Would love to get opinions from fodorites on Ayuthaya. We'll have 7 days in Bangkok, one of which we'll spend in River Kwai area. Is it worthwhile to spend another day going to Ayuthaya, stopping at Ban Pa In on the way?

Yes it is worthwhile. This is probably better to do on a tour than on your own. We went through the Oriental Hotel but I don't think they do it anymore. If possible, the preferred way to go is to take the bus out, do Ayuthaya and Ban Pa In in the morning, then return on the river boat in the afternoon.

Yes, Ayuthaya is very interesting. I took the train with the locals and had a guy named Cat who does tours for the day. He was wonderful even meeting me at the train and taking me back at the end of the day to meet it. He took me to his Mother's house and sent me back on the train with food. The train ride is interesting as you get to see the countryside. The best part of going there was going out to a center for the preservation of the elephants where we fed the elephants bananas. It was one of my favorite days.

Yes, it is worthwhile. I went last Tuesday. Took the train from Hua Lamphong (worth a visit itself, IMO) to Ayutthaya. It was 40 Baht for second class. I recommend trying to get a reserved seat before you get on the train. Got kicked out of seats and had to stand for a bit, but it was air conditioned. Came back on a 3rd class train, fans and open windows, plenty of (hard) seats and only 20 baht. Stopped at Don Muang airport on the way back and then continued on using the same ticket. The Bangkok subway and skytrain completed my getting to/from Ayutthaya.

At Ayutthaya, I hired a tuk tuk for 200 Baht an hour and went around to a variety of sights. It was a fun trip.

Absolutely worthwhile. Make sure you do visit Bang Pa In as well; it's a charming place.

I did a full-day tour of Ayuthaya (with a stop-over in Bang Pa In on the way to Ayuthaya) and came back to Bangkok on a three-hour cruise on the great Chao Phraya, complete with a lunch buffett and some good Singha beer to boot. Spent most of the time get burned on the open deck, but the scenery blew me away.

Enjoy!

While in BKK last November, Ratt proposed to get us there. We could not make it because of lack of time. The first time we go to BKK, we will take in Ayuthaya, though! How much time do you actually need to see the place properly?

i am a disenter in this case---i found it (AY) totally boring and would never return there again...the palace is quite lovely however and i would love to see it again....also there is a monk's training school across the river from the palace which is very interesting...i would always try to go one way via the river if possible...

"How much time do you actually need to see the place properly?"

Depends on how much time you have. If you are rather pressed for time, a full day in Ayuthaya will suffice, IMHO.

We thoroughly enjoyed both the ruins at Ayyuthya and the Bang Pa Inn. I strongly reco going with a guide - we took a local Bkk guide with us and it certainly enhanced our appreciation of both places. In terms of time we had a car and driver. We left in the morning at around 9 and including a 1 hour lunch break saw both places and were back in Bkk at 5:30.

For those who liked it, what did you like, and for Bob and others who didn't, what didn't you like. We would plan to do the trip with a guide.

I was in BKK in october, and did this tour. It was a great day, and well worth it. Although I enjoyed feeding the elephants bananas, I could very much have done without the 'show' where they played rap music and forced the elephants to dance to it.
Sickening.

I've taken friends and clients to Aydthaya and they seem to enjoy the trip more if you can combine it with a cruise as Razzle Dazzle described. Go by land and return via the river on a nice boat.

let me see if i can remember...first of all it was very very hot and there was little shade to protect you...the ruins were not very impressive at all...when i later saw angkor wat, i knew for sure that they were unimpressive and very secondary in importance and quality...

the wat seemed very commercial...the large buddah was of interest but again it seemed largely for show...

in fairness we had come off the monora song boat trip which was so comfortable and lux, that maybe this was just a let down...

we did enjoy the palace and especially the sculpted bushes....not george and laura, but elephants, etc...it was a bit exciting to realize that queen elizabeth II had been there a week before us....i suspect she had all the a/c she needed and probably did not have to walk all around...

we really liked the rope ride over the river to the monestary/wat....seeing all the young men was very interesting..

i think the thais play up this site as it is a major link to their past...it has not been well preserved imo....

sorry i can't give more concrete info...in any case if you go do not do it after arrival at the airport...its just too much and not a good way to start off your bkk visit....go instead to jim thompson house or v-mark palace and then relax at your hotel...imo again

cfw---remind me who you are and where you live...i have been having conversations with you for ages and my brain will not allow me to remember the context...bob

We're from Connecticut, and yes, have been planning this trip for ages. Leaving in less than two weeks and can't wait. Just doing some last minute additional planning. Couldn't have done this trip without all the fabulous tips from fodorites. Hope to return the favor by posting when we get back. As for Ayuthaya, we'd do it on one of our last days in BKK, if we have time after seeing other sites - Grand Palace, Wat Po, Jim Thompson, Suan Pakkard, Teak mansion, Klong tour, Marble wat -- & of course shopping. Just didn't know if it was worth taking a day away from BKK to see it.

We appreciated the trip to Ayuthaya for the insight we received on Thai history. Having a guide or being on a tour helps with this. It was hot when we went, especially at Ban Pa In where there is no protection from the sun - that being said it was a fascinating place - architecture, sculptures etc. I will reiterate my recommendation that if you do one of the tours, you do one where you go out on a bus and return on a boat. I felt very sorry for those that showed up on the boat for their hot afternoon tours of Ayuthaya and Ban Pa In as we were leaving. The boat trip back on the Chao Phraya was a highlight in itself with great photo ops along the way.

we love ayutthuya...and yes it was very hot with little shade. we did a 1/2 whirlwind trip..hired a tuk tuk...got a guide book and made a mad dash around the park to see the most popular sites..
like the buddha head in the banyon tree and the huge buddha statues...the palace was also worthwhile and i would do a river tour next time we visit (in october). he saw this before angkor wat..and yes bob...there is no comparison...but for those folks not going to cambodia or only staying near bkk...ayuttuya is well worth it..

I'm with Bob on this one. Takes too much time to get there- temple viewing is not high on the wife's agenda- so we skipped it.

We just returned from Thailand and I would have to say that Ayuthaya was not a highlight for our family - our two boys (ages 11 and 13) thought it was boring. I like seeing the Thai house, elephant training site and large Buddha, but the time to get there was TOOOO long for what we saw.

i'm with the 11 and 13 year old....my wife says that is about my speed...