River boat tour of the historic city of Ayutthaya
A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Ayutthaya Historical Park is home to many ancient temples, each more impressive than the last. Just an hour's drive from Bangkok, Ayutthaya is easy to reach by cab, bus, train, or boat for a day trip or a longer stay.
Our tip: get there in the early afternoon and start your immersion with a boat trip on the river that encircles the old town.
We embarked in the late afternoon and let ourselves be guided, discovering another, quieter side of Ayutthaya. Along the way, we admired the many houses and restaurants straddling the river.
First stop: Wat Phanan Choeng
The boat driver stopped at the pontoon in front of the Phanan Choeng temple. He suggested a twenty-minute stop. We thought that was more than enough time, but the visit was more captivating than we expected, with the discovery of magnificent Sino-Thai buildings steeped in history.
This temple is famous for the gigantic seated Buddha it houses. Over 700 years old, this 19-metre-high Buddha is considered one of the most beautiful in the country. An impressive collection of 80,000 smaller Buddhas occupies the hundreds of niches in the walls.
Back on our boat, we continued our journey from the Pasak River to the Chao Phraya River.
Second stop: Wat Phutthaisawan
This temple has a less "romantic" atmosphere than the previous one. However, we really enjoyed this quiet visit: the site is large, uncrowded, and very airy.
We enjoyed discovering the reclining Buddha at the temple's rear. We admired the white "Prang," the tall tower typical of Khmer temples, an ancient relic of the Khmer invasion.
The site has many surprising statues, such as the cobra protecting Buddha in meditation. It's a great site for photographers.
Wat Chaiwatthanaram by sunset
We arrived in front of the Chaiwatthanaram temple just before sunset and wandered around this huge 17th-century site, which has architecture reminiscent of the Angkor temples.
However, it's at sunset that the place transforms and becomes magical: the changing color of the sky, the reflections of light on the red stones, and the illumination of the monuments are splendid.
How to book a sunset tour of Ayutthaya?
You can book this boat tour with your hotel or guesthouse or go directly to the pier, right next to the Hua Ro night market, opposite the Front Palace.
Google map: 9H8F+CX
You can take a seat on an 8-seater boat or hire your own boat for a private cruise. Tickets for a 2-hour tour cost 200 baht per person.
The price of a private boat varies according to the number of people and the tour you want, but remains very reasonable.
Good to know:
Some temples require an entrance ticket.
Ticket price for Wat Phanan Choeng: 20 baht
Ticket price for Wat Chaiwatthanaram: 50 baht
You'll also need to be covered if you want to enter the temples: shoulders covered, pants, shorts, or skirt below the knees.
