Step into Siam’s golden age in Ayutthaya and meet the monkeys of Lopburi!
We leave Bangkok in the morning for a full-day journey through Thailand’s rich past, visiting the historic cities of Ayutthaya and Lopburi.
Our first stop is Ayutthaya, the glorious kingdom that flourished from 1350 to 1767 and was once the beating heart of Siam. For over four centuries it was a thriving centre of trade, culture, and religion, attracting merchants from across the world.
Its golden era came to an end when the Burmese army invaded in 1767, setting the city ablaze and leaving it in ruins.
Today, Ayutthaya is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and wandering among its magnificent remains feels like stepping back in time. We will visit three of its most iconic temples: Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon with its towering chedi and serene Buddha statues, Wat Mahathat with the famous Buddha head entwined in tree roots, and Wat Phra Sri Sanphet, the former royal temple of the Ayutthaya kings.
From Ayutthaya we continue to Lopburi, a city with a history stretching back more than 1,500 years. It first rose to prominence during the Dvaravati era, later becoming part of the Khmer Empire in the 10th century, which left behind impressive monuments still standing today.
In the 17th century, King Narai the Great made Lopburi the second capital of the Ayutthaya Kingdom. Nowadays, the city is just as famous for its mischievous residents: hundreds of playful long-tailed macaques that roam the streets and temple grounds.
Our visit to Phra Prang Sam Yot, the famous monkey temple, is a chance to watch these lively creatures in action as they leap across the ancient Khmer ruins.
This day offers a perfect blend of fascinating history, stunning architecture, and unforgettable encounters with Lopburi’s cheeky monkeys.
Although there are still monkeys around Phra Prang Sam Yot in Lopburi, there are fewer than in previous years. Many monkeys have been relocated by the authorities due to overpopulation. Please keep in mind that Lopburi is not a zoo. The monkeys are wild and roam freely throughout the town, so while you will likely see some, sightings can never be guaranteed.
Pick up/Meeting point:
We provide hotel pick-up only from accommodations located on/near Khao San Road and on Siam Square.
If you are not an actual guest at one of the hotels in our pick-up area, the designated meeting point will be our office on Chao Khamrop Road in Chinatown. Our office in Chinatown is just a short 5-minute walk from Wat Mangkon MRT (metro) station.
For the exact location of our WanderSiam office on Google Maps, please click HERE.
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157 Comments
5
Amazing tour with Surina
We had an amazing tour with Surina. After having a coffee at the meeting point in Chinatown we were driven to the Lopburi Monkey temple with Surina providing us with great information as various bits of history along the way. It took us about 2 hrs to get the monkey temple but we travelled in a really comfortable, modern Isuzu that provided welcome A/C to the sticky heat. We then went to Ayutthaya and had lunch at a great little restaurant on the river. After lunch we proceeded to go round the amazing temples and ruins of Ayutthaya. These are true “7 wonders of the world” sites and breathtaking. Surina was a really great guide, providing us with lots of information she was also very kind and helpful with my two children who loved her. We had an amazing time and would definitely recommend this tour or any tour with Surina 🙂
5
Unbelievable Monkey Temple in Lopburi!!!
I went to the Monkey Temple in Lopburi and was so exciting to see monkeys everywhere near the ruins of an ancient temple.
The atmosphere reminds the history of the Jungle Book.
It was the best experience that we did in our 15 days in Thai.
In the afternoon we went to Ayutthaia and it was also very good.
Our guide Surina was very kind and cared of us all day. She was the best guide that I’ve ever had!!!
You can’t go to Thai and loose this trip!
THE BEST!!!!
5
Great tour and amazing value!
This is a great way to see the monkey temple and the old city of Ayutthaya! Highly recommend! We had some good pit stops for coffee and lunch as needed and also looked at a local market as an added bonus to the temples! The monkeys were very cute and a little cheeky! The old city was beautiful and impressive to see! Our guide Surina was so lovely and shared lots of information along the way. Our driver was also very lovely with lots of water and refreshing towels to keep us cool. We felt very relaxed and looked after. It was a really great day.
5
Fantastic day tour!
We had a wonderful day with the tour from the WanderSiam Team visiting the temples. Especially the monkey temple was a lot of fun. Our guide Surina was fantastic, very knowledgable and kind. Our driver was also excellent and very caring, supplying ample water during the hot day. Would definitely recommend this day trip to anyone! Amazing value for money.
4.5
Two beautiful experiences in one day !
Mister Paul was a funny and generous guide who protected us from the monkeys 😉 The driver was good and his conduct peaceful because everyone fell asleep! The place where we had lunch was nice and the food delicious.
Unfortunately we didn’t enter in Phra Prang Sam Yod (just looking from the outside) and we haven’t been in Wat Yai Chai Monghon because we haven’t seen the laying Buddha, but he showed us San Phra Kan and the elephants instead. In Wat Phra Si Sanphet we have just seen the temple, not the three main stupas. But I enjoyed Wat Mahathat and having a lot of time in Wat Ratchaburana !
WanderSiam is very responsive and I appreciate that because I booked the trip 12 hours before it starts !