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3 days 2 nights

Use Nakhon In Road, turn right to Bang Kruai-Sai Noi route and then turn right again to the road along Nonthaburi Pier. Turn left to pass Bang Sri Muang Police Station (0-2881-5512, 0-2447-4064) until you reach Wat Chaloem Phra Kiat, a temple featuring Thai and Chinese architectures, built during the reign of King Rama III. The temple is open on weekends and public holidays. Nearby is a 100-rai public park called Kanchanaphisek Park with a fine collection of water plants, garden plants and underwater animals.

Get back to Nakhon In Road and make a U-turn under the Rama V Bridge and turn left near the Tam Saeb Siam Restaurant. You will find yourself at an intersection where you should turn right to Wat Sangkhatan. This temple has the glass ubosot where Lord Buddha’s relics are stored.

From Nakhon In Road, make a U-Turn to cross the Rama V Bridge towards Tiwanon Road. On reaching the Pak Kred five-pronged Intersection, turn left to Bhumivet Road and go along the first soi located before Major Cineplex, and you will find yourself at Wat Klang Kret to worship the reclining Buddha Image.

Go ahead to Wat Sanam Neu, which is located on the Chao Phya riverside and has a pier to cross to Ko Kret or Kret island in the Chao Phya River. Recommended is a trip to Wat Poramaiyikawat to visit the tilted pagoda of this unique Mon style temple. Behind the monastery is located the Wihara of Phra Phut Saiyat (Reclining Buddha Image) whose north entrance enshrines Nonthaburi’s Buddha image named ‘Phra Nonthamunin’.

Tip: From Wat Klang Kret, you can cross to Ko Kret via Wat Chimpli Pier. If you cross the river from Wat Sanam Neu, you will get off the ferry at Wat Poramaiyikawat Pier and can take pictures of the tilted pagoda while you are crossing the river.

Must try! Fish patties with Naw Kalaa (a ginger family plant) and buy ceramics and sweets.

Back to Tiwanon Road, turn left towards Pathum Thani province and take another left turn at the intersection to highway No 307. Cross Nonthaburi Bridge and when you reach Bang Khu Wat intersection, take a U-turn under the bridge towards highway No 3111.

Go straight through the Santisuk intersection until you reach a Y-shaped intersection. You will notice the sign of Wat Chedi Thong, which has a Mon-style golden pagoda copied from Burma’s Jittagon Pagoda and the white Buddha image.

Return to Santisuk intersection and turn left to highway No 346. Cross the bridge to the Krung Siam St Carlos intersection (0-2975-6700) and turn left towards Phaholyothin Road and pass the Rangsit Market before driving up the bridge towards Rangsit-Nakhon Nayok Road. You will notice roadside noodle stalls along the way. When you reach Khlong 5 Bridge, you will find yourself at the entrance to the National Science Museum (0-2577-4172-8). It is open from 9.30am to 4pm every Tuesday to Friday and from 9.30am to 5pm during weekends.

When you go about 4 km further, you will reach the Supreme Artist Hall (0-2986-5020-4) where biographies and works of national artists are exhibited. The hall is open from 9.30am to 4pm from Tuesday to Sunday and on public holidays.

Use the Asia Highway to head to Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, and find a place to stay for the night.

Tip: Between 7.30pm and 9pm, the city-island’s ancient sites would be lit up so you can admire the beautiful view of Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya.

In the morning, travel around the ancient city island starting from Wat Sam Pluem Pagoda by taking highway No 3059.

Recommended: Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon.

Within the complex, there are a huge bell-shaped pagodas and a huge image of a reclining Buddha in brick and stucco, built during the reign of King Naresuan. Stop by to eat noodle dishes near the temple.

Next stop is Wat Phanan Choeng to worship a huge, seated Buddha image named Phra Phuttha Trairattana Nayok or Luang Pho Sam Po Kong. The complex also features a Chinese-style chapel honouring a Chinese princess, Phra Nang Soi Dok Mak.

Using the route along the railway, turn left to the highway No 3053 to the first intersection then turn left, go across the bridge towards the city island and pass the district office. Stop by at the Ayutthaya Historical Study Centre and the Chao Sam Phraya National Museum. The end of the road was the old City Hall, standing next to the Tourism Authority of Thailand Office of Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthya (0-3524-6076-7).

Take the Si Sanphet Road along the Chao Phya River until the end of the road and turn right to pass Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Hospital (0-3524-1718). Drive on along the river to pass the Somdet Phra Sri Nakarin Park. Turn left at the intersection and get across the river. Near the bridge you will find the entrance to Wat Kasattrathirat Worawihan featuring a beautiful Ayutthaya-era Ubosot.

Mae Choy Nang Nam (0-3525-5268) near Wat Kasattrathirat Worawihan

Crossing back to the city island, turn left to pass the Phranakhon Si Ayutthaya 3rd Fine Arts office, Rear Palace, Si Suriyothai Park, and Chedi Phra Si Suriyothai. Going beyond the Wat Teuk’s row of fences, turn right to Wat Lokkayasutha to pay respects to the large 29-metre-long reclining Buddha with a lotus to support the head rather than a pillow like other images.

Return to the same road and pass the Pridi Banomyong Memorial and turn left to Wat Na Phra Men, which features the principal Buddha image fully decorated in regal attire. From the temple’s entrance, turn right towards the inner city island and straight to Wat Phra Si Sanphet, which is compared to be Bangkok’s Wat Phra Kaew as it is also located inside the compound of the Grand Palace. Admission fee is Bt10 per person and it is open daily. Nearby is the Wihan Phra Mongkol Bophit where a large bronze cast Buddha image of the same name is enshrined. Next stop is Khum Khun Phaen and Elephant Palace, which offers tourists a ride on an elephant from 9am to 5pm (0-3521-1001).

From Wat Phra Si Sanphet, go along Naresuan Road to visit Wat Thammikarat where there is a beautiful pagoda surrounded by standing Singha statues. Next door are Wat Ratburana and Wat Mahathat, featuring a beautiful Khmer-style Prang (pagoda). Admission fee for each site is Bt10.

Travel out of Ayutthaya using highway No 309 towards Ang Thong province. At 53 km, there is the entrance to Wat Chantharangsi on the right side. You can stop by to worship the world’s largest sacred “Luangpho Sod” Buddha image, which is nine metres tall and is six metres and nine inches wide from knee to knee.

Make a U-turn back to 40 km of the highway, then turn right to highway No 329. Cross the bridge and turn left to pass Pa Mok Hospital (0-3566-1322) and go straight to Wat Pa Mok Worawihan, which features one of Thailand’s most beautiful reclining Buddha images. At 55 km, turn left to Drum-Making Village in Tambon Ekkarat to buy Ang Thong iconic souvenirs.

Go straight and cross the bridge over Noi River before turning right to highway No 3454 until you reach 31 km where you will find Wat Siroi, which has a seated Buddha image in the posture of Pa Lelai, called Luangpho To, 1 metre high and 6 metres wide from knee to knee. Then go straight to pass Wiset Chaichan Hospital (0-3563-1322) until you reach the intersection where you turn right to highway No 3195.

At 29 km is Wat Muang Charoentham where you can pay respects to the first and largest silver holy Buddha image of the country called Phra Buddha Navamin-Sakayamunee Sriwisetchaichan, the ubosot in the middle of a blooming lotus structure and the Chinese-style pavilion. There is also a large statue of the 1,000-handed female goddess Kuan Im. Use highway No 3195 to travel to Muang district and look for the sign of Wat Tonson This temple houses Somdet Phra Si Mueangthong, the country’s largest seated Buddha image moulded in metal and gilded.

Make a U-turn to the mouth of the soi and turn right to highway No 309 and drive along the canal to 64 km. Turn left at the intersection to cross the bridge and go straight for another four km, you will find Wat Khun Inthapramun, which houses a large and long reclining Buddha.

Go straight to 72 km and take a right turn.

Recommended: Wat Chaiyo Worawihan or Wat Ket Chaiyo to worship the moulded statue of Somdet Phra Phutthachan (To Phromrangsi). Near Wat Ket Chaiyo is the entrance to the Bang Chao Cha Village that is famous for bamboo-weaving handicrafts and offers international-standard home-stays and tour guide service (0-3564-4319, 0-3564-4091).

Next morning, use highway No 309 and go straight to Sing Buri province. When you reach Tha Chang district, take a left turn at 78 km to the rural route number 3008 Recommended Wat Phikun Thong, which houses the country’s largest sitting Buddha image.

Return to highway No 309 and turn left to Muang district, before following the signs for Wat Phra Non Chaksi and turn left to highway No  3032. The temple houses a huge reclining Buddha image, 46 metres long, which is revered by the local people. In front of the temple there is also a One Tambon One Product shop for visitors to buy souvenirs.

Drive into the village for about one km, you will find Wat Na Phrathat featuring an ancient brick pagoda built during the early Ayutthaya period. This area is assumed to have been the ancient site of Sing Buri.

Return to highway No 309 and go straight towards Muang district and stop by at Wat Sawang Arom, which is a centre for Buddha-image sculpture, and houses a museum for Grand Shadow Play puppets.