.... Sawasdee Krub! I just realized that my previous trips are mainly the extreme ones such as hiking up the mountain and crossing the river. Therefore, I guess it would be a good time for a simple and relaxing trip. Let's go to make merit and fill up the stomach this time!

.... I am going to Ayutthaya, the former capital of Thailand. Ayutthaya is close to Bangkok so it is possible for a day trip or one-night stay is not a bad idea either (I choose to stay overnight because I would like to capture the city at night and in early morning). Moreover, the traveling expenses are very cheap. A day trip for 2 persons won't be over 500 THB.

.... We are traveling by free train from Hua Lamphong Station. There are trains departing to Ayutthaya at 4.20 / 7.00 / 9.25 / 11.20 / 13.45 / 14.05 / 16.30 / 17.25 / 18.20. The total traveling time is about one hour and a half (Apart from Hua Lamphong Station, you can also take the train from Sam Sen, Bang Khen, Lak Si, and Don Muang but please check for the departure time at that specific station once again!).

.... I choose the train that departs at 11.20 AM because once we arrive in Ayutthaya, it would be the same time that we can check in into our accommodation and we can unpack directly. Then we can spend the rest of the afternoon exploring the city. We have arrived in Ayutthaya around 1 PM and we are ready to rock this trip so let's go!

++ For more of my previous trips please go here https://www.facebook.com/thaibackpack/ ++

.... Then we walk out of the station and cross to the other side of the road. Here, there are many motorbike and bicycle rental service providers. The rental fee is reasonable. The bicycle rental fee ranges from 30 - 100 THB depending on its model and condition. On the other hand, the motorbike rental fee starts from 150 THB.

... Or you can walk through the alley to find the ferry to Ayutthaya City Island, then rent a bicycle or motorbike over there. However, you have to keep in mind that the rental fee there will be higher. For me, I choose to stay not far from the train station, therefore; I take the ferry and walk around Ayutthaya City Island and I will rent a motorbike from my hotel.

The ferry costs 5 THB per person.

The bicycle rental fee on Ayutthaya City Island

If you are too lazy to ride a bicycle and can't ride a motorbike, you can get a private tour as well. I am not sure how much it will cost but I think you better not to be lazy to ride a bike. hahaha

.... There are mainly archaeological attractions in Ayutthaya but there is also a floating market. Each spot is not far from one another. Hence, it is very easy for you to create your own travel plan. I would recommend you to travel outside Ayutthaya City Island first before exploring Ayutthaya City Island. Anyway, I won't put the attractions I visit in order in this travel blog but I have a map to show you instead. This would help you to plan your trip easily and for better direction, you can use Google map right away.

Here you are!... The map

Wat Yai Chai Mongkol is outside Ayutthaya City Island. You can find it on the bottom right corner of the map above. It may look far from everything but it is actually not.

There is a noodle restaurant in front of the temple so don't forget to give it a try!

Wat Mahathat is considered as the highlight attraction of Ayutthaya trip because of its well-known stone Buddha head entwined in tree roots.

Wat Chaiwatthanaram is another temple located outside Ayutthaya City Island. It is a huge temple and you can find it very charming at night with all the lighting (but there is a lot of mosquitoes).

Ayothaya Floating Market is a must to visit for a chill walk, good foods, and local souvenirs. There are also an elephant ride through old town and remarkable performance.

Wat Na Phra Men is known for stone Buddha head entwined in tree roots as same as Wat Mahathat. The difference is that the stone Buddha head here entwined in bodhi tree roots that grow over the pagoda.

Wat Maheyong is a very quiet and peaceful temple. There are numbers of enormous archaeological sites here.

Wat Kudi Dao is a sister temple of Wat Maheyong located close to each other. Wat Kudi Dao is big and very beautiful.

Wat Ratchaburana is located right next to Wat Mahathat so you can walk there directly from Wat Mahathat.

Wat Lokayasutharam is massive and there is a gigantic reclining Buddha as well.

Chao Phrom Market is a big market full with foods and drinks. The highlights are the tasty Centella Asiatica juice, and delicious pork meatballs at the ancient noodle restaurant.

One more thing that I love in this trip is the coffee topped with local cotton candy at Busaba Cafe in front of Wat Mahathat.

.... The train departure time from Ayutthaya back to Bangkok are 5.27 / 6.08 / 7.11 / 8.26 / 9.01 / 10.27 / 12.14 / 19.16 / 18.48.

.... It is raining these days so don't forget to bring an umbrella along! But the rain cools the weather down, hence; it is not too hot.

.... There are so many more temples in Ayutthaya waiting for you to explore. So, plan your trip whether a day trip or even one-night stay! We are Thai so we travel in Thailand ...

.... Thank you

/thaibackpack