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
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Day trip out of Bangkok
Communication with the tour company was great. we used a grab to get to the meeting location which was simple.
The tour itself was fun and informative. It could have been shortened a little. I found there were points of “free” time that we could have eliminated. Once the group of 6 people total were in agreement of cutting some time it went a lot smoother. The tour guide was friendly and informative. Overall it’s a great day trip out of the city to see a more rural part of Thailand.
You make one stop at a gas station on your way out to use restrooms and grab coffee or a snack. Same for the return trip.
The lunch spot was super cute on the River and the food was good!
FYI: The monkeys are cool to see. They’re still wild animals so don’t treat it like a petting zoo.
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RECOMMENDED AT 200%
Definitely a highly recommended experience!! It was a great day, because from early on the day was fully taken advantage of. We arrived in the city of Ayutthaya at a very good time, luckily I got the best guide of all, his name is Tony, Tony speaks perfect English so it is very easy to talk to him and he taught us a lot of history.
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Very enjoyable
Very nice tour, guide was very friendly and informative and really nice to see all the ancient buildings. Lunch was great too, and a visit to a little market at the end.
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Lopburi monkey temples
Tony is great ,an easily approachable wealth of knowledge and easy handed guide. The company was great.super responsive to my query and explained things for me clearly which was greatly cause didn’t speak any Thai .plus they ran the trip with me as the only person.super cool .the baby monkeys wer cute ass too.
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Monkeys and Buddhas and Temples, Oh my!
The Lop Buri monkeys were a sight to see, for sure. The architectural wonders of the temples and the remains of the royal palace were outstanding. Our guide, Sunday, was very good and made our trip very educational and well as enjoyable.