Popular Post khaolakguy Posted February 12 Popular Post Posted February 12 As an alternative to whoring or a supplement, you can take boy special(s), I do recommend a day trip to Ayutthaya. There are lots of options for travel, including groups on boats, busses, or smaller groups in minibus etc. Strangely despite my many visits to Thailand, and travelling all over the country, neither I or my Thai partner had been before. So we decided to go but in a more independent and expensive way with a driver, comfortable car, and English speaking guide which allowed us to travel at our own pace. Collected from hotel at 0800 and returned at 1700. Ayutthaya is just WOW, as ruins (mostly) go. We don’t know how it took us so many years to get there. A really great day out and a very informative guide who put the whole experience into a perspective of Thailand’s history. But he also gave us space to wander independently. Having a car and driver meant maximising our time and energy, being dropped off and collected directly from the entrances of the various sites, some of which are quite spread out. Our trip was booked through Trip Adviser and provided by https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g293916-d12567724-Reviews-MAM_Holidays_Thailand-Bangkok.html and cost around 11,000 Baht. It might be cheaper to go directly to Mam holidays. The itinerary is below. Recommended, we both had a memorable and informative day. Private tour(what’s included) Hotel pickup and drop-off at Bangkok City Area Transportation by Air-con private car Professional English speaking guide Fuel surcharge Landing and facility fees Lunch Entry/Admission - Wat Mahathat Entry/Admission - Bang Pa In Palace Entry/Admission - Wihan Phra Mongkhon Bophit Entry/Admission - Wat Phra Sri Sanphet Entry/Admission - Temple of the Reclining Buddha (Wat Lokayasutharam) Entry/Admission - Historic City of Ayutthaya Entry/Admission - Wat Yai Chai Mongkol What's Not Included Personal expenses Cancellation policy You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund. bkkmfj2648, jamiebee, BL8gPt and 7 others 10 Quote
Keithambrose Posted February 12 Posted February 12 9 hours ago, khaolakguy said: As an alternative to whoring or a supplement, you can take boy special(s), I do recommend a day trip to Ayutthaya. There are lots of options for travel, including groups on boats, busses, or smaller groups in minibus etc. Strangely despite my many visits to Thailand, and travelling all over the country, neither I or my Thai partner had been before. So we decided to go but in a more independent and expensive way with a driver, comfortable car, and English speaking guide which allowed us to travel at our own pace. Collected from hotel at 0800 and returned at 1700. Ayutthaya is just WOW, as ruins (mostly) go. We don’t know how it took us so many years to get there. A really great day out and a very informative guide who put the whole experience into a perspective of Thailand’s history. But he also gave us space to wander independently. Having a car and driver meant maximising our time and energy, being dropped off and collected directly from the entrances of the various sites, some of which are quite spread out. Our trip was booked through Trip Adviser and provided by https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g293916-d12567724-Reviews-MAM_Holidays_Thailand-Bangkok.html and cost around 11,000 Baht. It might be cheaper to go directly to Mam holidays. The itinerary is below. Recommended, we both had a memorable and informative day. Private tour(what’s included) Hotel pickup and drop-off at Bangkok City Area Transportation by Air-con private car Professional English speaking guide Fuel surcharge Landing and facility fees Lunch Entry/Admission - Wat Mahathat Entry/Admission - Bang Pa In Palace Entry/Admission - Wihan Phra Mongkhon Bophit Entry/Admission - Wat Phra Sri Sanphet Entry/Admission - Temple of the Reclining Buddha (Wat Lokayasutharam) Entry/Admission - Historic City of Ayutthaya Entry/Admission - Wat Yai Chai Mongkol What's Not Included Personal expenses Cancellation policy You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund. I used Siam Roads, Mac, plus driver. 6,000 Bt, but I paid for lunch, for the 3 of us. I agree it's an interesting site. I wanted to see some smaller temples, off the main drag, and at a couple, I was the only tourist! Quote
khaolakguy Posted February 13 Author Posted February 13 Mam Holidays Thailand Co Ltd +66804101536 Quote
Members daydreamer Posted February 13 Members Posted February 13 I have visited Ayutthaya a few times, the last trip being one year ago. Since I had a native Ayutthaya boy accompanying me, I rented a car in Bangkok, and I drove there, with him acting as private tour guide once we arrived in Ayutthaya. We left Silom about 9 AM, took our time, and arrived back in Bangkok about 6 PM, visiting several historic sites in Ayutthaya. I rely on using the Here We Go phone app (now called Here) for driving navigation everywhere in Thailand. It's an easy drive, it only took us about 90 minutes to reach Ayutthaya from Silom. If you don't have a Thai drivers license, and plan to drive, you would need an International Driving Permit booklet, obtained from your home country. The IDP is only valid for one year. I buy a new IDP yearly. TMax, BL8gPt and reader 3 Quote
bkkmfj2648 Posted February 13 Posted February 13 12 hours ago, khaolakguy said: Ayutthaya is just WOW, as ruins (mostly) go. We don’t know how it took us so many years to get there. A really great day out and a very informative guide who put the whole experience into a perspective of Thailand’s history. I totally agree with your assessment of Ayutthaya. I went for the first time back in September 2024 with my 2 cleaning ladies and one of their husbands. They had been telling me that we were going to go to pray for my birthday - which was at the end of August and asked me to choose a date for all of us to go to the temple. The date was chosen and they told me that they would pick me up from my condo at 6am - I was like - that is such a crazy start time - but I know that they are super busy all the time as they clean in most of the nearby View Talays here in Jomtien - so I accepted this early start time. Well, we start driving for like 3 hours when I see that we have already passed Bangkok and I see them exiting at the Ayutthaya exit and I understood that we were not going to just visit a nearby Wat temple in Pattaya. I was elated, as Ayutthaya had been on my bucket list for a long time. It was an extremely long day, as we visited 9 distinct Wat temples. We returned to Jomtien at 9:30pm the same day totally exhausted, but truly rewarded from this amazing cultural adventure. By the way, I posted a short update about my experience in this forum back in September about my visit to the Wat Mongkhon Bophit where there are the food stalls and souvenir shops outside of the Wat temple - as my 2 cleaning ladies insisted that I meet the very famous Kai Jae Kalamae personality, who appeared on the Thai national TV talk show = "แฉ" (chae). Besides the Kalamae กะละแม (Sweet Sticky Candy) that he produces, he is also famous for his lottery picking dance, which is shown in the below Chae TV "แฉ" video. @khaolakguy - did you meet this crazy Thai guy at the Wat Mongkhon Bophit ? He is truly a unique personality. Lastly, did you try any of the famous and yummy Roti Sai Mai that is made in Ayutthaya ? vinapu, jamiebee, FunFifties and 1 other 4 Quote
Popular Post TMax Posted February 13 Popular Post Posted February 13 Some years back I booked a trip to Autthaya through a small travel agent in Soi Thaniya (just around the Surawong corner) and cost 1800 baht, the tour was done through the Tourism Authority of Thailand. Itinerary was hotel pick-up by minivan at 8am, Bang Pa In and then Autthaya, the return was bus to a pier and river boat with buffet lunch back to Bangkok. Turned into a really nice day trip (even though it was a stinking hot day) and the boat ride back was nice and relaxing which got back to Bangkok around 6pm. Would have been much nicer with a private tour but I didn't mind going with a small group and all in all a very good day out. BL8gPt, reader, splinter1949 and 2 others 5 Quote
Popular Post khaolakguy Posted February 13 Author Popular Post Posted February 13 1 hour ago, bkkmfj2648 said: By the way, I posted a short update about my experience in this forum back in September about my visit to the Wat Mongkhon Bophit This Wat was the only negative of my trip. I am not comfortable with extreme commercialisation of religious or historic places, particularly when supported by booming loud speakers urging people to donate twenty baht etc etc. There was even a stall selling bras and panties! Advantage of the independent guide was that without lingering we could move directly on to the impressive and peaceful remains of the Royal Palace next door and out of loudspeaker range. Which reminds me if travelling to Ayutthaya don't miss the later Royal Palace at Bang Pa In which is beautiful, and usually but not always included in the itineraries. Missed the special roti, but I have had more than my share of rotis over the years, but did try the other speciality the river prawns which were huge and didn't seem any tastier to me than any other prawns! daydreamer, bkkmfj2648, TMax and 2 others 5 Quote
Popular Post vinapu Posted February 13 Popular Post Posted February 13 For those who may balk at 6000 or 11000 quotes in the posts above reminder that Ayuthaya can be visited cheaply , also independently. Train from Bang Sue may be no more than 100 baht if that much and in front o train station in Ayuthaya there are songtaews which can be hired for 600-1000 depending of you negotiating skills for tour of the ruins and return trip to train or van station. Of course much less comfort and one must pay for admissions and meals but savings may be substantial. daydreamer, reader, TMax and 3 others 6 Quote
spoon Posted February 13 Posted February 13 11 minutes ago, vinapu said: For those who may balk at 6000 or 11000 quotes in the posts above reminder that Ayuthaya can be visited cheaply , also independently. Train from Bang Sue may be no more than 100 baht if that much and in front o train station in Ayuthaya there are songtaews which can be hired for 600-1000 depending of you negotiating skills for tour of the ruins and return trip to train or van station. Of course much less comfort and one must pay for admissions and meals but savings may be substantial. 3rd class seat is even cheaper without aircond and if going alone, opting for motorsai instead of tuktuk will be even cheaper. I did that during my first solo visit to thailand reported here jamiebee, TMax, vinapu and 1 other 3 1 Quote
thaiophilus Posted February 13 Posted February 13 3 hours ago, spoon said: 3rd class seat is even cheaper without aircond and if going alone, opting for motorsai instead of tuktuk will be even cheaper. The main thing to note is that the local train still departs from Hualamphong (not Krung Thep Aphiwat). To Ayutthaya it costs 20B (3rd class, no booking needed.) See https://www.seat61.com/Thailand.htm#Bangkok_to_Ayutthaya Seat61 also has some useful advice about timing on the return journey. Then hire a bicycle for the day for another 50-100 baht,. jamiebee, khaolakguy and vinapu 3 Quote
