As we found out on our day trip from Bangkok, there’s much more to Ayutthaya than meets the eye. The old capital is famous for its temple ruins - with brick prangs, Buddha heads wrapped in tree roots, and bell-shaped chedis dotted throughout the UNESCO historical park. But what we loved most was the city’s riverside setting, the delicious food on offer, and the fact that trains and tuk-tuks made up the bulk of our day’s transportation.

We visited Ayutthaya with Cam’s parents and while temple hopping was the main priority, Kat managed to find us some amazing local food that added another dimension to our trip: boat noodles and giant river prawns. We sampled these two dishes for breakfast and lunch, which gave us the fuel to explore the many different ruins scattered around the historical island. The park is big, and certainly not a place you can wander through in an hour, so having a tuk-tuk driver is a no-brainer. We didn’t have to walk or cycle in the afternoon heat, and could reach the temples with ease.

Visiting Ayutthaya from Bangkok is one of those experiences that doesn’t actually require much planning. You can simply do what we did: jump on the local train in the early morning, organise a tuk-tuk driver at the train station, visit a few temples, have a riverside lunch, and return to Bangkok before dark. Since it’s only 80 kilometers away, a day trip to Ayutthaya is totally feasible and well worth doing - especially if you love history.

Due to its history, the ruins of Ayutthaya aren’t in pristine condition. The Kingdom lasted for over four centuries, and was a political force and center for trade in its time, but the city was eventually destroyed in the Burmese Invasion of 1767. Some of the Buddha statues had their heads removed, and many of the temples were set in flames. The ruins aren’t perfectly preserved yet they still have this fractured, exposed beauty to them.

Ayutthaya Historical Park - Kat — *Ayutthaya*

How to Get to Ayutthaya by Train

There’s a few different ways to reach Ayutthaya but the train is the best option in our opinion - it’s convenient and you can’t beat the romance of train travel in general. We decided to catch the local train, or “ordinary train”, from the historic Hua Lamphong Railway Station. These are third-class trains, much slower than other services (taking up to two hours with stops along the way), but cheaper in price and a lot more charming.

The carriages on the ordinary train are simple and filled with locals. You can watch the world go by with the window down - as the city goes from skyscrapers to local “sois”, canals, and eventually flat countryside. When you arrive at the Ayutthaya Railway Station, you’ll be situated just outside the historical island which isn’t really within walking distance. But there’ll be plenty of tuk-tuk drivers waiting to take you to the historical park.

Another option is going from Krung Thep Aphiwat Station. This modern station does most of Bangkok’s long-distance rail trips these days, meaning you can catch the Express train here if arriving quickly is your key objective. The ride to Ayutthaya is more direct, taking between 60 and 75 minutes, and there’s even air-conditioning in the carriages. We recommend hopping on a train between 7:30 AM and 8:30 AM - early enough to beat the crowds and heat, and enjoy a full day in Ayutthaya.

Ayutthaya - Train Day Trip — *Hua Lamphong Railway Station*

Ayutthaya - Train Station to Bangkok — *Ayutthaya Railway Station*

Ayutthaya Itinerary: Best Temples & Food Spots

The best way to approach your Ayutthaya day trip is to accept the fact that you can’t see it all. The city is home to dozens of different ruins and temples, many of which are spread out from one another. It would take several days to see everything and several more to explore its many hidden gems. Ideally, you want to pick four or five main sites and pace the day so you don’t get “templed out” - which is a very real thing by the way.

10:00 AM: Boat Noodles at a Local Restaurant

Ask your tuk-tuk driver to make a beeline towards a local boat noodle restaurant - you’ll be peckish after the train ride and it’s just a fun way to kick off the day. Each bowl is packed with flavor including rice noodles, pork or beef, meatballs, liver and morning glory. The broth is thickened with pig or cow blood and then topped with garlic, pork crackling and Thai basil. Boat noodles come in small bowls, so it’s customary to order more than one. For us “farangs” (foreigners), this just meant two bowls but for Kat it meant four or five bowls drowned in ridiculous amounts of chilli.

Ayutthaya - Boat Noodles — *Boat noodles*

11:00 AM: Wat Phanan Choeng Worawihan

The highlight of Wat Phanan Choeng Worawihan is the massive seated Buddha statue that sits in the main hall, rising 19 meters high and covered in gold leaf. The size of the statue is impressive but what hits you more is the serene atmosphere of the temple. The hall feels devotional, rather than touristy, with locals making merit and praying - something Kat participated in by praying in front of the Buddha, and lighting candles and incense.

Wat Phanan Choeng Worawihan - Best Temples in Thailand — *Wat Phanan Choeng Worawihan*

Ayutthaya - Temple Buddha — *Wat Phanan Choeng Worawihan*

Ayutthaya - Local Temple — *Wat Phanan Choeng Worawihan*

12:00 PM: Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon

Our favorite temple in all of Ayutthaya was Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon, home to a bell-shaped chedi which can be climbed via a brick staircase. As nice as the views are from the top, what makes this temple really stand out are the rows of stone Buddha statues draped in orange cloth - making for unique photo opportunities. The temple also boasts a Reclining Buddha, not as famous as the one at Wat Pho in Bangkok, but still worth visiting. For these reasons, Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon made it onto our list of the 10 best temples in Thailand - feel free to have a read of the article below.

Ayutthaya - Reclining Buddha — *Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon*

Ayutthaya - Row of Buddhas — *Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon*

Ayutthaya - Ancient City — *Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon*

Ayutthaya - Historical Park — *Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon*

1:00 PM: Wat Mahathat

Wat Mahathat is one of the most popular temples in Ayutthaya - a sprawling complex filled with old ruins, broken towers, brick foundations and the famous Buddha head wrapped in tree roots. The history of the Buddha head dates back to the Burmese Invasion of 1767, when statues were decapitated. After the complex was abandoned, the roots of a Bodhi tree slowly grew around the stone holding it in place like a natural shrine. When we visited, we saw people sitting down in front of the Buddha and admiring it from a distance - which is typical practice in Thailand, as you should always keep a lower posture than the Buddha out of respect.

Ayutthaya - Day Trip from Bangkok — *Wat Mahathat*

Ayutthaya Buddha Tree — *Buddha Head in the Roots of a Bodhi Tree*

2:00 PM: Giant River Prawns for Lunch

As the early afternoon rolls around, it starts to get very hot in Ayutthaya - which is a good point in the day to head to the river for lunch. The river areas are lined with some fantastic seafood restaurants, including Baan Mai Rim Num and Grand Chaopraya. At either of these places, you can order the giant river prawn - served grilled and accompanied with spicy seafood sauce. Kat ordered this dish on our lunch break and we couldn’t believe the size of the thing, it was massive. One of the reasons Thais love it so much is that the head fat of the prawn has a buttery flavor/texture.

Ayutthaya - Seafood Restaurant — *Giant river prawn*

3:00 PM: Wat Ratchaburana

Another temple in Ayutthaya worthy of a mention is Wat Ratchaburana. It has this massive, Khmer-style central prang with a secret underground crypt that you can climb down into to see ancient murals. However, if you love taking photos (like we do), the highlight of the temple is the ruined ordination hall (ubusot) with brick walls featuring beautifully weathered, hollowed windows. We enjoyed taking photos of the windows, with light that perfectly aligned with the central prang in the background.

Ayutthaya - Amazing Photos — *Wat Ratchaburana*

4:00 PM: Wat Phra Si Sanphet

Wat Phra Si Sanphet acted as a royal space, rather than a public monastery, hosting a variety of royal ceremonies and in general exhibiting state power. Architecturally speaking, the temple is known for its three bell-shaped chedis - all partially ruined but visually stunning nonetheless. After this temple stop, you’ll probably want to call it a day, so have your tuk-tuk driver take you back to the train station for your return trip back to Bangkok.

Ayutthaya - Thailand — *Wat Phra Si Sanphet*

FAQs About Visiting Ayutthaya

Is Ayutthaya Worth Visiting from Bangkok?

Ayutthaya is absolutely worth visiting in our opinion. It’s easy to jump on the train from Bangkok and arrive in a little over an hour. However, since it’s so close, tour groups come through the temples in big waves. We were expecting to see crowds, so it didn’t bother us too much, but for others this might be a deal breaker. If that’s the case, we recommend heading to Sukhothai instead - just over an hour’s flight away. While flying isn’t the cheapest way of getting around Thailand, you’ll be given the opportunity to explore incredible places like Wat Si Chum and Wat Si Sawai.

What’s the best time of year to visit?

We went in December, during the cool/dry season, and it was still pretty hot. Although the tuk-tuk gave us some shade and a nice breeze as we hopped between the temples. April and May are the hottest months, which might make walking or cycling a tough slog. June to October is the rainy season, but can still be a wonderful time to go if you have the right attitude. Carry a poncho and umbrella, and you’ll enjoy a less crowded Ayutthaya with cheaper hotel rates too if you wish to stay overnight.

What’s the best way to get around Ayutthaya?

The ruins of Ayutthaya are spread out, so walking between them all is quite unrealistic. This is why we recommend hiring a tuk-tuk driver for the day, something that’s easily organised at the train station upon arrival. Our driver suggested a few temples, found us some local food hotspots, and most importantly waited for us at each temple. Cycling is a popular alternative but it might only be suitable if you’re staying for a few nights. Another option is booking a guided tour from Bangkok which ticks a few boxes: transport, tour guide, and lunch all wrapped in one package.

Ayutthaya - Ancient Historical Park — *Ayutthaya*

Ayutthaya - Visiting Temples — *Ayutthaya*

Ayutthaya in One Day: The Complete Guide from Bangkok