Also known as the Ancient City, Ayutthaya is Thailand's former capital for over 400 years. Its rich history and impressive ruins make it one of the most visited tourist destinations in the country. It is approximately 80km from central Bangkok and an estimated hour-away drive. There are public rides available going there, but for convenience sake, I decided to book a full day tour for me and my friend via online. The cheapest package I found costs ฿850 each person which includes round trip transfers, lunch and Bang Pa-In Summer Palace tour.
We were promptly picked up by our tour guide at 6:15am as stated in the confirmation e-mail. But like any group tour, the other tourists were picked up as well in their respective hotels. We arrived in Ayutthaya at around 8am.
Our tour started off with Wat Phu Khao Thong or the Monastery of the Golden Mount. And yes, unlike backing off at Wat Arun, we eagerly climbed the steep stairs of this beautiful chedi. Getting down was another story. J
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| Main Chedi |
We then headed to Wat Phra Si Samphet, Ancient Palace which was considered as the most important temple of Ayutthaya.
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| Inside these main chedis are the ashes of three Ayutthaya kings. |
The last temple we visited was Wat Phra Maha That or Monastery of the Great Relic. It was a sacred center and regarded a significant monastery of ancient Ayutthaya.
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| Behind me stand some of the ruins of the monastery. Thanks +Mc for this pic. |
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| The main attraction of this place is a Buddha face enclosed in the roots of a tree. |
The second part of our tour was the Bang Pa-In Royal Palace. Also called as the Summer Palace, it was formerly used by the Thai kings. The complex has different residences, each with a distinct style influenced by Thai, Chinese and European architecture. The clean ground and gardens add to the refreshing feel of the place. Strict dress code is strictly followed inside the complex.
Looking from the entrance how huge the complex was, we opted to rent a golf cart so we could easily go from one to building to another. It also meant more time to take pictures!
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| The surroundings are very well kept. If possible, go inside the buildings. |
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| This shot was taken while we were at the top floor of the building in the above picture. |
Our Ayutthaya tour gave me a better insight of how the modern Bangkok temples became what it is today. The temples and monasteries signify the strong Buddhist faith of the Thai people even in old times. A UNESCO world heritage site, the Ancient City for sure deserves a spot in any Bangkok itinerary.
Missing Thailand,
Gladys
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