Our second day in Ayutthaya is another day of more temple touring. Not that I’m complaining… For today, we hired a private tuk tuk guide to tour us around the temples.
Our first stop was Wat Yai Chai Mongkol. This temple is well-maintained and had several attractions to enjoy. You can even go walk up the temple and view the surroundings.
Next was Wat Mahathat. Probably one of the more well-known temples to visit and is a must-see when you’re in Ayutthaya. Don’t forget to check out the large Buddha head that’s enveloped by a tree.
We also passed by Wat Na Phra Men. One of their active temples inside the Historical Park.
Our fourth stop was Wat Lokkayasutharam. The main feature of this place is the large outdoor reclining Buddha. On a side note, we had an accident before we reached this destination. Our tuk tuk abruptly braked when a motorcycle backed in front of us. My girlfriend hit her left side on the metal railing of our tuk tuk. At that moment, I panicked and thought we would be ending our trip short. Thank goodness she just ended up having a bruised arm and a bit of bleeding in her mouth. No broken tooth and all… Phew!
We rested for a bit to recover and moved to our fifth stop – Wat Mongkhon Bophit. This was probably the temple I liked the least. I prefer old “ruined” temples over modern looking ones.
Our last stop was Wat Phra Si Sanphet. Most of the structures seemed to have been restored to it’s old beauty. I could just imagine how much more beautiful it could have been if it was in it’s original form.
By this time, we were so exhausted that it was time for us to grab some really late lunch. We ate in a riverside restaurant and ordered several dishes like tom yum and grilled river prawns. Just what I needed to cap our tour in Ayutthaya…
After our lunch, we went back to Baan Thai House. Dipped a bit in their pool before having our traditional Thai massage. By this time, the weather was getting rainy. We had a few drinks at night and even had a bicycling fiasco. I guess that’s another story to tell. This wraps our last day in Ayutthaya as we’re moving back to Bangkok tomorrow.
This place definitely has it’s unique charm! Definitely one of my favorite destinations so far.
Third Thai’s A Charm – Bangkok (Day 3: Wat Pho, Wat Arun, Siam Ocean World, Baiyoke Sky Hotel)
– The Tourist Pao