Ayutthaya advice

[ichigo]

I have started to plan out my next Thailand trip (26 days is just not enough ) and have always wanted to visit Ayutthaya. I just want to get a general consensus on whether it would be worth spending 1 or 2 nights there (I would catch the train) or just visit as a day trip. Thanks!

[TMax]

I've been there twice now, both day trips. The first was just a road trip and was quite good but I was glad to get back to Bangkok as the seating in the van wasn't as comfortable as I would have liked. The second trip was much better, I booked it at the small travel agent that used to be at the Surawong end of Soi Thaniya (such a pity she's not there anymore) and was run through Tourism Authority of Thailand. The journey down was quite good and was via Bang Pa In but the journey back was even better, we left Ayutthaya to a pier by bus and then had a pleasant river boat trip back to Bangkok (including a delightful lunch on board). Now that was before covid but I felt just a day trip was sufficient for me, I can't say whether the TAT still has that trip going or not. Found this website that has a very similar tour Ayutthaya day tour

[ggobkk]

Day trip with a guide/driver worked well for me. 

[Keithambrose]

31 minutes ago, ggobkk said:

Day trip with a guide/driver worked well for me. 

Me too, plus lunch by the river.

[jimmie50]

I agree with the others.  It was interesting to visit, but a day trip was just enough for me.  

[khaolakguy]

Further fairly recent comments on Ayutthaya here(thanks to our excellent search engine)

https://www.gayguides.com/topic/73976-trip-to-ayutthaya/#comment-440387

[floridarob]

8 hours ago, Keithambrose said:

Me too, plus lunch by the river.

With anyone interesting ??

[vinapu]

10 hours ago, ichigo said:

I have started to plan out my next Thailand trip (26 days is just not enough ) and have always wanted to visit Ayutthaya. I just want to get a general consensus on whether it would be worth spending 1 or 2 nights there (I would catch the train) or just visit as a day trip. Thanks!

I was there 3 tree times , always as self-organized day trip by train but I need to try that tour with going by the river one way. On the station in Ayuthaya  there are tuk-tuk drivers with pictures and itineraries of tours and you can hire them easily.

I have feeling that one day is sufficient.

there some of my impressions with pictures  in 2021 trip report , day 23 , page 8 . I took that trip with member and his boy ( mine simply did not show up at the station at agreed time ) 

https://www.gayguides.com/topic/37210-third-time-lucky-december-2021-trip-to-thailand-in-covid-time/page/8/

 

 

[ichigo]

Thanks for all of the suggestions, guys - looks like a day trip will be sufficient!

[kokopelli3]

A day trip is sufficient; overnight a bore.

 

[TMax]

A couple of my old photos taken a while back in Ayutthaya, I do love old ruins and reading about the history of them. 

[Keithambrose]

10 hours ago, floridarob said:

With anyone interesting ??

The driver, and Mac, the guide from Siam Roads. I enjoyed the trip because I asked Mac to take me to parts of Ayutthaya where there are fewer tourists.  This he did, some areas, which are just as interesting,  had no other tourists.  You need a car for this.

[Department_Of_Agriculture]

Ayutthaya is fab and it is definitely worth spending a night there, or even two. I wouldn’t base my decision on the opinions of a few old queens in a hurry to get back to Bangkok to get their arses stuffed that night.

There are some really nice boutique hotels and restaurants along the river, with wonderful views of the illuminated ruins. Enjoying very good food and live music – not of the thumping kind – with the river flowing by, is a delightful way to spend an evening. The better ones also offer riverside swimming pools. Plus, there are, or used to be night time tours, so you have the chance to see the illuminated ruins at night. Some of the boutique hotels near the monument park also offer free bicycles, so you can tour the larger area at your own pace. There is also a rather nice night market which is quite new but atmospheric. From the riverside hotel area, you are also only about ten minutes away from the heart of town, if you feel like stepping out for the night.

When touring the ruins by day, just remember that it can get very hot, so you will need a hat, with plenty of vendors around there offering them. Accordingly, you are better-off starting your explorations a little earlier, before it gets too hot and too crowded in the main area. Therefore, it makes more sense to arrive the evening before and spend the night there, have a good breakfast and then start, rather than driving up from Bangkok in the morning and then arriving in the heat and crowds. If you are starting early, you might want to start in the main, ticketed, monument park area before the big crowds arrive and then move on to the outer areas. If you have an interest in history or architecture, one of the things that I found really enjoyable was seeing the evolution of Ayutthaya architecture, with some of the earlier buildings clearly based on the Haripunchai/Lamphun models and then evolving towards what we now think of as classial Thai architecture.

As @Keithambrose has mentioned, there are also many other monuments worth visiting beyond that area. No need to rush it just in order to get back to Bangkok. If you are spending a second night there and then returning to Bangkok by car, stopping at the Bang Pa In royal pleasure palace is worth it. Or you can take a leisurely boat ride back to the capital. Either way, don’t rush. At a minimum, I would say spend one night. Two is fine too. Ayutthaya is as much a place to unwind as it is for sightseeing. Enjoy it.

 

[vinapu]

13 hours ago, Keithambrose said:

The driver, and Mac, the guide from Siam Roads. I enjoyed the trip because I asked Mac to take me to parts of Ayutthaya where there are fewer tourists.  This he did, some areas, which are just as interesting,  had no other tourists.  You need a car for this.

and a person who knows those places and how to get there

[Keithambrose]

1 hour ago, vinapu said:

and a person who knows those places and how to get there

I think that follows from my earlier comments!

[emiel1981]

In 2023 I had a wonderful stay at https://baantyewang.top/

I love traveling at a leisurely pace. A one-day trip to Ayutthaya is certainly doable, but especially if you're in Thailand for a longer period, why not relax and spend one night there? And one night without the bartenders and massage therapists should be doable, right? Haha

This guesthouse is modern, with friendly staff. It has a beautiful garden. You can arrange a tuk-tuk through the guesthouse to take you to all the temples. It's an ideal combination of culture and sightseeing, but also a place to relax and get away from the big city of Bangkok for a night or two.

[10tazione]

50 minutes ago, emiel1981 said:

And one night without the bartenders and massage therapists should be doable, right? Haha

In case it is not doable, you could always take a masseur with you. Many of them love the temples in Ayutthaya!

[jimmie50]

5 hours ago, emiel1981 said:

You can arrange a tuk-tuk through the guesthouse to take you to all the temples.

I was with my Thai friends when I visited and we rented bicycles to explore the area.  That was quite fun and we could go at a leisurely pace.  That was quite a few years ago, though, so not sure I would be up for the bicycle now given my age.  Think I would opt for the tuk-tuk now.  

[fedssocr]

I did the day trip including a stop at Bang Pa In many years ago. I think if I were to go back I would take a bit more time. The boat trip back sounds really nice.

[khaolakguy]

Definitely include Bang Pa In in the trip. 

[siriusBE]

Some years ago I rested at baifern homestay in Ayutthaya. run by a family. Simple, not upmarket but cosy and friendly.