Planning an Ayutthaya day trip from Bangkok? Read the travel tips below and plan the trip better!
A day trip to Ayutthaya from Bangkok is one of the offbeat things to do during your Bangkok holiday. Its close proximity to Bangkok moreover makes the entire deal better.
While some of the best Ayutthaya temples have a rich historical significance and offer a great chance to learn about one of the greatest civilizations on this planet, not many tourists visit the town compared to other top Thailand experiences.
I happened to travel to Ayutthaya while travelling from Bangkok to Pai (read things to do in Pai, if you’re going there too) and figured that the Ayutthaya day trip from Bangkok makes even better sense.
So let’s talk about it. But before that, let’s find out…
Ayutthaya Temples Entrance Fee
There are a total of six UNESCO World Heritage Sites, in addition to a few ruined structures, ancient pagodas, and museums. You are required to pay the designated Ayutthaya temple entrance fee before you can access any of them.
During my visit, the Ayutthaya temples entrance fee for the 6 temples was 220 Baht. It was possible to buy a ticket for single temples as well and that cost me 50 Baht per temple. You can check the review prices on the Thailand tourism website.
The majority of the temples are located in the city centre, which is a small river island, and you can explore much of it on foot. But if you’re planning to visit all six of them, either rent a bicycle or hire a tuk-tuk, because two of the six temples are located off the main island.
I, however, did the tour on a bicycle and visited only four out of the six temples, due to limited time.
It makes sense to buy a single temple Ayutthaya temple entrance fee if you are not going to visit all of them. There isn’t a long queue in front of any of the temples.
Here’s the Ayutthaya temple Map for your reference:
Ayutthaya Day Trip From Bangkok
If you are doing an Ayutthaya day trip from Bangkok, it is not possible to visit all six temples. Having said that, I suggest a few best Ayutthaya temples you should not miss.
Best Ayutthaya Temples
Among all the temples, the four most visited and often considered as best Ayutthaya temples are:
- Wat Ratchaburana
- Wat Mahatat
- Wat Phra Si Sanphet
- Phra Mongkhon Bophit
Wat Ratchaburana
Wat Ratchaburana was built in the 15th century as a cremation site for two royal brothers who killed each other for the throne. Sad! But what’s even sadder is that the temple was left much unnoticed right after that, and only became mainstream when looted in the 1950s.
Much of the stolen goods were never found except for 100,000 different artefacts as well as gold weighing more than 100 kilograms.
Wat Mahatat
A day trip to Ayutthaya is incomplete without visiting the Buddha’s head nestled in the tree roots. Having said that, Wat Mahatat is not just one of the best Ayutthaya temples but the best.
The Buddha head that Wat Mahatat is popular for was once a part of a sandstone Buddha image but when the city was defeated by the Burmese army they destroyed the site, including the sandstone image of Buddha. The head fell to the ground where tree roots grew around it, gradually trapping it and making it (almost) a part of the tree.
Since it’s almost inevitable to get a selfie with The Buddha’s head, it is advised, and cautioned, that you “do not stand over the Buddha’s head, or show your back to Buddha” out of respect.
Where the Buddha’s head is the highlight of Wat Mahatat, the entire complex is no less charming either. You can spend hours reading each brick which makes different structures an impossible artwork in itself. The many headless Buddhas sit next to elegant, towering stupas, moreover giving the entire complex an almost eerie look.
Wat Phra Si Sanphet
Build during the middle period, Wat Phra Si Sanphet is considered one of the best Ayutthaya temples a tourist should not miss. It is situated within the Grand Palace ground.
The three distinctive stupas of Wat Phra Si Sanphet are moreover on most postcard images of Ayutthaya. So yea, on an Ayutthaya day trip from Bangkok, Wat Phra Si is a mus-not-miss tourist highlight.
Tip: Most of the Wat Phra Si Sanphet can be seen from outside its walls, without stepping inside the temple premises. So unless you have paid for the Ayutthaya temples entrance fee for all 6 temples don’t go inside and save yourself some money.
If you are looking for more such money-saving tips during your trip to Thailand, read my cost of travelling in Thailand guide.
Phra Mongkhon Bophit
Right next to Wat Phra Si Sanphet is Phra Mongkhon Bophit.
Home to one of Thailand’s largest and most resilient Buddha statue, Phra Mongkhon Bophit can also be found claiming the title of best Ayutthaya temple in most guidebooks.
You can sit down inside this temple and see monks frequently visiting and paying tribute to the giant gilded Buddha. A personal puja, for those interested, can moreover be availed at Phra Mongkhon Bophit.
Ayutthaya Day Trip From Bangkok: How To Travel
The best way to travel from Bangkok to Ayutthaya is in a minivan. Though you can travel by train as well, it is too much of a hassle to travel by train as the journey is very short.
The Bangkok to Ayutthaya distance is 75km, making a day trip from Bangkok to Ayutthaya quite easy.
As I said above, the two main ways for travellers to get there are:
- Train: the cheapest way
- Minivan: the best way
Bangkok to Ayutthaya In Train
There are 21 daily trains from Bangkok to Ayutthaya.
Of these, there are a couple of different types of them running, including commuter, ordinary, express, and special express.
Generally speaking, you don’t want to take the special express trains because they are the most expensive. They have beds and are meant for long journeys. I suggest you take a commuter or an ordinary train if you are on a budget. Moreover, the journey is short so travelling in luxury is not much of a need unless you really want to.
Time taken by train is a little more than 1 hour and it costs anywhere between 50 Baht to 150 Baht, depending upon which class you are travelling with.
Bangkok to Ayutthaya In a Minivan
Several minivans are running between the two destinations.
A minivan can cost a little more than a train but it’s easy to travel in a minivan as you don’t have to worry about where to get off, and how to buy the ticket as you do in a train.
The basic minivan prices range from 100 baht per person each way to 250 baht – again depending on the type of vehicle A/C, non-A/C etc.
Travel time by a minivan is around 1.5 hours.
And now, a few Ayutthaya streets pictures:
That’s all in this Ayutthaya day trip from Bangkok guide. If you have more personal questions regarding the topic and want to know more about famous Ayutthaya temples, you can always leave a comment below!
Continue planning your trip to Thailand with my Thailand Travel Guide. Also read about Thailand visa on arrival, if you are planning to get your visa on arrival at the airport.