Unfortunately, when you mention you visited Ayutthaya in Thailand, most people will ask, “Where?”. Despite it being the ancient capital of Thailand and a UNESCO-listed historic city, Ayutthaya is sadly often overlooked on many backpacker itineraries. To be fair, they don’t have many hostels (other than Nakara) or much of a backpacker nightlife, but Ayutthaya is so worth seeing! Ayutthaya is a healthy dose of culture and history between the nightlife of Bangkok and the nature and elephants of Chiang Mai. You don’t need much time in Ayutthaya, and you won’t even have to detour off of your route to stop there for a day or two.
How many days to spend in Ayutthaya
Many people skip Ayutthaya or visit it as a day trip from Bangkok, given it’s only a 45-minute train ride away. However, visiting Ayutthaya as a day trip feels like a super rushed way to explore the ancient city. If you’re heading to Chiang Mai on the train from Bangkok, you may as well stop off at Ayutthaya for at least a day and a night. If you’ve got some time, two days in Ayutthaya would allow you enough time to explore the city properly.
How to get to Ayutthaya
The majority of people coming to Ayutthaya will be coming via train either from Bangkok or Chiang Mai. All of the sleeper trains between Bangkok and Chiang Mai will stop at Ayutthaya, so it is easy to add a day or two in Ayutthaya to your itinerary without having to detour. Some people may also come from Kanchanaburi via Grab or a private driver (but way less common). Coming from anywhere else in Thailand, you will need to make your way to either Chiang Mai or Bangkok first to get to Ayutthaya. For all train and bus bookings, you can make them at the terminal or online at 12GOAsia. If you are booking a sleeper train from Chiang Mai, make sure you book at least a day or two in advance, as sleeper beds sell out faster.
How to get to Ayutthaya from Bangkok
Ayutthaya is actually pretty close to Bangkok, and there are many easy ways to get between the two destinations. Trains depart regularly from 3 am to 9 pm. The journey is only 45-60 minutes and will cost around 45 THB Thai Baht ($1.30 USD) for a standard seat. Van services depart every hour on the hour from 6 am to 6 pm. The journey takes between 1.5-2 hours and costs 91 THB Thai Baht ($2.60 USD).
How to get to Ayutthaya from Chiang Mai
To get to Ayutthaya from Chiang Mai, you will either need to catch a day train or a sleeper train. There are two-day train options departing at 6:30 am and 8:50 am. The journey can take anywhere between 9 hours and 12 hours, depending on how many stations the train stops at. Tickets can be anywhere from 160-450 THB Thai Baht ($4.50-$13 USD) depending on seat type (e.g. 3rd class fan or 2nd class AC seats). For the sleeper train, there are three options departing at 3:30 pm, 5 pm and 6 pm. The sleeper trains always take at least 12 hours, sometimes more. For a second-class sleeper AC ticket (the recommended ticket type for a night train) it will cost around 722 THB Thai Baht ($21 USD). For the differences between sleeper train ticket types, please see my post on Thailand transport here.
How to get to Ayutthaya from Kanchanaburi
There are two ways of coming from Kanchanaburi to Ayutthaya. The first way would be to get a minibus from Kanchanaburi to Mochit in Bangkok. Then getting another minibus to Ayutthaya. There are regular services from Kanchanaburi to Bangkok and then Bangkok to Ayutthaya, with vans departing every hour from 6 am to 6 pm. It takes around 2-3.5 hours from Kanchanaburi to Bangkok and then between 2.5-2 hours from Bangkok to Ayutthaya. Make sure you allow enough time for delays between buses if you are booking in advance online. Expect to pay 180 THB Thai Baht ($5 USD) total for the two minibuses.
The alternate way to get from Kanchanaburi to Ayutthaya is by getting a Grab car (Uber in South East Asia) between the locations. The drive time is only 2.5 hours, and you take regional roads avoiding Bangkok and all the traffic there. Expect to pay 1330 THB Thai Baht ($38 USD) for a car. The more people you have in the car, the cheaper it will be. If you have four people (the maximum amount), you would pay only 332 THB Thai Baht ($9.5 USD) per person.
How to get around Ayutthaya
Ayutthaya (or at least the old historical part) is quite small and easily walkable. There isn’t public transport like trains and buses, apart from the buses that connect to other cities like Bangkok. However, everything is so close together that there isn’t really a need for buses. The most popular ways to get around are on foot, by bicycle, by Tuk Tuk or by Grab.
Getting around Ayutthaya on foot
If you’re staying at either Nakara Hostel or PK Guesthouse, many things in Ayutthaya will be walkable. The night market (where everyone goes for dinner most nights) is about a 3-minute walk from these hostels. The historical sights and temples are walkable if you have the whole day to spend walking between them. For the temples, it is better to visit them on a bike or a tuk-tuk. Otherwise, it ends up being a long day of walking. Walking around feels extremely safe, even at night, as Ayutthaya has quaint small-town vibes. There aren’t a lot of sidewalks, so sometimes you will have to veer onto the road, but there’s also not that much traffic.
Getting around Ayutthaya by Bicycle
This is one of the best ways to get around Ayutthaya and see all the historical sights! Nakara Hostel rents out bicycles for 60 THB Thai Baht a day ($1.70 USD), which includes a helmet, bike chain and a map of Ayutthaya. There are also many other tour agencies that rent out bicycles as it is such a popular way to get between all the temples. There’s not a lot of traffic around, and locals are super used to tourists on bicycles, so it feels very safe. A lot of the roads between the temples are pedestrian/ bicycle only, or they have a slip lane/ bicycle lane.
Getting around Ayutthaya by Tuk Tuk or Grab
If you want to see the temples but don’t want to rent a bicycle or walk, you can do a Tuk Tuk Tour of the temples. Depending on how many temples you want to go to, how long you want to spend there and how many people you have, a Tuk Tuk Tour can be pretty affordable. You don’t need to book this in advance, there are Tuk Tuks everywhere in the city centre, and all of them do Tuk Tuk day tour prices. Most people spend around 1000 THB Thai Baht ($29 USD) on a 5-hour Tuk Tuk Tour. This is per vehicle, and you can get in anywhere from 1-4 people in a Tuk-Tuk (4 people is a bit of a squeeze, though!).
You will have to haggle to get this price and make sure you are clear on which temples you want to visit. Some temples are further out of town, so the driver may ask for a higher price to visit these. There is also Grab in Ayutthaya; however, there are not as many drivers as in bigger cities, so sometimes you do have to wait a bit for a driver.
Where to stay in Ayutthaya
There really aren’t many hostels in Ayutthaya, and only 3 of them are actually in the old town close to the historical sights. The central part of Ayutthaya is actually an island with rivers surrounding it. Ideally, you want to stay somewhere on this island so you can easily walk to cafes, the night market, bars and historical sights. You can book all accommodation online here.
Nakara Hostel, Ayutthaya
Nakara hostel has a great social vibe, given how few backpackers stay overnight in Ayutthaya! The host tries really hard to make it a family vibe and often takes everyone out to the night market or out for drinks on the weekend. The beds are comfortable and have curtains, they have big lockers and the bathrooms are clean. They have free coffee and toast available in the morning and a couple of chill social areas. Nakara Hostel is located is right in the middle of Ayutthaya, about a 3-minute walk to the night market and a 5-minute walk to the start of the historical sights.
PK Guesthouse, Ayutthaya
This Ayutthaya guesthouse (bookable on HostelWorld) is two doors down from Nakara Hostel. They only do private rooms, so are a good option if you want to treat yourself to a private or need to recharge your social battery. They don’t really have communal areas, so it is harder to meet people here. The rooms are super spacious, with private bathrooms are AC. The location (like Nakara Hostel) is super close to anything you may need so that you can walk everywhere in Ayutthaya.
What to do in Ayutthaya
There is basically one main activity in Ayutthaya: temple hopping and exploring the ancient city. Some people squeeze this activity into one afternoon (if they are on a day trip from Bangkok). If you are staying overnight, one full day is generally enough for most people to visit enough temples for their liking. If you are really into archeology or photography, you may want to consider two days for the temples. There are over 41 temples and historical sights in Ayutthaya, and you probably won’t get close to doing them all. Most people will choose anywhere between 5-10 of the biggest, most impressive or most unique sights and visit those.
Getting around between each of the temples, you can walk, rent a bicycle (highly recommended) or get a Tuk Tuk. Some temples are literally next to each other, and some are around a 20-minute walk (or 10-minute cycle) away. You can visit the temples in any order; just remember they open at around 8 am and close at 6 pm. I have a map of the temples that I visited and the order to visit them below:
As you will be visiting temples and sacred sights, you will need to dress conservatively, covering your knees, shoulders, and stomach and not wearing anything see-through or low-cut. You can purchase sarongs, pants and other coverups at vendors outside pretty much every temple. Some temples are free, but some have a small entry price (usually about a dollar). If you plan on going to more than 5 of the main temples, consider getting a 2-day temple pass. This costs 220 THB Thai Baht ($6.30 USD). You can purchase this at any of the main temples.
Wat Mahathat
If you’re following my map, this is the first stop and probably the most famous in Ayutthaya! For anyone that has looked into Ayutthaya at all, chances are you have seen photos of the Buddha’s face protruding from the tree roots. If you only see one temple, this is the one you should visit and take a photo in front of the famous Buddha face!
Wat Ratchaburana
Just opposite Wat Mahathat is Wat Ratchaburana, a 15th-century Buddhist temple. This temple was built to mark the final resting place of King Borommarachathirat II’s older brothers, who both died in a duel fighting over the throne.
Wat Phra Si Sanphet
This was probably one of my favourite temples! It features three large Chedi (Buddhist dome-shaped buildings) and is one of the most impressive to walk around.
Wihan Phra Mongkhon Bophit
Right next to Wat Phra Si Sanphet, you should stop here if you want to see a big (like extremely big) Gold Buddha. At any given time, there is a queue of Thai people wanting to pay respects to the Buddha. You do have to take your shoes off and leave them on the steps to enter.
Wat Phra Ram
Another impressive ancient temple that makes you feel like Lara Croft, Tomb Raider, walking around it. Wat Phra Ram is about a 2-minute walk from Wihan Phra Mongkhon Bophit and Wat Phra Si Sanphet. It does have lakes and parklands surrounding it, where we saw the biggest monitor lizard ever!
Wat Loyaka Sutharam
This stop is a little bit further out (a 10-minute cycle) but worth it! It features an incredibly large Buddha (42 metres large) lying down, which is super impressive.
Wat Na Phra Meru Rachikaram
This stop is in the north of Ayutthaya and features a white temple with traditional Thai gold ornamentation along the roof. Nobody actually knows who made this temple or why, but they assume it marks the final resting place of a member of the royal family.
Wat Thammikarat
This is the final stop and is the ruins of an old monastery featuring pillars, a reclining Buddha and a Chedi (Buddhist dome-shaped buildings).
If you’re not templed out by this stage, or you have more than one day in Ayutthaya, below are some recommendations for other popular temples and sights you could visit:
- Wat Chaiwatthanaram
- Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon
- Wat Phanan Choeng Worawihan
Where to eat in Ayutthaya
Although their 41+ temples and historical sites take up a lot of prime real estate in Ayutthaya, squeezed into a small area, there are still a lot of cafes and restaurants around. There is also a very good night market, which runs every night of the week in the city centre.
Ayutthaya Night Market
Ayutthaya Night Market is small but has a great range of reasonably priced food! You can find the exact location on Google Maps; it is literally Ayutthaya Night Market. Otherwise, it starts on the corner of Bang Lan Road and Chikun Alley. They also sell clothes and handicrafts further down Bang Lan Road once you walk past all the food stalls.
Brick Wall Coffee
A cute little coffee shop and eatery! They have seating inside and in their garden terrace out the back. They serve amazing Thai iced teas and coffees. For food, you can get Thai Food, Western food, pastries and cakes.
Chirp Cafe
The most instragrammable cafe in Ayutthaya! They are a little pricier than other breakfast/brunch options but worth it for a treat-yourself meal. They serve mainly Western brunch options and have a large range of Thai iced teas and coffees.
Ayutthaya Nightlife
Ayutthaya is a pretty sleeper town in terms of backpacker and tourist nightlife. As a lot of people visit for day trips, the town is pretty quiet of a night.
Coffee house
If you do want to go out, the closest thing Ayutthaya has to nightlife is Coffee House. They’re open from 6 pm until midnight every day. They have live music every Friday and Saturday night, and it does get quite busy! It is mainly seating areas (no dancefloor), but some people dance at their tables. Ideally, try and get a table in the beer garden area, but otherwise, they do have tables inside, but they’re a bit quieter.
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