About Ayutthaya
The city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with many monuments both inside and outside the city.
Ayutthaya is the former capital of Thailand and was the capital of 33 monarchs since 1350 until it was sacked by the Burmese in 1767. The original name of Ayutthaya is Ashadha in Sanskrit, or “Ayodhya”, which means the golden city or the unbreakable city. The Chinese called it Ayutthaya.
There are 7 famous Buddhist temples in the city, among which the most famous one is the Phra Sansan Phra Buddha Temple, which is equal to the Jade Buddha Temple in Bangkok and is known as “the second Angkor Wat” by UNESCO; the famous Prabhayin Summer Palace, which is located on a small island surrounded by the Chao Phraya River; the Phra Khammu Buddha near the east wall, which is one of the largest Buddha statues in Thailand; and the Phra Khammu Buddha, which was built in 1342. In front of the temple, there is a white round-tipped stupa, about 15 meters high, and in the temple there is a seated Buddha statue, 14 meters wide and 19 meters high, with gold plating, which is known as “Luang Phao Do” (meaning a very large Buddha statue) by the Thai people. In the middle of October every year, a ceremony of Buddha is held here.
On the outskirts of the city, there is the Monk Khammu Phet pagoda, built in 1357, with a statue of Shakyamuni embedded in the pagoda and a huge bronze statue of Buddha inside the pagoda; there is the Leyasutta temple, famous for the reclining Buddha with a 28-meter-long body; there is the open-air Buddha, the Three Peaks pagoda and the Sisurayutta Memorial Pagoda, which contains the ashes of Sisurayutta, the 16th Queen of Ayutthaya Dynasty; and the Ayutthaya Museum, also known as the Chao San Phulaya Museum, which was opened to the public in 1962. Opened to the public in 1962, the museum contains various bronze Buddha statues and altars dating from 500 to 1000 years ago.
How to get there
If you want to go to Ayutthaya, the first step is to book tickets!
If you have a discount coupon online, you can make a reservation and purchase tickets here.
There are four main ways to get to Ayutthaya from Bangkok city center.
Access by train
Travel time from boarding point: 80~120 minutes, approximate fare: 140~1400 yen
You can access “Ayutthaya” by train from central Bangkok. Air-conditioned second-class seats are comfortable, and fares and travel time vary depending on whether you take a local train or an express train. There is no need to worry about getting stuck in traffic jams even in busy Bangkok.
Access via ROTTO
Travel time from boarding point: 60~90 minutes Estimated fare: 350~400 yen
A “rotthu” is a shared-ride van, as in Japan, that operates on average every 30 minutes between 5:00 am and 8:00 pm. You can board at “Mo Chit New Bus Terminal” or “Victory Monument Bus Terminal” in the northern part of central Bangkok, and the bus will not depart until a certain number of passengers have gathered. This is a major access method as well as the train, and it is possible to travel to “Thanon Naresuan”, the center of the Ayutthaya ruins, without changing trains. The time required may be unpredictable depending on the number of passengers and traffic conditions.
Access by cab
Travel time from the boarding point: 60~90 min. Estimated fare: 3,500~4,500 yen.
This method is to take a cab from Bangkok to the center of Ayutthaya. There are some malicious cabs, so it is safer to have your hotel arrange one for you. Basically, this is not recommended for beginner travelers, but it is very economical for group travelers. If the fare exceeds 1,000 baht, it is better to find another cab.
Access by local tours
Tour Duration: 9 hours Tour Fee: Approx. 9,000-10,000 yen
You can comfortably travel from Bangkok to “Ayutthaya” for sightseeing with the support of a guide. Although it is more expensive, you can efficiently explore Ayutthaya in a little over half a day, and you can also stop by the “Bang Pa-In Palace” which is difficult to visit by yourself. Round-trip hotel pickup and drop-off options are also available, and the price includes admission to each spot and a buffet on board.
Tips
Ayutthaya is different from Bangkok and offers a unique Thai atmosphere. Although many people may imagine it as a remote country town, it is basically a tourist destination to some extent, making it a very easy and comfortable place to visit.
The sightseeing area is just large enough to cover all the major temples in about half a day if you use a rented bicycle or other means. When you visit Bangkok, please plan a day trip to the Ayutthaya ruins by train.
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