On Day 2 of Thailand, we decided to head north to the historic city of Ayutthaya. Ayutthaya is a UNESCO World Heritage Site–and for good reason! The city was built in 1350 and then flourished from the 14th to 18th centuries. It was the second Siamese city and it was destroyed by the Burmese in the 18th Century. And when I say destroyed, the Burmese destroyed almost every structure in the city. So sad! One of my favorite parts of traveling are the ancient cities. It is so amazing exploring areas that were built and occupied so very long ago. Whenever I visit a place like Ayutthaya, I say, “most people don’t get to see this.” I appreciate these experiences so much–never take them for granted!
The Ayutthaya day trip from Bangkok was definitely an uncomfortable adventure–but I’d do it again! The whole day was overwhelmingly hot. I cannot remember a time in my life that was hotter or more humid than my day in Ayutthaya. I felt like everything was melting off of me. Water and shade from the sun gave no relief so we just pushed through it, wore sunscreen, and drank as much water as possible.
It is recommended to take the train from Bangkok to Ayutthaya because it only costs $0.40 each way. The local train to Ayutthaya departs about every hour from Hualamphong Station (www.railway.co.th) and you can purchase your tickets at the station before your train departs–no reservations needed! Third Class is perfectly acceptable to take and if we were not so hot and sweaty than I can imagine it would have been a pleasant experience through the Thai countryside. Third Class does not have Air-Conditioning, but open air windows. Everyone on that train, including the locals, were miserable. The “open air windows” did not produce any type of breeze or cooling system because passengers were packed in like sardines. No airflow–oh my! The trains did have seats, but not enough to accommodate all the passengers so we stood for the two hour ride there and two hour ride back.
It is recommended to explore Ayutthaya by bicycle. There are many shops near the train station to rent bikes. Next time, I will rent a bicycle. We opted to walk the ancient ruins and temples. It was a full day workout–and sweat fest! Caution: The main road–Naresuan Road–near the train stop is very dangerous and chaotic. Be careful as there are no crosswalks or sidewalks for pedestrians. Also, if you prefer, there are Tuk-Tuk’s throughout the area to pick up and drop off. Keep in mind Tuk-Tuk’s are not regulated so you need to bargain with the driver.
Like I said before, our trip to Ayutthaya was exhausting, but totally worth it! The two hour train ride back to Bangkok was pretty terrible, but we survived. As soon as we got to our room at the Renaissance Hotel in Bangkok, we took showers, went to the lounge, poured a drink, and scheduled massages!
love cruising says
Great photos.