Royal cities: your own way

After the chaos of Bangkok, you can immerse yourself in the tranquility of Royal Thai culture in Ayutthaya. The pace is far slower and more stately here, making it a wonderful place for a stopover before heading into the jungles of the north.

In Ayutthaya, the former capital of Thailand, you can stroll between the imposing chedis (temple towers) and palaces, built in the Khmer style. You will see the temples at twilight whilst taking a sunset tuk-tuk tour through the city. Seated comfortably in this typically Thai means of transport, you can watch the sun sink behind the temples, bathing the ancient ruins in spectacular glowing colours.

Duration	Two days / one night Departs daily from Ayutthaya	Accommodation	One night in an air-conditioned bungalow/room, with private bathroom. Comfort level 2 / 3 (see accommodation).
Price	£34 per person-Authentic veranda bungalow £41 per person - Modern central hotel £55 per person - Boutique Resort & Spa All based on two people	Includes	Accommodation with breakfast, sunset tuk-tuk tour and travel advice.
Travel	Tuk Tuk tour	Excludes	Travel to Ayutthaya. Drinks and other meals, excursions and entrance costs not listed in the daily itinerary.

Day 1: Arrival in Ayutthaya

This module starts in Ayutthaya, with most travellers arriving from either Bangkok or Kanchanaburi. There’s a handy air-conditioned bus that leaves from Bangkok every 20 minutes and takes only 1½ hours. Trains depart from the capital at 10:50am or 1:30pm. After leaving the suburbs of Bangkok, a truly subtropical landscape will unfold before you from your seat on the train. Alternatively, if you have just finished The river and the railway module in Kanchanaburi, you can take the 9am bus, which takes about four hours to get to Ayutthaya.

When you arrive in Ayutthaya, you can take a tuk-tuk or taxi from the station to your hotel. You will stay in either a complex of 10 bungalows set in beautiful lotus gardens on the outskirts of the city (Authentic option), or a lovely centrally located hotel by the river(Modern option). The authentic bungalows is tastefully decorated, and each rooms has its own veranda and bathroom, air conditioning and fridge, and are set within the resorts tropical gardens. On the corner you will find one of the biggest Buddhist temples in the city: a temple in your own backyard! The central hotel is a more modern hotel with high quality rooms, and is set on the banks of the Pa-Sak river. The rooms are air conditioned and have satellite/cable TV , direct dial telephone, personal electronic safe, mini bar, marble bathrooms, and luxurious furnishings.

The entire city of Ayutthaya, (which means ‘holy city’) is situated on an island between rivers and has been designated as a World Heritage site by UNESCO. The city was created in the 12th century and was one of the wealthiest kingdoms in Southeast Asia, its borders stretching from Angkor in Cambodia to deep within Burma. Chinese, British, Dutch, Spanish and Portuguese traders came here and were amazed by the beautiful palaces, temples and monasteries, as well as elephants that ate out of golden bowls and the colourful river junks. In the 18th century, the city lost its power after the invasion of the Burmese, who destroyed the temples and left the ruins behind as we see them today. In the afternoon, you can take some time to stroll around the temples. The temples can be found all over Ayutthaya, and you'll often find yourself alone, wandering amongst the ruins with no other tourists in sight. Wear a hat and take plenty of water to drink.

It can be difficult to choose which temples to visit as there are so many to choose from and they are spread over a large area. We can suggest Wat Mahatat and Wat Rachaburana (entrance fees are approx 50p per temple). Both of these majestic temples will give you a good feel for Khmer-style architecture. At the end of the afternoon, you can freshen up at the hotel and relax for a while. Then, at about 5:30pm, you'll be collected from the hotel for the sunset tuk-tuk tour.

Around 6pm the sun begins to sink, bathing the ruins in an ethereal light. As your driver may not speak much English, you may need to take a guidebook for detailed background information about each temple. Our favourite temple is Wat Chai Wattanaram, which you’ll visit just as the sun is setting. The temple is a little further out of the city, so there’s an excellent view over the paddy fields and cashew trees. Both the temple and the surrounding landscape are spellbinding at sunset. Around 7:30pm you’ll be dropped back in the city centre. Now is a wonderful time for dinner at one of the atmosperic floating restaurants on the river. A perfect end to a fantastic day.

Day 2: Ayutthaya and departure

This module ends after breakfast. You'll check out and leave Ayutthaya, with most travellers will heading further north to Chiang Mai. There is a train that leaves at 7:25am, arriving in Chiang Mai at 7:45pm. Or, better still, there's an overnight sleeper train. This would give you another whole day to explore more temples and palaces, slowly soaking up Ayutthaya. Additionally, you will simply wake up in Chiang Mai the next morning, with no wasted time at all, and better still no accommodation costs.

You can also take a bus across to the undiscovered eastern side of Thailand, for our special In the Thai Countryside module.

For those going to Bangkok, you can make your own way back following the instructions given by our local agent. It easy to get a bus or train, or by river cruiser (at least for part of the journey). A buffet lunch is included, should you decide to return to Bangkok with the river junk, just ask the local agent for details. With your journey finally arrive at the Orient Hotel on the Chao Praya River in the centre of Bangkok.

Sukothai

For those interested in historic Thai cultures, you can continue to follow the ‘ancient capitals’ path from Ayutthaya to Sukothai. Sukothai is 5½ hours into the north by bus, and, in contrast to Ayutthaya, has rarely seen conflict. There are some 21 historic sites and 4 great ponds, all enclosed by ancient walls. You’ll quickly notice the typical lotus shape of most of the buddhist stupas in Sukothai. The city is best seen by bike, and you can hire them locally. If, however, you're a bit ‘templed out’, there are many quiet places to relax amongst the ruins. In the evening you can enjoy good food at the Win Tour night market.

If you want to include Sukothai in your trip, then just let our travel specialist know. We’ll reserve seats on the bus and two nights in a hotel with loads of atmosphere in the city centre. After this you can take the scheduled bus to Chiang Mai, travelling through the beautiful Northern Thai landscape. The bus leaves Sukothai at 3pm.

It’s also possible to travel in the opposite direction; from Chiang Mai via Sukothai to Bangkok. We'll reserve your accommodation while you fix the transport, with instructions from our agent.

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