It was an exhilarating experience visiting the different shopping malls and interesting attractions in the colorful city of Bangkok. One must remember, though, that the beauty of Thailand is not only limited to Bangkok. To have a taste of Thailand’s amazing history, one must make time to visit Ayutthaya.

The splendid and olden city of Ayutthaya, together with its different historical towns, was inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites List in 1991. It is situated on the main North – South railway that links Bangkok to the province of Chiang Mai. Furthermore, it is also described as the city that can be found at the crossing of the Chao Phraya, Lopburi and the Pa Sak rivers.

Ayutthaya’s full name is Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya and at times it is also spelled as Ayudhya. It was named after the Indian city of Ayodhya, the birthplace of Rama (Ramayana). It was founded in 1350 and held the distinction of being the second Siamese capital after Sukhothai. Unfortunately, the city suffered a lot of damage that was caused by the Burmese during the turn of the 18th century. It is a good thing that there are still existing structures like the chedis, prangs, and monasteries that remain as symbols of the city’s glorious past.

It is easy to go to Ayutthaya, a city located about 85 kilometers North of Bangkok. From any of the superb hotels in Bangkok like the Amari Atrium Hotel Bangkok or the Amari Boulevard Hotel Bangkok, one can take a cab to the Hualamphong Train Station. It is important to take note of the departure times of the different trains. It might be a good idea to ask one’s hotel to check the schedule in advance to have an accurate itinerary. The non – airconditioned train ride from Bangkok to Ayutthaya costs about THB 15 and travel time is about an hour and a half or close to two hours depending on weather conditions.

Upon arrival in Ayutthaya, tourists can either choose to explore the historical city on a tuk tuk or on a taxi. Different tour rates of both tuk tuks and taxi cabs are posted at the train station to perfectly guide visitors and discourage overpricing. A taxi tour costs about THB 200 for an hour.

In our case, my partner and I decided to book a taxi directly with our hotel. The Ayutthaya taxi trip was quoted at THB 2000 for two persons and this rate already included all toll fees. We left our hotel at around 8:00 am after we have taken our breakfasts. It was a relaxing and comfortable trip. We even got to see a bit of Thailand’s countryside as well as different speeding cars on the express way. The great thing about hiring your own taxi is that you can take a nap anytime you want and need not be bothered about keeping close watch of your belongings. You can also bring some food items and beverages with you just in case you would like to have a quick snack during your trip.

Ayutthaya is quite close to Bangkok so it follows that both cities will have the same weather. If it is hot in Bangkok then it is safe to assume that it will also be extremely hot in Ayutthaya. The tour of Ayutthaya will include visits to a lot of temples that do not offer any form of shade for tourists. It would be wise to bring your own water bottle during your tour and make sure that you are comfortably dressed. Some sights do not allow visitors who are wearing sleeveless shirts, slippers, or shorts. No need to worry, though, because there are pants and shirts that are available for use. Because of the extreme heat, it is also advisable to bring a pair of sunglasses to protect your eyes. Of course, bring a reliable camera so that you can take all the souvenir photos that your heart desires.

Another important thing to note is that visitors who are not joining any tours would have to shoulder all the entrance fees. Fees range from THB 15 up to THB 50 depending on the attraction. Make sure that you also bring enough money to cover all these fees and also for your food expenses.

There are numerous attractions to visit in Ayutthaya. As for us, we decided to head to the Bang Pa In Summer Palace for the first stop in our itinerary.

(TO BE CONTINUED)

Posted in Attractions, Thailand

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