From Bangkok: Ayutthaya, Bang Pa-In Palace & River Cruise
Description
Discover Ayutthaya’s legendary temples on a small group tour from Bangkok. Visit Bang Pa-In Palace, see the iconic Buddha head, and cruise the Chao Phraya River with lunch and entrance fees included • Wander through the elegant lakeside gardens of Bang Pa-In Royal Summer Palace • Explore three of Ayutthaya’s temple complexes with our expert guide • See the mysterious Buddha head entwined within the roots of a sacred Bodhi tree • Cruise the Chao Phraya River around Ayutthaya past riverside temples • Travel worry-free with hotel pickup, all entrance fees, and Thai lunch included
Tour Options
Itinerary
Begin your adventure in the morning with a comfortable minivan ride from your hotel in Bangkok to Ayutthaya.
Our first stop is the elegant Bang Pa-In Royal Summer Palace. As we walk through its peaceful gardens, discover how Siamese kings once spent their summers here, welcoming foreign guests and members of the royal court among graceful pavilions and tranquil lakes.
One of the first temple visits is Wat Yai Chai Mongkol, one of Ayutthaya’s most impressive temple complexes. Its towering bell-shaped stupa was built to celebrate a legendary royal victory in an elephant battle, while rows of saffron-robed Buddha statues line the temple grounds. At the rear of the complex, a large reclining Buddha rests peacefully among the temple ruins, adding another memorable highlight to this remarkable site.
Enjoy a delicious riverside lunch at a local restaurant, savoring authentic Thai flavors while taking in the tranquil views.
You will also see the royal temple marked by three iconic chedis that once held the ashes of ancient kings (Wat Phra Sri Sanphet), along with the impressive former royal palace grounds that once stood at the center of the kingdom’s power.
One of the highlights is the temple home to one of Thailand’s most famous sights: the mysterious Buddha head entwined within the roots of a sacred Bodhi tree (Wat Mahathat).
In the afternoon, board a traditional river boat and cruise along the Chao Phraya River around the island. From the water you’ll see Ayutthaya from a different perspective, passing historic monasteries and the magnificent riverside temple of Wat Chaiwatthanaram before returning to Bangkok in the late afternoon.
The tour finished, our driver will take care you back to your hotel in Bangkok.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
Please be informed that pickup services are available exclusively for hotels within the central Bangkok city area. If your hotel is located outside this area, an additional charge will apply. Our team will notify you of the surcharge details via email. Pickup times will be between 6:00 AM and 7:00 AM. Our tour guide will contact you by 10:00 PM the evening prior to the tour date to confirm the exact pickup time. Kindly ensure that you check your phone for this information. We kindly ask that you wait in the hotel lobby 15 minutes prior to your scheduled pickup time. Please kindly provide us the below information: -Full name of each participant. -Hotel Name and Hotel Address.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- After the tour ends, there may be instances where our guide does not accompany the clients all the way to their hotel. In these cases, our driver will ensure that you are safely dropped off at your hotel.
- Long trousers are mandatory for both men and women when visiting the Royal Palace, you are welcome to wear shorts during the day, but please bring long pants to change into if needed. Affordable trousers are also available for purchase at the entrance.
Reviews(10)
Jojo tour guide she was excellent.
Thank you for your kind review! We're so pleased to hear that Jojo made your experience memorable. We'll be sure to share your compliments with her. We hope to welcome you on another tour soon!
Travis was our guide for the day and he was very knowledgeable about the various temples and sites and where they fit in Thai history.
Thank you for your kind words. We're delighted to hear Travis made your day enjoyable and enriched your experience with his knowledge of Thai history and temples. We’ll be sure to pass along your appreciation to him. We hope to welcome you again soon.
We had a wonderful tour and day with Alex. He took great care of our family, easily rearranged the itinerary to meet our needs in the high heat, shared interesting history and connected with my kids, took us to a fabulous Thai restaurant for lunch that accommodated our special diets, and took us on a fun speed longboat ride around Ayutthaya. He introduced us to a lovely Thai dessert snack (roti sai mai), and my kids enjoyed making more of the wraps the following day with the ingredients he shared with us. We left our hotel around 7am and reached back by 2:45/3pm - perfect amount of time for us, especially in the hot summer weather. The sites were not crowded, as we reached there early in the morning. Wat Yai Chaya Mongkol was our favorite. Highly recommend this tour and especially Alex if you are visiting Bangkok with family.
Thank you for your kind words! We’re thrilled Alex made your tour enjoyable, adapting to the heat, engaging with your kids, and sharing local experiences. We’re glad you loved Ayutthaya, the longboat ride, and Wat Yai Chaya Mongkol. We appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you again!
This is a great tour! A bit of the history of Thailand, visiting the palace grounds and a few different temples. Ending with lunch and a boat ride was just perfect. We had a large group with 2 vans. Our tour guide, Sasha, was the BEST! Very knowledgeable about all the sites, helpful from the day before all the way through our day. There was a lot of walking and Sasha helped us secure a golf cart at one location and made seating available at another site. She was so thoughtful and organized - able to keep our party together the whole time. It was a great adventure!
Thank you for your wonderful review! We're thrilled you enjoyed the history, palace, temples, and the boat ride. Sasha will be delighted to hear your kind words—her knowledge, thoughtfulness, and organization really made your day special. We're glad the tour was a great adventure for your whole group!
Outstanding tour with great guide. Well worth thoroughly enjoyed taking this tour with Mai as our guide. She carefully showed us many interesting facts and aspects of each place we visited. We also enjoyed a very nice lunch that was included.
Thank you for your wonderful feedback. We’re thrilled you enjoyed the tour with Mai and appreciated her guidance and insights at each location. We’re also glad you enjoyed the included lunch and hope to welcome you on another tour soon.
A really great day The guide is at the top and with little care The comfortable and too beautiful van Everything was perfect A thousand thanks
Thank you for your kind words! We are thrilled you enjoyed the comfort of our van and our guide’s dedicated service. Providing a "perfect" experience is always our goal. Your recommendation means the world to us and our future guests. We look forward to welcoming you back for another brilliant day!
Great excursion. Competent guide. Sites visited of great beauty. What to do to understand the country’s history
Thank you for your review! We’re delighted you enjoyed the excursion, appreciated the guide’s expertise, and loved the beautiful sites. It’s wonderful to hear the tour helped you understand the country’s history. We hope to welcome you on another memorable experience soon!
Our guide was very good. He was energetic and knowledgeable. I think we spent exactly the right amount of time at each site. It was a lot to see in one day. The boat trip through the canals and river was really fun. It was great to see the temples and houses along the waterways.
Thank you for your great feedback! We’re happy to hear you enjoyed the well-paced itinerary and that your guide made the day engaging and informative. It’s wonderful to know the boat trip and views along the canals and waterways were a highlight of your experience.
I had an amazing experience on the Bangkok Ayutthaya Temples with my family. From the moment we departed, everything was well-organized and smooth. The temples in Ayutthaya were absolutely stunning, each one rich with history and architectural beauty. Our guide was knowledgeable, friendly, and shared fascinating stories that brought the ancient ruins to life.
Thank you so much for your lovely review! We're thrilled to hear you and your family had an amazing time exploring the stunning temples of Ayutthaya. It's great to know our guide helped bring the history to life. We truly appreciate your kind words and hope to welcome you again soon!
The guide was very kind and polite. We enjoyed the tour according to our schedule and we are very happy.
Thank you so much for your kind words! We're thrilled to hear that you had a wonderful experience and that our guide was able to assist you with care and attention. It's great to know that the tour went according to schedule and that you were able to enjoy everything to the fullest. We truly appreciate your feedback and are so glad to have been a part of your memorable experience. We hope to welcome you back on another tour in the future!
