All you need to know to visit Ayutthaya
Central Thailand
86 km from Bangkok
Province of Ayutthaya
Thai prononciation : Ayoutaya
Practical guide to go and visit Ayutthaya
Capital of the kingdom for four centuries, Ayutthaya and its region have kept many traces of that glorious past. The ruins of the most visited temples are integrated into the actual city ( this aprt is often called the Historical park of Ayutthaya ), others are in the the periphery. In addition to the Wat Phra Si Sanphet with its three chedis that is the symbol of the city, there is a quieter area Wat Mongkol Bophit with reclining Buddha and a few temples and sitting Buddhas. Don't miss, a little outside of this area ) the very well preserved and beautiful Wat Yai Chai Mongkhol. Its two giant stone Buddhas on both sides of the main chedi and the square of Buddhas statues make it one of the most remarkable of Thailand. One a the favorite of thailandee's team ! Note that it can sometimes be quite cold at night in Ayuthaya. Take your precautions.
Accommodations in Ayutthaya
Sleeping in Ayutthaya is easy and cheap. There are many very cheap guesthouses and small hotels in Ayutthaya. It is not really necessary to book in advance, you will find a room quite easily. The area where the accommodation concentration is the highest is around Ho Rattanachai Road on the other side of Pa Sak River. If you arrive by bus, you will be in the middle of this area, if you arrive by train, you will just have to take the street opposite to the train station and take the boat that will take you to the other side for a few bahts.Find accommodation in Ayutthaya
My recommandations
Practical information about Ayutthaya
For me, the nicest way to come to Ayutthaya from Bangkok is to take the train in 3rd class. You cross much prettier landscapes than in a minivan, you have moe room to sit and the price is incredibly low. Arrived at Ayutthaya railway station, you will find tuk-tuks on the left that can take you to visit the city (count around 200 THB per hour, if they offer you 300 THB, go a little further to find other tuk-tuks) or get to your accommodation for 150 THB. Otherwise go down the street in front of the station, at the end there is a small pier where you can take a small ferry boat to cross the river and arrive in the area with guesthouses, hotels and bike rental shops. Note that there is a left lugage service at the train station where you can leave your luggage while you visit (on the right on the platform), they only take them for the day. Otherwise, the bike rental shops will keep them for you for free. It is also possible to take boat tours in Ayutthaya either by privatizing a longtail boat at the pier in front at the end of the street opposite the train station or by buying a set in the sunset cruise via your hotel or at a local travel company.
There is several night markets in Ayutthaya, some are only held on weekends, the one that is there every evening is the night market in front of the Chantharakasem National Museum.
How to go to Ayutthaya ?
To get to Ayutthaya from Bangkok, you have the choice between the train or the minivans (from the Chatuchak Minibus Station in front of Mo Chit Bus Terminal) or of course the taxi. Journey duration by rail or passenger minivan are about the same. The 3rd class train is the cheapest. But note that train tickets for short distances like this cannot be booked on the internet (actually some can, but only less than 48 hours before departure day and only on the official SRT website) but you can buy your train tickets to Ayutthaya at the station just before departure, there is always seat available, at least in 3rd class. Just allow enough extra time to buy your ticket. ATTENTION, since January 19, 2023, long distance trains from Bangkok serving Ayutthaya leave from the new railway station, the Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal Station, ordinary trains still leave from Hua Lamphong station. You can consult the timetables and departure stations for trains between Bangkok and Ayutthaya HERE.How to get around in Ayutthaya ?
In Ayutthaya, there are no taxis but tuk-tuks everywhere which do not look like those in Bangkok. They are taller with parallel benches at the back, much like little songthaews and their curved front hood has a very specific shape that looks a little bit like a frog's head. The drivers offer tours to visit the city and the surroundings (you define the itinerary with them, price per day or per hour to be negotiated). Generally, they ask for 200 THB/hour whatever the number of people is.If you don't fear the heat, I advise you to rent bicycles to visit the central island and then change for a tuk-tuk to go to the temples outside the island. Many guesthouses and hotels in Ayutthaya make them available to their customers, sometimes free of charge, otherwise there are several bike rental shops or travel agencies that rent bicycles for 50-60 THB a day. There is also a very convenient boat service to cross the river at the end of the street opposite the railway station to easily reach the ''Soi farang'', street of guesthouses and bars. Price of the crossing is 10 THB or 15 THB if with a bicycle. It is also possible to order a vehicle via the GRAB smartphone app, which is the equivalent of UBER in Thailand. To visit the most interesting temples outside the central island of Ayutthaya, it is also possible to privatize a longtail boat at "Train Station pier" at the end of the street opposite the train station (in general, they charges THB 200 per 20 minutes). Alternatively, there are 2-hour cruises that leave at 4 p.m. and mark 20-minute stops at Wat Phanan Choeng, Wat Phutthaisawan, and Wat Chai Wattanaram. Prior booking via your accommodation or a local travel agency is mandatory (price: 200 THB per person, pickup and drop-off at your hotel included). Personally, I found this cruise a bit overcrowded and a little disappointing because they give you no explanation and the time to visit the temples is short, especcially when you don't know what is interesting to see, but it remains a possibility for visiting some temples and make a boat tour in Ayutthaya.
Festivals in Ayutthaya ?
Here is a list of the main festivals taking place every year in Ayutthaya. I mention their dates as soon as they are official on Thai Festivals page.
Ceremony of World Wai Kru Muay Thai
This festival generally takes place in the month of March
Ayutthaya Aquatic Phansa Festival
This festival generally takes place in the month of July
Ayutthaya Long boat race Festival
This festival generally takes place in the month of June
Ayutthaya Loy Krathong in Ancient City
This festival generally takes place in the month of November
Ayutthaya Former Capital City Loi Krathong Festival
This festival generally takes place in the month of November
Plus d'infos sur Ayutthaya Former Capital City Loi Krathong Festival
Ayutthaya World Heritage and Red Cross Fair
This festival generally takes place in the month of December
Plus d'infos sur Ayutthaya World Heritage and Red Cross Fair
Ayutthaya World Heritage Fair
This festival generally takes place in the month of December
The Glorious of Ayutthaya Fair
This festival generally takes place in the month of December
Other places to see in Ayutthaya
Wat Woratcheta Ram
small temple. It only remains a stupa with its Buddha in front and the walls of a building housing a sitting Buddha
Wat Phu Khao Thong
or Golden Mount, outside the city, it is a white stone staircase building with a golden tip
Wat Na Phra Meru
especially noted for its columns and its ceiling decorated with brown and gold and its atypical Buddha
Wat Muang (Ang Thong)
temple especially interesting for its huge sitting Buddha 95 meters high, the highest in Thailand. You can touch Its hand from a little stage
Ayutthaya Floating Market
brand new, this market is not a traditional floating market at all but remains a nice place for shopping and eating that welcomes you every day
Wat Thammikarat
this temple often overlooked next to the main temples in the center worth a visit at least for its old chedi and its gold-coated Buddha relining
Wat Sam Wihaan
unknown by most tourists, it is located after the Wat Phra Neru and has a beautiful reclining Buddha more than 600 years old. The rest of the temple is less interesting
Elephant Kraal
is an enclosure for elephants with teks pillars you visit quickly and can observe from a platteforme
Wat Putthai Sawan
This temple is not the best known in Ayutthaya, it is rarely mentioned in guide books. Butit is one of the oldest if not the oldest in town. Visitors often remember its stone Reclining Buddha but its Khmer-style prang surrounded by a courtyard and a covered enclosure with sitting Buddhas is also interesting to visit.
Bang Pa-In Palace
Bang Pa-In is town a few kilometers before Ayutthaya (usually trains for Ayuthaya stop there). This palace was the summer residence of the royal family.
Prasat Nakhon Luang
This temple-palace is remarkable for its juxtaposition of the ruins of an ancient temple from Ayutthaya period and a more modern building built on its ruins more than two centuries after its sacking. Very little touristy, it is an interesting visit to add for those who want to get off the beaten track in Ayutthaya.
Wat Khun Inthapramun (Ang Thong)
This temple in the province of Ang Thong in the north of Bangkok dates from the Sukhothai period and has the largest reclining Buddha in Thailand. All white, it is often covered with a yellow patchwork dress made of the prayers and words of visitors.
Chao Phrom Market
It's the biggest fresh market in Ayutthaya and if you haven't seen a local market in Thailand yet, I recommend you go there for a walk in the early hours of the day when the market is the most active with the more sellers and customers.
Khmer art stone carver
This stone carver located next to Wat Phra Ngam temple in Ayutthaya is one of the few to still carve Khmer-style statues and lintels in Thailand in a business and a skill passed from father to son. He gladly welcomes visitors to his studio when he is there.
Wat Phanom Yong
Wat Phanom Yong is not Ayutthaya's most unmissable temple to visit, but it houses a reclining Buddha and the colorful murals in its ordination hall are superb. Recent but superb!
Weather & climate in Ayutthaya
Ayutthaya has a tropical savanna climate. The winters are dry and very hot. Temperatures rise until April, the hottest month of the year with a maximum average temperature of 36 °C. The monsoon season extends from the end of April to October, with heavy rains and temperatures a little more fresh during the day.The rainiest month of the year in Ayutthaya is August.
When to go to Ayutthaya ?
How to ask in Thai to go to Ayutthaya ?
I want to go to Ayutthaya / Yak paï ti Ayoutaya.Where is Ayutthaya ? / Ayoutaya you ti naï ?
All COVID-19 restrictions for coming to Thailand lifted from October 1 !
We have been waiting for it for months, hoping it will happen on July 1, but it will finally be October 1, 2022, when Thailand will lift the last COVID restrictions to enter the country. From this date, it will no longer be necessary to show...
