Day Trips — Ayutthaya & Surroundings

The surroundings of Bangkok offer some of the most impressive historical sites in Southeast Asia. Two excursions stand out: the ancient royal city of Ayutthaya and the spectacular Mae Klong Railway Market — both can be done as day trips, but they actually deserve more time.

Ayutthaya (80 km north) was the capital of the Siamese kingdom from 1351 to 1767 — one of the most magnificent cities of the time with over a million inhabitants, which European visitors called the "Venice of the East." In 1767, it was destroyed by Burmese troops, and what remains is a UNESCO World Heritage Site of hundreds of temple ruins spread across a river island. The Wat Mahathat with the famous Buddha head in the tree roots is the most photographed motif, the Wat Phra Si Sanphet with its three majestic chedis is the former royal chapel, and the Wat Chaiwatthanaram on the riverbank is breathtaking at sunset — a miniature Angkor Wat.

Getting there is easy: Minivan from Victory Monument (60 THB/~1.60€, 90 minutes), train from Hua Lamphong Station (20-345 THB depending on class, 90 minutes), or riverboat as a luxury option (1,500-3,000 THB with lunch and guide). On site, it's best to rent a bicycle (50-100 THB/day) at the station and explore the ruins on your own. A day pass for the main temples costs 220 THB (~5.70€).

If time allows, combine Ayutthaya with the Bang Pa-In Summer Palace (20 km south of Ayutthaya) — a surreal mix of Thai, Chinese, Gothic, and Victorian architecture on the riverbank. King Rama V. indulged his architectural fantasies here: A Thai pavilion floats on a lake, next to a replica of a Swiss chalet.

Southwest of Bangkok, a detour to the Mae Klong Railway Market (Talat Rom Hub) in Samut Songkhram is worthwhile. Eight times a day, a train runs right through the market — and the vendors quickly fold in their awnings, clear away their displays, and let the train thunder past their stalls with just centimeters to spare. As soon as it passes, everything is set up again. A crazy spectacle that must be seen. Train times: 8:30, 11:10, 14:30, 17:40 (from Mae Klong) — the morning trains are the most photogenic.