Soon after my solo trip to Erawan National Falls (which was great), my friends and I booked rooms at a hostel in Bangkok and went to Ayutthaya – the former capital of Siam for a day. It turned out to be one of my favorite places to visit of all time. There was so much history everywhere you looked. I felt so peaceful surrounded by the Buddha’s, and I couldn’t believe the buildings were still in such good shape. As an archaeologist, ancient sites and landmarks always interest me. The ones in Ayutthaya were amazing, and I have seen some spectacular ancient places.
What made this place so distinctive, for me at least, were the lack of tourists (it was busy, but not super crowded), and the immeasurable feeling of peace and history that seemed to radiate from the bricks themselves. Being only a train ride away from Bangkok, I may go back often.
My friends and I arrived around noon and left around 4:30 p.m. Despite the short time, we were still able to see a lot of the history. That’s because the best way to get around Ayutthaya, especially in a group, is to rent a songthaew. (Kind of like a pickup truck that’s been modified with benches across the back). The cost is fixed for 4 hours and then you pay extra for any additional hours. Our driver took us to a great place for lunch, and knew the best sites to see. We did not know what we wanted to see, except the Buddha in the tree, so having the guide was helpful because she took us to beautiful temples and shared some of the history.
As we arrived at lunchtime our guide took us to an amazing Thai restaurant where we shared everything and ate so much good food, it was some of the best Thai foods I have had so far. My face in the photo below shows how much I loved it and how good it all looked. After lunch our driver took us to Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon. Built in the 1300’s as a Buddhist temple, this impressive monastery is still active today. The main area is bordered by seated Buddha’s and you are able to go inside to see the views from above and throw a wish into a Thai well. The temple also has a small reclining Buddha and we were able to see them change its wrappings. This was a beautiful ceremony and I was very grateful to have witnessed it.
Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon
Next we headed over to Wat Mahathat, where the famous Buddha Head in the Tree is located. This temple is situated in the center of Ayutthaya but its date has not yet been established, although it was most likely built in the 14th century. The complex, which houses enshrined relics of the Buddha, was extremely important in the Kingdom of Ayutthaya. It was the religious center of the city, and was in close proximity to the Grand Palace. Important royal ceremonies and celebrations were held there, and it has many different statues, temples, and buildings. The most famous of these is the Buddha Head in the Tree. How this image became entangled in the tree’s roots remains a mystery to archaeologists and historians, but the head is beautiful, breathtaking, and worth going to see. The Buddha looks peaceful, happy, and completely at ease at being part of the tree. No matter how it got there it looked like it belonged.
Wat Mahathat
The last temple we had time to see was Wat Thammikarat, which is located next to a Grand Palace. This ancient place of worship was built by Phraya Thammikarat before Ayutthaya was firmly established as a city. Not as commonly visited by tourists – it’s a bit out of the way – makes it a very serene site. Lion statues stand guard, a multi-headed Nagas (a mythical serpent-type spirit) offer additional protection and rooster statues dot the landscape. The quietness of this ruin was a nice change to the busy-ness of the other temples.
Wat Thammikarat
I loved all three of the temples, but my favorite image of all was the Buddha in the Tree at Wat Mahathat. If you ever go to Ayutthaya do not worry about seeing all of the many monasteries, but rather spend quality time at a few so you can soak up the history of these ancient, sacred sites.
After our day in Ayutthaya my friends and I took a train back to Bangkok and arrived in time for dinner. We went to the Wine Connection, a chain Italian restaurant in Thailand, and had a great time eating amazing foods and enjoying the good wine. After a day of touring and eating we were ready to walk around Bangkok and see what the area had to offer. While wandering around, we were asked if we wanted to see a show at a fixed rate. Once we arrived and spent about 30+ minutes we were told that the fixed rated didn’t exist – instead of the 300 Baht per person originally promised, they were trying to charge us 1000 Baht per person. We left. But it was a valuable reminder that we should always be on our guard no matter how comfortable we feel. In every country there will be some people who will try their hardest to rip off tourists. And large cities, like Bangkok, are often the worst places. The best part of the experience was that we decided to end the days with a massage. Massages after a day of traveling are always a good idea and make the day seem less long.
Wat Mahathat
Wat Thammikarat
I would recommend going to Ayutthaya one day if you love history, ruins, Buddhism, or just want to get out of Bangkok. It is totally worth it to get on a train and go to Ayutthaya; you only need a day if you have limited time.
