chommuang Guest House. However, this did involve a lot of steps! The only issue that we encountered whilst walking around Ayutthaya was the lack of pavements, sometimes we would have to walk on the edge of busy roads so bear that in mind. We did save a lot of money on transportation through choosing to walk so if you are on a budget then it is very possible to walk to the main sites if you are staying in the centre.
If you are looking to explore Ayutthaya more conveniently, if you have less time, then there are plenty of other options. Many tourists visit from Bangkok on a day trip which you can book online for approximately £30. The downside of this is that you will only get to explore the most popular temples of Ayutthaya and you will be limited on time. I would really recommend spending one night and exploring on your own schedule.
Tuk tuk drivers also offer tours of Ayutthaya – you can usually choose which sites you see and pay for the amount of hours you spend with the driver. We encountered a tuk tuk driver who offered us a 3 hour tour for 900 baht (£20) – we were set on walking and he decided to follow us up the road insisting that we can check the price with the police when we politely declined and stated that we wanted to walk!
Note that many of the sites at Ayutthaya will have a visitor fee for foreign tourists. We were very lucky to arrive in the New Year period where visitor fees were scrapped for a short period of time!
The Top Sites in Ayutthaya
Wat Phra Mahathat
Walking Distance from Chommuang Guest House: 11 min
This was the closest temple to our accommodation and is arguably the most fascinating site in Ayutthaya. The buddha head engulfed within the ancient tree roots has become one of the most famous sites in Ayutthaya, after all it is spectacular!
Wat Phra Mahathat is believed to be one of the oldest and most important temples in Ayutthaya. A majority of royal ceremonies used to be held here.
During the fall of Ayutthaya in 1767, Wat Phra Mahathat was badly damaged by fire and abandoned. Today, the remains of Wat Phra Mahathat include: the infamous buddha head in the roots of a tree, pagodas, a royal hall, small temples and murals beneath a tree.
If you book a tour to Ayutthaya, then this will definitely be included as it is one of the main sites. So, expect more tourists in this location compared to others. Despite this, Wat Phra Mahathat is definitely one of the most interesting and beautiful sites in Ayutthaya so make sure to prioritise a visit here. We spent about an hour looking around and taking photos.
Wat Ratchaburana
Walking Distance from Chommuang Guest House: 13 min
Neighbouring Wat Phra Mahathat is Wat Ratchaburana, also an easy walk from Chommuang Guest House.
This temple felt like a scene out of a movie! It is of an incredible scale and surprisingly, there were a lot less tourists here. Imagine trying to take a photo here if this was in Europe! You would have a hundred people in the background so it is pretty special that you can experience this beautiful site without too much disturbance.
Wat Ratchaburana was built by King Borom Ratchathirat II after both his brothers killed each other during a battle for the throne. The tall prang was the focus of the temple compound. The temple was also home to vaults containing a large amount of gold and other precious items, which was mostly stolen by looters some decades ago.
Definitely add this to your top 3 sites to see in Ayutthaya, it is very beautiful.
Wat Thammikarat
Walking Distance from Chommuang Guest House: 26 mins
Wat Thammikarat is another amazing temple in Ayutthaya but is surprisingly less visited. The temple is currently in use and new buildings have been created around the ruins.
You will notice the theme of roosters throughout this temple – there are hundreds of them! According to a legend, the king defeated a Burmese prince in a cockfight and now, visitors bring roosters to the temple as offerings.
You will then come across the reclining Buddha located to the left of the site.
There is a perfect mix of ancient ruins, beautiful Buddha statues and a certain quirkiness to Wat Thammikarat.
Boat Trip
After exploring the inside of Ayutthaya city, it is time to explore the outskirts by boat. Most hotels will offer a 200 baht boat trip from 16:00 – 18:00 with tuk tuk pickup included from your accommodation. This is a great deal for just £4.50 per person
The boat trip was actually one of my highlights from our Ayutthaya trip. The longtail boat cruised along the beautiful river and you saw a lot of local life on the khlong (canal) as locals live along the riverfront.
We stopped at 3 temples which we got to explore for about 20 minutes each – obviously you have to explore quickly when on a short boat trip but we enjoyed every minute of it.
The three temples you stop at along the river are:
Wat Phanan Choeng
Wat Phutthai Sawan
Wat Chaiwatthanaram
Wat Phutthai Sawan is an active monastery and we were lucky enough to witness live chanting taking place.
There is a lot to see here so be sure to make the most out of your time – unfortunately the allocated time is not long enough to properly explore the whole complex. You will find ancient ruins, more modern temples and beautiful grounds here with a reclining Buddha outside (which we unfortunately did not manage to find).
Wat Phanan Choeng is a beautiful temple situated on the river. It is the first stop you will make on the boat trip. The temple is home to a gigantic 19 metre Buddha – this was under renovation at the time of our visit so I did not manage to get a photo.
We actually almost missed our boat here after the allocated time of 20 minutes as we couldn’t find where we had put our shoes – all the exits looked the same! Be sure to pay attention when you arrive to where your boat is.
Wat Chaiwatthanaram - Perfect Sunset Spot
Wat Chaiwatthanaram has to take the number one spot in Ayutthaya. It is pretty spectacular and even more so at sunset.
It is the last stop on the boat trip and perfectly scheduled at sunset – we were told it is one of the most beautiful spots to see the sunset in Thailand.
Luckily, this is the longest you will get at a temple on the 2 hour boat trip. We got to stop just before sunset for about 30 minutes before making our way back to the hotel. I can’t believe that we would have missed this amazing site if we had not booked the boat trip.
To top off the experience, we encountered some incredibly friendly monks who were more than happy to pose for photos. In fact, they were accepting photos with tourists and making jokes alongside them. A special sight.
Be sure to book the boat trip when in Ayutthaya, the experience is just incredible for the price.
We then made our way back to our guest house to gather our belongings before heading off to our next destination: Chiang Mai.
Ayutthaya Tips
- Be sure to dress appropriately – you are visiting sacred sites and temples. Women are expected to cover their shoulders and knees. Men are expected to wear modest t-shirts covering their shoulders and shorts down to the knee.
- Bring plenty of sun cream and water – we found Ayutthaya to get very hot (35 degrees when we visited) and if you are walking around all day you will get sweaty – be sure to hydrate.
- Make use of the umbrellas which are provided at most temples – this will keep the blazing sun off you.
Is Ayutthaya worth your time?
I hope that you can see the beauty of Ayutthaya through this blog post, although you can only truly see the beauty of Ayutthaya through visiting yourself.
The temples and ancient ruins are spectacular and some of the best in all of Thailand.
Consider staying overnight in Ayutthaya and booking the afternoon boat trip to get the most out of your time here. I would massively recommend Chommuang Guest House as it made our stay here particularly special.
