Ayutthaya Historical Park

What a difference a good night sleep does for you. We met our guide Tip in the lobby at 8:00 am after a nice breakfast. Our second day touring will take us to Bang-Pa-In, the former royal retreat of King Rama 5 back in the 17th century and then off to Ayutthaya Historical Park, the former capital city of Thailand.

The drive was quick as we passed rice fields and industrial sites. Rice is the biggest export in Thailand.

We arrived at Bang-Pa-In (Summer Palace) in an hour’s time but couldn’t get in due to the fact that the current king was in residence there. There was a high police presence and so we boarded a covered longtail boat (also called a Ruea Hang Yao in Thai) and took a 45 minute ride up the River of Kings. It was easier getting into the boat this time as it was at the shore’s edge and the water was calmer. The river water was also cleaner and wider than the previous day. I saw birds such as egrets, gulls and cranes along the shore. Thankfully, the ecosystem seems healthier here. Along the way we saw a salt factory and barges moving loads up and down the river. There are houses along the river bank that seem to be in better condition. Tip said that they could sell for between 1-2 million Thai Bhat equating to $800,000 Canadian dollars. The boat ride was a pleasant way to keep cool this morning

The drive to Ayutthaya Historical Park was only a few minutes away. We were supposed to visit 4 sites today. Our first stop was the Buddhist temple and monastery of Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon. There was a small vendor area selling souvenirs and ice cream. I tried a durian ice pop which was delicious. Yordie tried one also and she said it tasted like onions. The gardens were lovely and the temple exterior was impressive. The stairs were a little wonky, so I stayed down and enjoyed the monk statues. You can buy a gold vestment for a statue on site.

Next Wat Mahathat (Temple of the Great Relic) in the centre of the park where we saw a stupas and visited the banyan tree with the head of Buddha in its roots. You are not allowed to stand and take pictures of yourself higher than the Buddha. You must be seated below the Buddha as a sign of respect. Security was on you quickly if you didn’t comply. You could take a picture of it but not with you in the picture unless your head was below the Buddha. There is a platform to sit on for such pictures. We walked around for a while and the group was ready to move on.

Ayatthaya Historical Park is on the UNESCO list. It was founded in 1350 and was the former Capital City of Thailand. It was destroyed and burned to the ground by the Burmese in 1767. The inhabitants fled and it was never rebuilt. It is now an archaeological site and a major tourist attraction. There are many temples, prangs and stupas. Myanmar (formerly Burma) and Thailand (formerly Siam) have had a rocky past and to this day occasional territorial disputes.

Our next stop is Wat Phra Sri Sanpetch where we find the holiest temple on the site of the old Royal Palace  At the entrance we see elephant rides. We thankfully stay away from that. I can’t support using these glorious animals for pleasure. The poor things were working on a day with the temperature in the mid-30s without humidity. Today, our bodies didn’t need to be as covered up. We entered the property and wandered around for a short while. We saw the remains of a tall bell-like prang (a place for religious relics) and huge monasteries. You could visualize the size and grandeur of this place. It must have been beautiful before it was burned and damaged.

The group was satisfied with temples and historical sites and wanted to head to lunch so we bypassed the last temple and went to the Pasak Coffee Shop a suggested Michelin-star restaurant. After lunch, we head back to Bangkok and a little rest time before venturing out on our Evening Food Tuk Tuk Tour.

Can’t wait to share that with you!