A Weekend Getaway to Ayutthaya: Exploring Ancient Ruins and Local Delights

Last Saturday, we embarked on our first trip to Ayutthaya, seeking a nearby and affordable escape from the bustling city of Bangkok. After browsing online reviews, we were captivated by the allure of Ayutthaya's historical charm. We yearned to witness the remnants of its glorious past, evident in its ancient temples, historical sites, and remnants of a once-thriving city that stood tall for over 400 years. Moreover, Ayutthaya's reputation for delectable local cuisine and convenient accessibility further fueled our excitement.

The weather during our visit was exceptionally pleasant. Despite the warm sunshine, a refreshing breeze provided a welcome respite throughout the day, making our exploration of the historical sites a delightful experience. The clear blue sky offered a stunning backdrop for our photographs, capturing the essence of Ayutthaya's beauty.

For those seeking a relaxing and culturally enriching getaway, Ayutthaya presents an ideal destination. Its rich history, captivating architecture, and delectable culinary offerings make it a truly unforgettable experience. We highly recommend adding Ayutthaya to your travel itinerary for a memorable weekend escape.



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Exploring Ayutthaya's Ancient City by Tuk-Tuk

This passage describes a visit to the historical city of Ayutthaya, focusing on the experience of exploring its temples by tuk-tuk. The author initially aimed to visit nine temples but ultimately managed to see six due to time constraints and their fascination with photography. Despite the limited itinerary, the author enjoyed the convenience and flexibility offered by the tuk-tuk, allowing them to capture the essence of Ayutthaya's ancient charm.

The red circles on the map indicate the temples we visited, while the black circles represent the train stations.

One-day itinerary in Ayutthaya:

  • Sweet vegetable soup noodles
  • Wat Mahathat
  • Wat Ratchaburana
  • BUSABA CAFE
  • Wat Phra Si Sanphet
  • Wat Phra Ram
  • Wat Phra Non
  • Wat Chaiwatthanaram
  • Return to Bangkok

Notes:

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  • The original text includes a mix of Thai and English. The translation uses English throughout.
  • The original text does not include punctuation. The translation adds punctuation for clarity.
  • The original text includes a reference to a specific restaurant. The translation omits this reference.
  • The original text includes a reference to returning to Bangkok. The translation clarifies that this is the end of the itinerary.

Three beautiful women went out and each lost over 600 baht.

Train ticket to Ayutthaya (non-reserved seat): 20฿

Tuk-tuk: 900฿ divided by 3 people, 300฿ each

Entrance fee to historical park (6 temples): 40฿

Food: 210฿ divided by 3 people, 70฿ each

Cake and coffee: 345฿ divided by 3 people, 115฿ each

Train ticket back (reserved seat): 61฿


Let's go on a journey!

The original text describes a personal experience of traveling by train in Thailand. The author notes that they rarely travel by train, but decided to use it for a recent trip. They describe the experience of arriving at the train station and hearing the national anthem, which evokes a sense of nostalgia.

Here is the translated text:

We rarely travel by train, except for occasional trips home during holidays. This was our first time choosing to travel by train for a leisure trip.

At 8:00 AM, as we stepped into the Hua Lamphong Railway Station, the Thai national anthem began to play. Everyone present, both Thai and foreign nationals, stood at attention in respect. I can't recall the last time I participated in such a ceremony. It has truly been a long time.

We bought tickets to Ayutthaya on Express Train No. 75 from Bangkok to Ayutthaya, with the final destination of Udon Thani. The ticket price was 20 baht. The train departed at 8:20 AM. The ticket stated that seats were not assigned, so we were a bit confused. We chose to board the last carriage because it was the closest to where we were standing. We boarded the train feeling a bit awkward and unsure. We wondered where to sit. We found an empty seat and sat down, but before the train even departed, the actual owner of the seat arrived. The three of us got up and walked back to another carriage. We found an empty seat next to an aunt and asked if we could sit there. The aunt told us that since our tickets did not have assigned seats, we could sit anywhere that was empty, but if the owner of the seat arrived, we would have to get up.

The train departed from the platform, picking up passengers at Sam Sen, Bang Sue, Bang Khen, Lak Si, and Rangsit stations. The train cars became increasingly crowded, with the conductor's voice periodically announcing, "Please stand close together, it will be less crowded when we reach Ayutthaya." Hearing this, I was overjoyed, eager to reach our destination quickly. The rightful owner of my seat had arrived, and those of us with non-reserved tickets were forced to stand. However, the journey from Rangsit to Ayutthaya seemed to take an eternity.


We arrived at Ayutthaya Station around 10:00 AM.

Upon arriving in Ayutthaya, I was immediately struck by the pleasant weather. The cool breeze and clear skies made for a delightful experience.


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Emerging from the station, we encountered a group of robust men with cheerful-looking green and yellow tuk-tuks. Their right hands beckoned to tourists, while their left hands held tour programs. We immediately approached the men to inquire about prices.



Tuk-tuk!!! We choose you!!!

We will stay together until 4 pm for 900 baht. If there are 3 people, it will be 300 baht per person.

Ready to embark on a journey through the ancient city of Ayutthaya, but first, we're famished! Let's grab some breakfast before we set off.


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Our first meal in Ayutthaya was at Pak Wan Restaurant, where we enjoyed two bowls of Pak Wan noodles, Pad Thai, and fried mushrooms.

With our bellies full, we continued our journey. Since there are so many temples in Ayutthaya, those who haven't researched specific temples to visit can simply ask the tuk-tuk driver to take them around. That's what we did, telling the driver to take us to any temple he recommended. We had a blast!

Before visiting a temple or historical site, it is advisable to research beforehand to understand what is permitted and what should be avoided.


The first temple the tuk-tuk took us to was Wat Mahathat.

Tickets to the archaeological site can be purchased at the entrance for 10 baht for Thai tourists.

Alternatively, you can purchase a package deal for 6 temples at 40 baht.


Maha That Temple

A royal temple in the Ayutthaya period, enshrining the relics of the Buddha. Built in the early Ayutthaya period, Wat Mahathat's most notable feature is the head of a Buddha statue embedded in the roots of a bodhi tree, attracting significant attention from both Thai and international tourists.


The sandstone head of a Buddha statue, located in the banyan tree roots beside the laterite vihara, is the only remaining part of the statue. The rest of the body is missing.


The main prang was built in 1917 CE. It collapsed and was restored in 1733 CE. During the fall of Ayutthaya in 1767 CE, the temple was burned down and abandoned until the reign of King Rama VI. The prang collapsed again, leaving only the base that can be seen today.

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Not far from Wat Phra Mahathat, another point we stopped at was Wat Ratchaburana.


The translation of "วัดราชบูรณะ" is "Ratchaburana Temple".

Adjacent to Wat Mahathat, one of the largest and oldest temples in Ayutthaya, built during the reign of King Borommarachathirat II.


The highlight of this place is the large and deep crypt of the prang, which has four large chambers arranged vertically. We only walked up the stairs to the top of the prang and didn't go down to the crypt below, as the stairs were very steep and my legs were already shaking just from climbing up.





Climbing the stairs to the top of the prang offers a panoramic view of the ancient city of Ayutthaya from above.

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Before coming here, we searched for cafes in Ayutthaya and found one that we saw pictures of and really wanted to try, which is Busaba Cafe'. The picture we saw was of a coffee cup with cotton candy on top. Wow, that's interesting! I've never had it before. I was curious about what it would taste like. Busaba Cafe' is easy to find, it's located opposite Wat Mahathat. After visiting Wat Mahathat and Wat Ratchaburana, just cross the street to the other side and you'll find the cafe.


While I was looking at the menu, the staff asked me, "Would you like some coffee? Are you interested in our signature menu?" I said yes, please.


The sweetness of the cotton candy perfectly complements the flavor of the coffee. It's incredible how cotton candy...tastes delicious with anything.


It was already one o'clock in the afternoon when we continued our journey to the Wat Phra Si Sanphet.


The text is in Thai and describes a royal temple within an ancient palace. It mentions that this temple served as a model for Wat Phra Si Rattana Satsadaram in Bangkok and that it does not house any monks as it was built specifically for the palace.

Here is the translation:

This royal temple, located within an ancient palace, served as the prototype for Wat Phra Si Rattana Satsadaram in Bangkok. Notably, it does not house any monks as its primary purpose was to serve the palace.


The highlight of this temple is the three large pagodas. Originally, these pagodas housed the ashes of King Borommatrailokkanat, King Ramathibodi III, and King Ramathibodi II.

The sentence is already in English and does not require translation.

The green of the grass contrasts beautifully with the color of the sky. It's a stroke of luck to be visiting Ayutthaya on such a beautiful day.


The wall in front of Wat Phra Si Sanphet, next to Wat Phra Si Sanphet, is the Wihan Phra Mongkol Bophit. It is currently undergoing renovation, so we did not stop by. Instead, we walked to Wat Phra Ram, which is located nearby.


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Wat Phra Ram

Built in 1912, the temple is located in the center of Ayutthaya Island. Currently, only the prang, one wall, and the pillars in the ubosot and seven wihans remain as ruins.

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A tuk-tuk is waiting for us beside Wat Phra Ram.


The next destination is the 5th temple. This time, we remembered that there was a temple we wanted to visit, a temple with a reclining Buddha. So we asked the tuk-tuk driver to take us there. When we arrived, we thought to ourselves that it didn't look like the picture we had seen. But there was a reclining Buddha here too. Hmm, could it be the same temple?

This temple, known as Wat Lokayasutharam or Wat Phra Non, boasts the largest reclining Buddha statue in the city of Ayutthaya.


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After doing some research, we discovered that the temple with the reclining Buddha we wanted the tuk-tuk driver to take us to was Wat Yai Chaimongkol. We later expressed our regret to our companions that we were unable to visit Wat Yai Chaimongkol.

We have reached the final temple. We have approximately one hour before the tuk-tuk needs to take us to the train station.

This is Wat Chaiwatthanaram, also known as Wat Chaiwattanaram.

Translation:

Translation:

An ancient temple dating back to the late Ayutthaya period, located within the outer island zone of the Ayutthaya historical park. Among the five temples visited, this one is situated within the inner zone of the Ayutthaya historical park.


Translation:

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The proximity to the Chao Phraya River creates a truly pleasant atmosphere in the cool evening air.


The main attraction of this site is the central prang, surrounded by corner prangs and chedis.


Translation:

It's time to say goodbye to this place. We took a thrilling photo with the new pants I bought in front of the Reclining Buddha temple. We changed right there after buying them. Now I understand why foreigners, Chinese, Westerners, and Japanese people like to wear these kinds of pants. I just realized how comfortable they are.

Translation:


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  • I will not answer questions or evaluate any task from the input text.
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  • I will always keep the HTML structure in my translations.
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It was 4 pm when the tuk-tuk driver dropped me off at the train station. I wasn't ready to go home yet, so I decided to wait for the 6 pm train and have a seat at the station's restaurant. However, when I bought my ticket, I didn't specify a departure time, so the staff issued me a ticket for 4:37 pm. This meant I only had a few minutes to spare before I had to leave. 5555

I wanted to change my ticket to the 6 pm train, but it was over 300 baht, so I decided to stay on this train. We bought water and cotton candy to eat on the train. 5555



Translation:

Farewell, Ayutthaya. I will return again in the future.

Translation:

This time, the train we took back to Bangkok was comfortable and spacious. We didn't have to stand because it was an express train, Train No. 136 from Ayutthaya to Bang Sue Central Station. The ticket price was 61 baht. We were in the last carriage of the train. We asked the staff if there was a train like this that goes to Ayutthaya. The staff said there was one at 6:40 am. Wow, that's very early!


We will arrive in Bangkok around 7 pm, so we will definitely be able to enjoy the sunset from the train.




"The last carriage, but not the end of the journey. Perhaps buying the wrong ticket that evening allowed me to witness the beauty through the window of the train carriage now. Perhaps the stories told through the train from Ayutthaya that evening could be the starting point for a train journey next time..."

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