Asia City Hopping Thailand

Is Ayutthaya Closed During Covid-19? The Best Day Trip From Bangkok

by Tsvete Popp 4. March 2021

Table of Content

Ayutthaya, the former capital of Thailand, is situated in the rich rice plains of the Chao Phraya River basin, about 90 km north of Bangkok. Ayutthaya was the major Kingdom that lasted more than 400 years. The Kingdom consolidated its position as the leading power in what is now central and north-central Thailand. Back in the days, many of Ayutthaya’s neighbours called the country “Siam” or a name similar to it, the Tai of Ayutthaya came to be known as the Siamese.

Tai kings succeeded in pushing back the Khmer, and in 1431 they even conquered their great capital of Angkor. Ayutthaya’s rulers adopted many of the Hindu ideas and practices that had been followed by the Khmer, including the concept of the ruler as god-king. That is the reason why many of the temples look similar to the temples of Angkor in Cambodia.

Ayutthaya was one of the wealthiest and most cosmopolitan cities in the world during the 17th century. However, in 1569 Burmese (Myanmar) overran Ayutthaya and devastated the countryside for miles around. For the second time in the 18th century, Burma managed to win the war against Ayutthaya, and all its works of art was destroyed or stolen…The majority of the monasteries, temples and palaces were destroyed during this invasion. However, several structures have been restored and tourists are welcome to visit these wonderful Ayutthaya attractions.

In 2018 we missed the train to the former capital of Thailand due to our jetlag… This year, we managed to visit Ayuttaya on a day trip from Bangkok! We organized everything alone, as always. In this post, I will show you briefly how much money you can save when you do your own research and bookings.

To have the information, we asked in a private Facebook group about a driver to Ayuttaya and we contacted some of them. A private car from Bangkok to Ayuttaya and back would have cost 4000 THB. This doesn't include the entries to the temples or your lunch.

We decided to book everything on our own. Yesterday we woke up at 5:30, had our breakfast, and headed to the MRT Blue line. After 6 stops we arrived for 56 THB (2 Tickets) at the central railway station in Bangkok. We bought 2 tickets for the fastest train to Ayuttaya (2nd class) for 690 THB. When we arrived in Ayuttaya we found a tuk-tuk driver for the whole day – we paid 700 THB. The ticket for the 6 main Temples cost 440 THB (2 tickets). For the lunch, we paid 220 THB (2 people). The train back to Bangkok cost only 40 THB (!!!!) because the train was 3rd class. To be honest, the train was not bad at all! Everyone had 2 seats for social distancing and it was very clean.

The whole trip for 2 people was: 2146 THB (1073 THB pp)

With a private car and Agency would have cost: 4460 THB (2230 THB pp)

So we saved more than 50% by organizing everything by ourselves

… and don't forget the unforgettable experience with the train, the locals, and our tuk-tuk driver!

Where to Stay in Ayuttaya

As you would expect from a major tourist spot in Thailand, Ayuttaya has no shortage of options when it comes to accommodation. As always, I’d suggest you stay somewhere central, to make accessing all the attractions as easy as possible. You can find the best accommodations in Ayuttaya here.

If you are visiting Ayutta on a day trip from Bangkok, here is the summary of the best neighborhoods in the capital city:

If you are on a budget and it is your first time in Bangkok I suggest staying near Khao San Road which is the most famous area for backpackers. If you rather want to have a glimpse into traditional Thai culture, Thonburi would be the right choice for you. Rattanakosin is the best neighborhood if you want to be near some major tourist attractions like Grand Palace, Wat Phra Kaew, Wat Mahathat, and the National Gallery. If you are searching for vivid, hectic, and packed full of people streets, market stalls, and a good choice of gold shops – China Town is the right place to stay. Silom is famous for being the red light district in Bangkok. If you want luxury hotels, European restaurants, and lively nightlife – book a hotel in Sukhumvit.

You can find alternative hotels in Bangkok here.

You can find apartments in Bangkok here (Airbnb + up to 41 € off).

Read more reviews and compare Bangkok hotel prices here.

Thailand Accommodation:

Ready to visit Thailand? Start looking for your next accommodation now while it’s fresh in your mind.

Want stylish accommodation in Thailand you can afford? Find the cheapest prices for the best accommodations possible:

Thailand Flights:

If you are flying to Thailand it is beneficial to use a flight comparison site to find the cheapest flights. I recommend and use Kiwi.com. Click here to compare and book cheap flights to Thailand.

Rental Car in Thailand

Rentalcars.com searches all the big car rental companies in Thailand and finds the best price for you. This is probably the easiest way to rent a car in Thailand and around the World.

Thailand Tours

If you are the type of person who prefers joining a tour, there are all kinds of guided tours around Thailand including Ayuttaya.

Enjoy the day!

*This post contains Affiliate Links. I only recommend high-quality items and services I am confident about. The opinions are completely my own based on my experience.

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