Why take a bus tour when you can have day trip to Thailand's ancient capital Ayutthaya from Bangkok with a private, car and drive. Enjoy a boat ride, river-side lunch and a stop to see the rambling collection of royal summer palaces at Bang Pa-in.
Tour the Victorian-era palaces and grounds of sprawling Bang Pa-In , an historical summer retreat of the Chakri, Thailand&apos;s ruling dynasty. Most of construction was begun under the reign of King Rama IV in the latter half of the 19th century.
The complex includes a number of palaces, separate villas for other members of the royal family, two spectacular throne halls (one resembling a Chinese temple and another that looks lie it had been moved from Versailles), a Chinese throne and even a palatial house boat. Golf carts are available for those who do not want to spend all their time walking.
On our popular Ayutthaya side trip you will venture upcountry to marvel at monuments from ancient Siam's glorious past. Our guests have discovered the advantage of having a personal, knowledgeable guide and private transportation to travel at their own pace, stopping along the way at Bang Pa In, the Summer Palace of Thailand's former Kings. During the day you also get a scenic boat.
If this is your first visit to Ayutthaya, we suggest that you take your time seeing the ruins of what was one of the world&apos;s most important trading capitals in its day.
Wat Yai Chai Mongkul is famous for its peaceful sleeping Buddha, towering chedi (stupa), and plumeria-scented courtyard of meditating Buddhas.
Arrive inside the perimeter of the ancient capital of Ayutthaya and wander through haunting ruins which still evoke the glory of a once-golden kingdom. There are dozens of unique archeological wonders scattered inside this river-ringed metropolis. Your guide knows many rarely-visited sites which have fascinated discerning travelers through the centuries.
Next you can enjoy one or both of the following two activities as part of your Ayutthaya adventure. You can visit a local elephant training camp and enjoy a scenic boat ride to view some of the major monuments as they were designed to be seen - from the waterways of the three rivers which converge on this fabled jewel of Siamese history.
If time allows, you may also visit the lovely historical museum (closed Tuesdays), the Angkor-influenced Wat Chaiwattanaram , or Wat Na Pramen , the only temple to have survived the 17th century blaze set by the invading Burmese Army.
If you have already seen all of the "tourist" things in Ayutthaya your guide suggest other things worth doing in this culturally-rich archaeological park.