WHAT TO SEE AND DO IN AYUTTHAYA

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This list of the best places to see in Ayutthaya It will help you to organize your visit to one of the most impressive places in Thailand, which we are sure, will not leave you indifferent and will become part of your unforgettable in the country of smiles.
Considered by many to be a must for being one of the essential places to visit in Thailand, the ancient city of Ayutthaya is located just over 80 kilometers from Bangkok and is also a perfect excursion from the capital of one or two days.

Declared a World Heritage Site, the Ancient City of Ayutthaya or Kingdom of Siam, was founded by King U-Thong in 1350 and became, for almost three centuries, one of the most important sites in the country in addition to one of the most sacred places for Buddhism.
Although it has an area of 15 square kilometers where hundreds of temples are distributed, the things to do in Ayutthaya are easily encompassed in a single day, highlighting the visit to the temples Wat Chai Watanaram, Wat Na Phramen, Wat Phra Sri Sanphet Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon, Wat Lokaya Sutha, with a huge reclining Buddha and Wat Maha That, the most famous temple in Ayutthaya, in which is a Buddha's head among the branches of a tree.

As we said before, one of the options is to go to Ayutthaya from Bangkok in one day and although it is a visit that you can do for free perfectly, if you want to know more about the place and do it with a guide in Spanish, it is interesting to book this Ayutthaya excursion with river cruise or this market on the tracks, floating market and ruins of Ayutthaya.

Wat Chaiwatthanarem, one of the places to see in Ayutthaya

Based on the experience of the two times we have visited Ayutthaya, during which we wrote the travel guide to Thailand, we have prepared this list of those that we believe, are the things What to do in Ayutthaya. We start!

What to see in Ayutthaya

Although there are many places to see in Ayutthaya, most likely you will arrive here with just the right hours to see the most important, so we are going to focus on the best known temples of the ancient city, so that your day is as profitable as possible and you can get the most out of this incredible place.
Keep in mind that as Ayutthaya the new city is also known, but in this case, we will focus on the most famous ruins and temples, which are located in the Ayutthaya Historical Park.

Ayutthaya price

Something to keep in mind is that to visit Ayutthaya there is no specific type of bonus that allows you to enter all the temples and ruins. Moreover, until very recently, you had to buy a ticket for each of them, which was between 20THB and 50THB. Today there is a 220THB bonus per person that includes the entrance to Wat Mahathat, Wat Racha Burana, Wat Phra Sanpetch, Wat Phra Ram, Wat Chai Watthanaram and Wat Mahe Yong, which are some of the main temples of Ayutthaya.
You can buy it in any of them and you must go showing the entrance in each of the visits.

Ayutthaya price

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Remember that in order not to pay commissions and always have the current change we recommend you use the N26 card to pay and the Bnext and Revolut cards to get money at the ATMs. They are the ones we use, They are free and will save you a lot.
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Temples to visit in Ayutthaya

We leave you a selection of the temples to see in Ayutthaya that are the most essential through which you can learn a little more about the history of this amazing and impressive place.

Wat mahathat

This is undoubtedly the most famous temple in Ayutthaya and therefore, one of the things to do in Ayutthaya that you cannot miss. Known for being the temple in which you can see the head of the Buddha among the roots of a tree, this temple could say that it is practically in ruins since it was one of the most affected during the Burmese invasion, which destroyed much of the figures .
Although as we mentioned the most characteristic image of this temple is the head of the Buddha, do not miss the other areas, as we believe, it is one of the most incredible places in Ayutthaya and Thailand.

Hours: 08h-18h
Price: 50THB
Included in the special 220THB bonus per person, which includes the entrance to Wat Maha That, Wat Racha Burana, Wat Phra Sanpetch, Wat Phra Ram, Wat Chai Watthanaram, Wat Mahe Yong.

Wat mahathat

Wat Racha Burana

Located very close to Wat Mahathat, it is another of the temples to see in Ayutthayay that perfectly shows the influence that Khmer culture exerted on the Kingdom of Siam through the two towers that are preserved from the initial four, which symbolized the universe.

Wat Racha Burana

Wat Phra Sanphet

Known for being the largest of Ayutthaya's temples, in the northwestern area we can find Wat Phra Sanpetch, in which the three impressive stupas or chedis stand out above the rest, which they say were the place where the ashes of the First three kings of the city.

Wat Phra Sanphet

Wat Phra Ram

Despite being less spectacular than the previous ones, this temple located in the heart of the Historical Park, is another of the places to see in Ayutthaya that you can't miss since it has a key history for the city, being the place chosen by the first king as a cremation site.

Visit the Wat Phra Ram, one of the best things to do in Ayutthaya

Wat Chai Watthanaram

Built in 1630 by King Prasat Thong, like Wat Racha Burana, this temple represents the Khmer style, visible in its four prangs that make this one of the most visited temples in Ayutthaya.
In addition, in the temple you can perfectly see an impressive 35-meter-high prang, visible from many parts of the city, 8 towers adorned with 120 Buddha statues, which represent, next to the main structure, the perfect vision of Buddhism .
In addition, this temple is considered by many to be the most beautiful temple to see in Ayutthaya, standing out for being one of the best preserved in the city, since until relatively recently it was surrounded by greenery.
We recommend you spend some time, as it is one of the most interesting temples.

Visit Wat Chai Watthanaram

Wat mahe yong

Much less visited and known than the previous ones, Wat Mahe Yong, is a Buddhist temple-monastery located on the outskirts of the city where many women have found the perfect place as a meditation center. You can also do spiritual retreat men, although 80% are women and classes are taught in Thai.
In our experience, although it is included in the price of the special bond, being on the outskirts of the city, we believe that it is not one of the essential places to see in Ayutthaya.

Wat mahe yong

Wat Yai Chay Mongkol

Known for being another of Ayutthaya's best preserved temples, visiting Wat Yai Chay Mongkol is one of the most essential places to see in Ayutthaya, since it is also one of the most beautiful and magical temples in this area of Thailand.
Built in 1357 by King U-Thong, it is visible from many parts of the city for its large chedi, over 62 meters, for which almost 30,000 tons of bricks were used in its construction.
But in addition to this chedi, what really gives this temple a special aspect is the sculpture of an incredible reclining Buddha and behind it, that of dozens of Buddhas that are usually covered with yellow robes, giving this place a truly magical appearance.

Hours: 08h-18h
Price: 50THB

Wat Yai Chay Mongkol

Wat Phanan Choeng

Located in the southeast area of Ayutthaya, in the area where the Chao Phraya River joins the Pa Sak, is the Wat Phanan Choeng, built in 1324 and famous for housing the tallest Buddha statue in Thailand, With 20 meters high, which they say, shed tears of blood before the Burmese invasion.

Hours: 08h-18h
Price: 20THB

Lokayasuthram Reclining Buddha

Although there are few tourists who come here due to its poor state of conservation, the Reclining Buddha of Lokayasuthram is for us one of the most impressive places to see in Ayutthaya.
With an incredible image of Reclining Buddha as the protagonist, 42 meters long and 8 meters high, this Buddha is one of the most revered by the locals.

Lokayasuthram Reclining Buddha

Wat Phu Khao Thong

Located almost two kilometers from the central area of Ayutthaya, this is one of the most impressive temples to see in Ayutthaya, especially for its incredible altitude of almost 80 meters.
Built by King Ramesuan in the year 1395 we recommend you spend some time visiting, since both this and the views are really incredible.

Hours: Always open
Price: free

Wat Phu Khao Thong

How to go to Ayutthaya

As we mentioned before, the most common is to go to Ayutthaya on a day trip from Bangkok or as a stop on a route to the north of the country. Despite this, there are also many travelers who make this visit in the opposite direction, so we are going to leave you different options so that you have all the details.

How to get to Ayutthaya from Bangkok

From Bangkok you have several options to get to Ayutthaya:

Train: This is one of the most common and economical options, provided you are only one person and travel in third class. The price in first class cars, which are usually the usual for tourists, are priced at approximately 7 euros and the journey is approximately 1: 30h. You must take the train at the Hua Lampong Central Station in Bangkok and there are different schedules throughout the day.
We recommend you go a day before to check schedules and book the ticket.
You can book your place by train to go from Bangkok to Ayutthaya here.
Bus: Another option is to go by bus from Bangkok to Ayutthaya. In this case, you must go to the Mo Chit Bus Station and take one of the buses that take approximately 2 hours and leave every 30 minutes.
You can book your place by bus to go from Bangkok to Ayutthaya here.
Minivan from Khao San or Mochit New Van Terminal: If you are staying in this area, this may be one of the best ways to go to Ayutthaya from Bangkok. With an approximate price of between 3 and 7 euros, depending on the origin, you have available different schedules that are perfectly suited both if you want to make a day visit as you undertake a route to the north of the country, passing through Ayutthaya.
You can book your seat by minivan to go from Bangkok to Ayutthaya here.
Grab: This is another option you have to go from Bangkok to Ayutthaya and according to our experience, value for money, one of the best if you want to arrive soon and take advantage of the whole day to enjoy all the things to do in Ayutthaya.
We leave at 6:30 in the morning from the Siam area in Bangkok and pay 655THB to go to Ayutthaya on a 1: 15h ride.
Excursion from Bangkok to Ayutthaya on a cruise on the Chao Phraya River: This is the most expensive option that we detail, but also the most unforgettable as you can go to Ayutthaya Historical Park by van, with pick up at your hotel in Bangkok , visit the most important temples to see in Ayutthaya and return to Bangkok by boat on the Chao Phraya River.

Book your excursion from Bangkok to Ayutthaya on a cruise on the Chao Phraya River.

Another option if you want to have the best information for the visit, with a guide in Spanish, is to book this excursion to the Market on the tracks, floating market and ruins of Ayutthaya.

For more information on the transfer you can check this post on how to go from Bangkok to Ayutthaya.

Wat Mahatat in Ayutthaya

How to tour Ayutthaya

Although many people will recommend you to visit Ayutthaya by bike, keep in mind that the most important temples are relatively close to each other, so it is feasible to make all the visits on foot and in case you want to make a visit to some more distant, take A tuk tuk and pay for hours.

Tips for visiting Ayutthaya

As we mentioned at the beginning of this post about the things to do in Ayutthaya, this visit is perfect to do it both in one day from Bangkok, and as the start of a route to the north of the country.
In case you choose to make this visit in one day from Bangkok for free, we recommend you to leave the city around 6:30 in the morning to arrive there at 8 and start the visits.
Remember that there is no ticket that includes the visit to all the temples of the Ayutthaya Historical Park and the only option is to pay the tickets separately (they usually cost between 20THB and 50THB each temple) or opt for the special 220THB bonus per person, which includes the entrance to Wat Maha That, Wat Racha Burana, Wat Phra Sanpetch, Wat Phra Ram, Wat Chai Watthanaram, Wat Mahe Yong.
The visit to the most important temples to see in Ayutthaya that we named above, will take you about 3-4 hours making stops. Keep in mind that if you include some of the most remote areas, the time can be increased by 3 more hours.
We made the visit to Ayutthaya as part of the route to the north of the country and spend the night there, we made the visit in two parts: the most central area in the morning, from 9 to 12 and after lunch, we took a tuk tuk to make the temples of the most remote areas from 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
With this in mind, we do not recommend less than 5 hours to make the tour that we have done, without stopping to take many photos.
If this visit is part of a route, we believe that the perfect option is to come very soon from Bangkok, carry out the visit all day and the next day depart for Sukhothai in the morning to continue the route.
Think that temperatures tend to be very high, so it is convenient to bring water, sunglasses, hat and sunscreen.

Tuk tuk Ayutthaya

How to have internet in Thailand?
If you want to have internet in thailand a good option is to buy one Holafly SIM card, with which you will have internet from the moment you land, several GB of data, keeping your WhatsApp number and support service in Spanish.
You can buy your Holafly prepaid SIM card here with a 5% discount for being our reader.

Where to sleep in Ayutthaya

If you have decided that it is worth spending a couple of days to explore all the places to see in Ayutthaya or you are making a route through Thailand and you have decided to spend a night here, we recommend you stay at Q Zone Boutique a charming family hotel, located very near the historical center of Ayutthaya, it is without a doubt one of the best accommodation options to sleep in Thailand. They have rooms in a kind of terraced houses and the price includes breakfast. In addition to the unbeatable value for money, the owners are incredibly pleasant taking for example the detail of inviting us to breakfast on the day of check-in, although this was not included for being the first day.

More accommodations in Ayutthaya here.