Ayutthaya, Sukhothai, or Lopburi?
There are various components to consider when choosing between Ayutthaya, Sukhothai, and Lopburi. All three are lots of Siamese cities filled with Thai ruins that are ancient and interesting Buddhist. Sukhothai and ayutthaya both served as capital cities of Siam and so are also inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List for their cultural and historical significance.
Ayutthaya
Sukhothai
Lopburi serves as capital city of this Lopburi province and is among Thailand’s earliest cities. It’s famous for its ancient Thai ruins, the majority of which have gone essentially unrestored. The resident reptiles of lopburi are the primary reason for tourists stopping here.
Lopburi
Here’s some information about all three to help you determine which Thai ruins to make time for if your time in Thailand is restricted.
Which of Those Ancient Theaters Should You See?
Ayutthaya is a historical park containing hundreds of ruins dating back to the 13th during 18th centuries. The Ayutthaya Kingdom was among most wealthy and the largest in Asia. The Ayutthaya Kingdom’s kings ruled with absolute power. WATCH A Trip to the Historical Kingdom of Ayutthaya
Following 50 decades of battles against the Burmese, Ayutthaya was overtaken in 1765 by an army of over 40,000 Burmese soldiers. They looted the sacred temples, shrines, and monasteries, burned, and pillaged. Where the ruins that are discovered are now held the Ayutthaya Historical Park is.
One of the buildings are Notable structures such as Wat Phra Si Sanphet, Wat Chaiwatthanaram monastery, and Wat Phra Ram Temple.
There is also a lovely Buddha head statue .
Practical Info
The Ayutthaya Historical Park is one hour drive from Bangkok, making it a fantastic day trip alternative. Admission is 50 Baht, but there are numerous temples inside with their own entry fees. It’s an extra 20 Baht for a booklet with information about every temple and the palace. The park is close to the city, so there will be motorbike and car visitors to contend with while. As it is such a popular day trip in Bangkok, try to arrive as soon as possible to avoid the day heat along with the crowds.
Unlike Ayutthaya, Sukhothai is too far off to be a day trip from Bangkok (five-hour drive), but it is an extraordinary UNESCO website nonetheless. This was the very first capital of the kingdom of Siam in 1238 to 1438. Sukothai Historical Park is quite easy to navigate on foot or by bicycle because the majority of the ruins are held inside a walled complex.
Sukhothai literally translates into”Dawn of excitement.” What remains of this capital that is terrific today are the ruins of the palace and 26 temples. The largest of these is Wat Mahathat, which served as the city’s main temple and shrine to several relics of the Buddha. Just west of Wat Mahathat is Wat Si Sawai; a temple using Hindu architectural features that are exceptional Cambodia. Possibly the most remarkable structure in Sukhothai is the giant. It stands 15 meters tall and is 11 meters broad. An additional fee must be paid to go to Wat Si Chum temple, but it is well worth it for to find the giant Buddha!
Visiting Sukothai has an added bonus; it is simply 68 km from fellow along with its sister city UNESCO World Heritage Site, Si Satchanalai Historical Park, which includes over Buddha statues, temples, along with 270 monuments. Of these, Wat Chang Lom is very striking since its foundation is surrounded by big elephant figurines (pictured below). The playground is well maintained and easy to get around in the world. Admission to Si Satchanalai Historical Park is 100 Baht.
Sukhothai has several statues, and its own position away from the visitors of the city center makes it easy to get around. There are several restaurants and ice cream stores along the outside of this complex. It is going to cost a bit more if you plan on seeing the temples, although admission is 100 Baht.
Aptly nicknamed”the city of reptiles,” Lopburi is a historically important city located approximately three hours north of Bangkok. It’s among the oldest inhabited cities in Thailand, having served as the second capital of the Ayutthaya Kingdom throughout the sixth century A.D. Before that Lopburi was among the westernmost cities of the Angkor Empire, today called Cambodia. WATCH Assessing the Monkey Temple of Lopburi
Is divided into the old town and new city. Most of the ruins are scattered among buildings close to the railway station in the town. Lopburi is a tourist attraction because of its resident crab-eating macaques which have nearly infested the old city. Whether you love them or you hate them, these mischievous monkeys have the run of the town.
Close to the train station is the Famous Phra Prang Sam Yot Temple, or”Monkey Temple.”
It’s a beautiful example of architecture in the Angkor, or Khmer, Empire.
You may be rushed because you are going to have to undergo three hours in each direction, although it is possible to make this a day trip from Bangkok. A lot of men and women see with Lopburi as a day trip from Ayutthaya. The macaques are not fearful of humans. They’re interested and can get very aggressive when food is. Don’t leave your belongings unattended or allow them to climb on you. They’ll try to shoot your sunglasses as well as your admission ticket to the Monkey Temple like they did to me! Admission to Phra Prang Sam Yot Temple, or”Monkey Temple” is 150 Baht. The vast majority of the ruins are everywhere in and about the old city. Walking is the perfect way to see these , but be warned: the warmth can be very intense.
It depends on how much time you have in Thailand. If you do not plan on going to central or northern Thailand and you have a day to spare in Bangkoktry to make to Ayutthaya.
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If you’re road-tripping at Thailand (like we failed thanks to Thai Rent a Vehicle ), you can drive from Bangkok to Sukhothai using a stop at Lopburi. You’d require a car to go to local Si Satchanalai, which could work out. We recommend spending an evening in Sukhothai so that you could have a complete day to see the ruins. A hotel option quite close to this park’s entrance is your Le Charme Sukhothai Resort. The resort is clean, and has a restaurant on premises. It also has a gorgeous lotus pond at the center (see below).
If we had to select only one of the ancient Thai ruins to go to, it’d certainly be Sukhothai because of the sheer number of Buddha statues as well as the preservation of those ruins. In addition, there are tourists there than Ayutthaya, and no monkeys in sight. Sukhothai is certainly the must-see of all three. In case you have the chance to self-drive, it is a memorable (and affordable) encounter.
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If you’ve been to any of these ancient Thai ruins, which has been your favorite? Tell us about it! Leave us a comment below.
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