Ayutthaya Temples Day Trips from Bangkok

Whatever your preferences, one thing is for sure: Ayutthaya tours are an excellent way to get to know the history and culture of Thailand and here are options for all tastes. Join me!

Carla Yaquer

Carla Yaquer

6 min read

Ayutthaya Temples Day Trips from Bangkok

Excursión en Bangkok |©Bruce Eder

The Kingdom of Ayutthaya is a living, breathing reminder of Thailand's rich cultural heritage. It is a historic place that is home to magnificent temples, royal palaces, ancient ruins and beguiling landscapes that simply take your breath away. Booking a tour to Ayutthaya from Bangkok is one of the best things you can do on your trip to Thailand, and it's no wonder that more and more people are exploring the glorious past of this mighty kingdom.

Excursion from Bangkok to Ayutthaya

Ayutthaya|©Massimiliano Rossi
Ayutthaya|©Massimiliano Rossi

If you want to comfortably and fully experience Ayutthaya Historical Park, booking a tour to Ayutthaya from Bangkok is the perfect choice for you.

Ayutthaya Historical Park is a fascinating place full of history and culture where you can see impressive monuments:

  • Wat Mahathat, famous for its stone Buddha head entwined in the roots of a Bengal tree that continues to rise daily.
  • Wat Chaiwatthanaram, with its imposing stone chedis resting on an army of elephants.
  • Wat Phra Si Sanphet, the temple that served as the model for Bangkok' s Temple of the Emerald Buddha.
  • Wat Lokayasutharam, with its gigantic statue of reclining Buddha: 42 meters long by 8 meters high.

In addition to visiting these highlights, lunch included and water at your disposal and, of course, transportation by air-conditioned vehicle and the accompaniment of an expert guide are included.

Details of interest

  • Price: 32 € per person.
  • Duration: 7 hours and 30 minutes.
  • What you should know: it is common to hire this kind of tours in Spanish, so you will not have any inconvenience with the language.
  • What the tour includes: round trip transportation from Bangkog or even from your accommodation. Lunch. Bottled water. Transportation service in air-conditioned vehicle. Expert local guide service.
  • Pros: the convenience of a private transfer to and from Bangkok is a great advantage of this type of customizable tour.
  • Cons: on weekends during the high season the temples are often crowded with tourists, so even if the tour is customized, the experience may suffer.

Book a tour to Ayutthaya from Bangkok

Private Ayutthaya tour from Bangkok

monkeys playing in the water|©Mark G
monkeys playing in the water|©Mark G

If you want to combine the convenience of not having to worry about all the logistical aspects with the utmost flexibility, booking a private tour to Ayutthaya from Bangkok is definitely the best option for you.

The tour can be customized according to your tastes and interests, but in general the most important points are the following:

  • Wat Lokayasutharam.
  • Wat Phra Phra Si Sanphet.
  • Wat Mahathat.
  • Wat Chaiwatthanaram.
  • Wat Ratchaburana. It is a different place of worship, since in its architecture Indian influences can be appreciated.
  • Chao Sam Phraya Museum, which houses the royal ornaments found in Wat Ratchaburana and Wat Mahathat.

Details of interest

  • Price: from 106 € per person.
  • Duration: 9 hours.
  • What you should know: the tour admits a maximum of 15 people.
  • What the tour may include: professional guide service. Transportation by air-conditioned vehicle to and from Bangkok or your hotel. Lunch at local restaurant. Bottled water.
  • Pros: this is one of the most complete tours you can do in one day to discover the beauty of Ayutthaya in its intimate and touristic side at the best price.
  • Cons: this activity is often offered only in English.

Book a private tour to Ayutthaya from Bangkok

Damnoen Saduak and Ayutthaya floating market tour from Bangkok

Damnoen Saduak Floating Market|©John Alexander
Damnoen Saduak Floating Market|©John Alexander

The tour will start with pick-up from your hotel, from where you will head southwest to reach the open-air market located on the railway tracks in Mae Klong. Here, you will have the opportunity to see all kinds of local products and, if you are lucky, you can watch the train pass through the center of the market.

Afterwards, the tour will continue to the popular Damnoen Saduak floating market, where local vendors offer their wares from traditional boats. You will board one of these boats and enjoy a unique Thai-style shopping experience.

After enjoying some free time for lunch and exploring the area, the tour will continue to one of Asia's representative architectural gems: Ayutthaya Park, one of the focal points of the ancient Kingdom of Siam from the 14th to the 18th century. Here, you will visit the ruins of the three main temples of the area:

  • Wat Mahathat.
  • Wat Yai Chai Mongkol.
  • Wat Pra Sri Sanphet.

Details of interest

  • Price: from 75 €.
  • Duration: between 6 and 11 hours, varies depending on the destination combinations you choose.
  • What you need to know: wear very comfortable shoes, this day will be a day of total exploration, cardio, adventure and fun!
  • What the tour may include: entrance fees and taxes to the palace, temples and floating market. Transportation in air-conditioned minivan. Local guide service in your language.
  • Pros: having the opportunity to enjoy both experiences in one tour is convenient and practical.
  • Cons: This type of tour often does not include food and beverages.

Book a tour to Ayutthaya from Bangkok

Ayutthaya group tour and cruise from Bangkok

Ayutthaya River Sun Cruise|©Nabil Akkad
Ayutthaya River Sun Cruise|©Nabil Akkad

Day tours to the Kingdom of Ayutthaya include visits to must-see temples and ruins in Asia according to Traveler, but how about raising the stakes with a boat ride with one of the best cruise excursions from Bangkok? That's the experience on offer with this type of Ayutthaya group tour and cruise.

This tour combines an exciting cruise on the Chao Phraya River with a ride on a comfortable air-conditioned bus and begins at the port of Khlong Toei, where you board a luxury boat for a relaxing river cruise from which you can:

  • Admire iconic landmarks such as the Temple of Dawn and the Grand Palace in Bangkok.
  • Enjoy a delicious buffet-style lunch with a variety of national and international food.

After the cruise, the group will change transportation to board a bus to head to Ayutthaya province, where you will visit Wat Lokayasutharam, Wat Phra Sri Sanphet, Wat Mahathat Ayutthaya and Wat Chaiwattanaram.

Details of interest

  • Price: from 64 € per person.
  • Duration: 9 hours.
  • What you should know: this tour is not recommended for pregnant women or people with small children.
  • What the tour may include: all entrance fees to temples and palaces visited. Chao Phraya river cruise. Buffet lunch. Transfer by bus.
  • Pros: the price is convenient. This sea and land tour of Thailand is quite complete, ideal for families and groups of friends.
  • Cons: Groups can be large. Attention is less personalized. The guide service is usually in Thai and English.

Book a tour to Ayutthaya from Bangkok

Small group tour to Ayutthaya from Bangkok

tourists in front of the temple|©Sura Ark
tourists in front of the temple|©Sura Ark

If you are looking for an exciting, cheap and convenient way to discover Ayutthaya from Bangkok, a small group tour may be the perfect option. This tour includes an expert guide, all entrance fees and lunch at a local restaurant. You can choose to travel in a comfortable air-conditioned vehicle or join the tour at the first stop at Wat Lokaya Sutha.

The next stop is Wat Phra Sri Sanphet and then you will visit Wat Mahathat and enjoy lunch at a local Thai restaurant, where your guide will be available to recommend local culinary specialties.

To conclude the tour the group will approach Wat Chaiwattanaram temple. The architecture of this place is imposing and reminiscent of the temple of Angkor Wat in Cambodia. Here you can stroll through the monumental grounds and marvel at its beauty. Finally, you will be driven back to your point of origin.

Details of interest

  • Price: from 35 € per person.
  • Duration: from 7 to 8 hours.
  • What you should know: this tour usually follows a less flexible itinerary of activities, however, it is functional to spend a day in the ruins of Ayutthaya.
  • What the tour may include: lunch. Round trip transportation service. Bottled water. Expert guide service. Entrance fees to the temples.
  • Pros: this tour allows you to have a quick overview of the main points of interest in the area.
  • Cons: Shuttle service to and from your hotel is an additional cost. Often not offered in English.

Book a private tour to Ayutthaya from Bangkok

Tips for a tour to Ayutthaya from Bangkok

Ayutthaya the former capital of Thailand.|©Nac Datta
Ayutthaya the former capital of Thailand.|©Nac Datta
  • Take care of the dress code: although Thailand is one of the countries with a tropical climate, and in summer, for example, the 30 °C are usually a constant, you should wear pants and cover your shoulders to enter the temples.
  • If you have a trip to Ayutthaya in your sights among your things to do in Bangkok with kids, take into consideration that the hikes are long.
  • If you decide to stay with Airbnb.... you will probably have to provide a central pick-up point to the tour company. For safety reasons, those who offer transportation services only go through hotels in the area.

Book a tour to Ayutthaya from Bangkok