Take a walk through history in Ayutthaya, Thailand, a must-see day trip from Bangkok.  Ayutthaya is just a quick hour and half train ride from Bangkok with 50 historic temples worth seeing.  You could probably spend days exploring them all, but if you tend to become “templed out” like us, then a day trip is more than enough time to see the highlights and appreciate the history.  

In this Ayutthaya travel guide, we will be covering the history of the city, how to get there, and our favorite temples. Everything you will need to make the most out of your trip.

Ayutthaya History & Introduction

Ayutthaya was once the capital of Thailand in the 1300’s.  At this time, Thailand was known as Siam.  The king ruled in Ayutthaya until 1767 when a Burmese invasion led to the destruction of the city and led to the moving of the capital to Bangkok.  

Getting There

Going to Ayutthaya by train is probably the easiest and cheapest way to get there. 

Trains leave from Bangkok’s Hua Lamphong Station nearly every hour, and the short hour and half journey will only cost you 20 baht or $0.67 USD, a real bargain!

You can watch our full journey to Ayutthaya at the video below and watch the city come to life.

Once you arrive, we highly recommend hiring a tuk-tuk driver for the day to take you around the most popular sites in Ayutthaya.  Drivers are knowledgeable about the most popular sites and the most efficient routes so you don’t have to worry about navigating to each site.  Plus, being in a covered tuk-tuk will give you a much-needed break from the blazing sun.  

Another good option is to arrange a tour from Bangkok which can take you to Ayutthaya and interesting floating markets. Check out your tour options below!

Wat Yai Chai Mongkol 

Our first stop in Ayutthaya was Wat Yai Chai Mongkol.  This temple has a big chedi that you can climb to see a very deep well which has Buddha relics buried deep inside. 

From the top of this chedi, you can see lovely views of the grounds that Thai kings used for prayer and even for planning military battles.  There is also a lovely reclining Buddha to admire.

Wat Phananchoeng

Our next stop was Wat Phananchoeng, an active temple with a giant golden Buddha that will really make you say, “Wow!”  This Buddha image is huge and will leave you in awe. 

Wat Pra Mahatthat

Wat Pra Mahatthat is one of the oldest and most significant temples in Ayutthaya.  It was an official royal temple so when Ayutthaya was seized by the Burmese in the 1700, this temple was burned to the ground.  Now, you can see one of the fallen Buddha heads surrounded by tree roots which is this temple’s claim to fame.

Wat Chaiwatthanaram

Wat Chai Watthana Ram was built in 1630 so it’s in a bit better condition than the other temples built 300 years earlier.  This temple was built as a replica of Angkor Wat in Cambodia.  Situated directly on the river, the views here are stunning and perfect for photos.  So perfect that you can rent traditional Thai clothing across the street for your photo shoot.

Wat Lokaya Sutha

Next, we went out to see the big reclining Buddha at Wat Lokaya Sutha. These temple grounds are not in as good condition as some of the other historic sites, but the enormous white Buddha more than makes up for it.  It’s amazing to marvel at the size of it. And this historic site is free.

Wat Phra Si Sanphet

In its heyday, Wat Phra Si Sanphet was the largest temple in Ayutthaya.  It was once connected to the Royal Palace, and now the three main chedis that you see here contain the ashes of three former kings. 

Next door to this historic site is the active temple Wihan Phra Mongkhon Bophit which is a popular pilgrimage temple for Thais paying respects to the Buddha.  

Wat Ratchaburana

Our last stop was Wat Ratchaburana. This temple has one complete temple wall that beautifully frames the chedi in the back.  This temple is a photographer’s dream.    

Ayutthaya Travel Guide Tips

Ayutthaya has so much more we could have seen, but the sun wore us out.  If you are cautious to not let the sun zap your energy, you can see even more on your day trip to Ayutthaya.  Our biggest advice would be to wear a hat and bring an umbrella to provide shade throughout the day. Naturally, don’t forget sunglasses and sunscreen either.  

Water is easily accessible through the vendors located at each site.  

Want to explore even more of Thailand?  Check out the amazing Thailand destinations below!

• The Best Beaches in Krabi Thailand
• 4 Island Boat Tour in Krabi
• The Beautiful Temples of Chiang Mai
• 9 Fun Things to do in Chiang Rai
• Is Kanchanaburi worth visiting?
• The beautiful waterfalls of Kanchanaburi
• The cost of living in Thailand

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