Bangkok to Ayutthaya & Lopburi: Monkey Temple, Giant Buddha Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★ 4.89 (76 reviews) 96% rated it 5 stars

Free cancellation

1/12

Duration10h

GroupUp to 8

LanguagesEN

Mobile ticketAccepted

Ayutthaya ruins, Lopburi monkeys and the giant Buddha in one day

You’ll wander Ayutthaya’s ancient ruins, face off with cheeky monkeys at Lopburi’s temple, and look up in awe at Thailand’s tallest seated Buddha in Wiset Chaichan—all with a local guide handling every detail from pickup to stories along the way. Expect laughter, surprises, and moments you’ll keep replaying long after you’re home.

10h

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Ayutthaya and Lopburi temples

Visit Wat Mahathat ruins
See Buddha head in Bodhi tree
Explore Wat Phra Si Sanphet stupas
Visit Wat Muang giant Buddha
Tour Lopburi Monkey Temple
View Phra Prang Sam Yot temple
Walk Lopburi old town streets
Return to Bangkok

The Experience

“Don’t make eye contact with the monkeys,” our guide joked as we pulled into Lopburi — but honestly, they were already sizing us up through the window. I’d heard about the Monkey Temple before, but standing there at Phra Prang Sam Yot with dozens of macaques darting around ancient Khmer towers is something else. One tried to grab my water bottle (I lost), and a local woman laughed so hard she nearly dropped her phone. The air was sticky and smelled faintly of incense mixed with street food — grilled chicken skewers somewhere nearby. I still think about how bold those monkeys are.

Ayutthaya hit me differently. You see photos of Wat Mahathat’s Buddha head tangled in tree roots, but up close it feels almost quiet — like time slowed down just for that spot. Our guide explained how the city was once Siam’s capital; he pointed out where kings walked centuries ago. I kept trailing behind because I wanted to touch the old bricks (probably not allowed). The sun was high by then, bouncing off the chedis at Wat Phra Si Sanphet. Someone in our group tried to pronounce “Ayutthaya” right — Li laughed when I tried it in Thai. It’s harder than you think.

I didn’t expect Wat Muang to be so… massive. The seated Buddha is over 90 meters tall and kind of glows gold even on a cloudy day. Standing at its feet made me feel tiny — but calm, too? Locals left offerings of lotus flowers; a kid pressed his hands together and whispered something I couldn’t catch. There were dragonflies everywhere near the gardens. After that, everything felt slower — maybe it was just the heat or maybe that statue does something to you.

The whole day trip from Bangkok is a lot (bring snacks), but seeing Ayutthaya, Lopburi’s monkeys, and that giant Buddha all in one go made me forget about tired feet for a while. On the way back, our guide told us stories about old kings and monkey legends until half of us dozed off. Honestly, if you want history with a bit of chaos (and some monkey mischief), this is it.

What’s included

Your day includes pickup from your hotel or meeting point in Bangkok by air-conditioned vehicle, entry fees for all sites including Ayutthaya temples and Lopburi Monkey Temple (or alternative temple if needed), bottled drinking water throughout the journey, plus guidance from a licensed English-speaking local guide who shares stories along every stop before returning to Bangkok together.

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Explorenique