Visiting Ayutthaya: the Ancient Capital

A few years back, a good friend of mine visited Thailand. I distinctively remember her shots of hidden temples, laced with tomb-raider style vines and surrounded by exotic jungle. These pictures were of course taken whilst visiting Ayutthaya, the famous ancient city home to some of the most famous temples in the world. Within 20 minutes of arriving at our hotel in Bangkok, I had asked our hotel guide to book us in for the morning tour, which also included a stop to the Summer Palace and a cruise along the Chao Phraya river back to the heart of Bangkok.

We set off at 07:00am to our meeting point in the city centre. We were still rather jet-lagged and tired from the day before, and were slightly struggling with the sheer heat and humidity that Bangkok in April delivered. Fortunately for us, when we arrived at our coach we were greeted with air-con; just what we needed! When the rest of the group arrived, we began our coach journey to stop number one; the Summer Palace, about one hours drive from the city centre. Along the way, we got our first taste of the Thai countryside, as once we left the hustle and bustle of Bangkok, we travelled through vast fields and rice paddies, with stalks featuring frequently. Our guide for the day was a local man called Tom, who stood at the front of the bus and kept us entertained during the journey, telling us fun and interesting facts about Bangkok and Thailand. He also had a very good sense of humour, which kept us laughing through the majority of the initial leg.

Tom made sure that we were aware of the rules in the Summer Palace, as they are very different to rules that we have back at home in the UK. For starters, you are not allowed to wear any shorts in the grounds. Having heard this before, Jack had opted to wear some chinos. However, when the temperature is as hot as it was, wearing skinny trousers is probably not the best option, and so Tom said that the palace provide the opportunity for you to buy your classic ‘gap-year’ style elephant trousers at the gate, and simply pop them over your shorts. Once we had made it past the entrance, and Jack was rocking some bright red elephant trousers (LOL), we began to explore. Tom had said before that there were elephants that lived within the grounds, and as we passed through the gate we saw them; all green and beautiful. Yes, you read that right, the palace has a ‘herd’ of impeccably pruned elephant-shaped bushes, each with their own distinctive features. Some were little babies, others stood broad and strong.

The palace grounds were strikingly beautiful, with vivid colour-pops at every opportunity. There were also a wide variety of birds that lived amongst the trees and bushes, each with their own exotic-sounding call. The architecture was equally as impressive, with imposing towers and temples that made up the richly pretty grounds. It really was a sanctuary of tranquillity, something that one would not expect so close to the bustling city of Bangkok.

After we explored the palace, we were back on the coach again to the main event; the temples of Ayutthaya. It may surprise you to learn that Ayutthaya is actually the city itself rather than just the temple ruins, and it used to be the capital of the Kingdom of Siam in ancient times. Across the city you can find many Buddhist temples, monasteries and ancient statues each with their own unique shapes and features. We were told that we would visit a few, all based within the Ayutthaya Historical Park, a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site, starting with the famous Wat Phra Mahthat. This particular temple has one of the most famous and most photographed spots in the city of Ayutthaya; a Buddha head set in a huge and deep-rooted tree. It is thought that this came about following an immense flooding and the rapid growth of vegetation that followed, consuming the buddha head into the winding vines of the nearby tree. Alike all Buddhist sites in Thailand, Wat Phra Mahthat provided a peaceful space for us to enjoy, and eventually we sat down on a bench to relax in the sun and soak up our mystical surroundings.

The second temple on our tour was the famous Wat Phra Sri Sanphet (Temple of the Holy, Splendid and Omniscient); arguably the most sacred temple in the city. This temple was allegedly the Westminster Abbey of Thailand in more ancient times, and the temple was reserved exclusively for Royal activities… not even monks were allowed to live there. Wat Phra Sri Sanphet was apparently built on old palace ground and is made up of three chedis (or chapels) – all that was left of the temple after it was destroyed by the Burmese in 1767. Nowadays the ruins serve as a tourist hotspot, where surprisingly a lot of stray dogs call home. Nonetheless, it is a place of magic and wonder that can only be appreciated fully through being there.

Walking around the grounds of this temple was again relaxing, with the only sounds coming from interesting and unique birdsong high above us in the canopy. Large geckos also could frequently be seen or heard, and every so often we would see a lizard run across the track. The only thing that stopped us from being transported to an Indiana Jones universe was the number of tourists, and the activity that went on around the site. Unfortunately, it is right on a main road, and a company uses its grounds as a base to host elephant rides, something which Jack and I don’t agree with. Once you had set that aside in your head however, it was easy to imagine being transported deep into the Asian jungle, with nothing but forgotten temples, birds, monkeys and tigers to keep you company. It was indeed, a very special place.

All of this walking left us feeling rather famished, and we were told that a feast awaited us on a boat slightly downstream. This boat was also going to take us on a two-hour cruise back to Bangkok whilst we tucked into our Thai banquet! We both opted for a sweet chilli fish curry, which was our first taste of Thailand on the trip. The flavours were delicious, and as we polished off our plates we could enjoy the views of the Thai river banks. We saw small fishing villages and temples scattered along the banks, and were fortunate enough to see these parts of Thailand which few tourists can say they have experienced. As we got approached Bangkok, we headed out onto the deck ready for our look at some of Bangkok’s most iconic landmarks. Our cruise took us past the Grand Palace, Wat Arun and towards the imposing high rise buildings that make up Bangkok’s impressive skyline.

Our first day had left us eager to explore more of Thailand and we could not wait for the journey ahead.

If you ever are fortunate enough to visit Bangkok, I would fully recommend you visiting Ayutthaya. It was a definitely a highlight of the trip for us both, and transported us both to an age of Thailand which you wouldn’t be able to find in the cities. Visiting Ayuttahaya lived up to my expectations, and in a way I am happy that there are still temples we didn’t have time to see or explore; it means I have an excuse to go again!

Did you know that I also have a YouTube channel? Here is my video, showing you our experience of visiting Ayutthaya..

My Travel Tips and Recommendations

Flights

My usual go-to for booking flights is Skyscanner, the flight search engine. What I love about Skycanner is that you have various options depending on your situation. If you know where you want to go it’s easy – all you need is to search for your destination and dates, and you are provided with all flight options to choose from. If you haven’t decided on your next trip yet, you can use the Everywhere tool for inspiration and to find the cheapest places to fly to.

Accommodation

Whenever I plan my travels Booking.com is my best friend. The website is super easy to use and provides a whole range of accommodation from fancy resorts to budget hotels. Jack and I also regularly use Airbnb – in particular, for staycations in the UK.

Things I can’t travel without

As a travel blogger and keen photographer I never travel without my trusty technology. Always packed are my

Canon EOS M3
GoPro Hero5 Black
I’m also saving for a DJI Mavic Pro

Travel Insurance

It is so important to be prepared for all possibilities when travelling and you simply shouldn’t travel without insurance. When looking for cover I would personally recommend World Nomads or the Post Office – both are affordable and certainly won’t break the bank.