Traveling the Chiang Mai-Sukothai- Ayyutaya route

A visit to Thailand would not be complete without checking out two of the three UNESCO cultural heritage sites in Thailand- Sukothai and Ayutthaya. Originally, both were not included in my meticulously laid travel itinerary but then an old friend I met up with while in Bangkok highly recommended both places. With a spontaneous 'Why not?' echoing in my thoughts, I reshaped my itinerary bidding farewell to my plans for Chang Rai and Pai. I guess that is the joy of not making reservations ahead of time. You can just wing it and anything can happen!

It took a bit of readjustment in my travel plan since I went to Chiang Mai first. Searching the net reveals that the usual route is Bangkok-Ayyutaya-Sukothai-Chiang Mai. It makes sense because then one is slowly making his way up north but doing it the other way around worked for me as well which is great. This reverse traversal injected a thrilling twist into my travel as I journeyed from north to south unveiling the landscape in an entirely novel rhythm.

Chang Mai to Sukothai

Arcade Bus Station in Chang Mai

Leaving Chang Mai, I made my way to Arcade bus station which is on the outskirts of the city. What I love about the places I have explored in Thailand is their well-organized and centralized bus terminal- a convenience often elusive in many parts of the Philippines. 

Navigating through the Arcade bus station, I booked a ticket for 207 baht with the Win Tour bus which is highly recommended in the different travel sites. There is another bus company, Esan Tour, which also travels from Chiang Mai to Sukothai but I already got my ticket with Win Tour so I did not bother asking about their fares.

Win Tour bus to Sukothai

With a bit of time on my hands, I settled into a chair at the station to wait for my bus scheduled at 12:50 in the afternoon. The station wasn't so busy, so I was able to relax while observing people coming and going, wondering the things that await them in their destinations.

By 12:50, we hit the road. It was an uneventful journey. Through the window, I saw houses and some farms here and there, a simple yet captivating tableau. A few times, there were short stopovers between stations (by short, I mean five minutes). It is a good thing I drank water sparingly so I did not have to use the restrooms. 

Somewhere along the route, I dozed off and the passage of time slipped away. By the time I woke up, it was past five in the afternoon and we were passing by the old city of Sukhothai. Ruins of temples and Buddhas can be seen from the bus window which got me excited, a preview of what I will see the next day. I was lucky that our bus passed by the old city (that is where the ruins are--which I guess is the reason it is called the old city). Some of the websites I checked mentioned that at times the buses go straight to the new city where the bus station is located, without passing by the old city.

In my case, I booked a bunk at the mixed dorm room of Rueng Sri Siri Inn which is just a few steps away from the bus station. I  ignored reviews stating that there is no place nearby where one can get decent food to eat. Just outside were actually local restaurants which I checked out.  The prices were cheap prices but admittedly the lateness of the hour meant very few options. I am not picky with food but since the places were a bit grimy I opted to go further. I found one a few blocks away. The owner was about to close the shop but he was kind enough to accommodate me quickly preparing my order of chicken cooked with Thai basil and rice. It was not the same quality as the meals I had in similar food stations in Chiang Mai but it was not bad! I  am just happy that the owner accommodated my request for a meal. As for my room at Rueng Sri Siri, it was once again a moment of "you get what you pay for." Sufficing to say that I decided to check out early the next morning and went to book a room at the Old City Guesthouse, located right across the entrance to the National Park.

Sukothai National Historical Park

Sukothai ancient city depicting both Buddhism and Hinduism monuments  flourished between the 13th and the 16th century. The ruins and the relics are well preserved and in 1991, the historical park was declared by UNESCO as a world heritage site.

The most common mode of transport within the historical park

is the bicycle. 

A more expensive transport within the park is this vehicle. It charges by the hour and does not usually stop at the ruins. It just drives around the park.

This is another choice for transport.

After a hasty breakfast, I walked to the gates of the park and bought an admission ticket worth 100 baht.  Sukothai Historical Park is vast and visitors would usually rent a bike in one of the rental shops. However, since I cannot manage to balance myself on one, I had no choice but to walk. It was not a problem and a decision that proved rewarding except for the intense and stifling heat of the sun!

Since I had the whole day, I took my time in the most impressive of the ruins, Wat Mahathat.  Though there were myriad other ruins of antiquity in the park, I think they pale in comparison to the grandeur of Wat Mahathat. Wandering around the gigantic stupas and Buddhas, I could not help thinking about the early civilization that established the place, the kind of lives that they live and the things they believed in. 

In the midst of such profound surroundings, I could not also help but wonder, what architectural wonders would our own civilization bestow upon the tapestry of time? Would we carve our mark as gracefully as those before us, inspiring admiration and reflection for generations yet to come? As I strolled upon the remnants of history, these questions played in mind, casting a layer of introspection upon the landscape before me, and causing me to linger causing me to miss visiting the other temple ruins around the old city and the museum right across the historical park. Despite these, I still consider the day well spent. My mind and heart were full. 

As for my accommodation for the night, I stayed at the Old City Guesthouse. I consider myself lucky for the owner decided to give me a room with a double bed for a bargain since she did not have guests booked for the day.

Sukothai to Ayyutaya

Embarking on a fresh day, I bid my goodbye to the Old City Guesthouse. My feet lead to the Win Tour bus office a few blocks away from the guesthouse where we were picked up at 8:20 by a bus that is headed to Bangkok but is passing by the turnoff to Ayutthaya. The same bus would also pass Sukhothai's new city bus terminal to pick up other passengers.

An inquiry from the lady at the ticketing office informed me that the trip would take 6-7 hours. Bad news! I was hoping that was a very conservative estimate and that the information from some sites on the internet telling that it is a five-hour journey would be true.  Well, it turns out she is right. The bus fare was 310 baht. Compared to the Chiang Mai-Sukothai trip which only cost 207 baht, this leg of the journey is definitely longer.

By 3 pm, the bus dropped me along the Asia highway where I can take another transport to Ayutthaya. With only a few hours and with rain clouds threatening on the horizon, I took the fastest way to the city--via motorbike taxi. There was a language barrier between me and the driver but the language of money is universal. He made his offer. I made my counteroffer and he nodded his head. I, then, hopped on his motorbike and we sped away.  Without bothering to ask me where in Ayutthaya I am headed to, he just dropped me where there were tourist guides with song thews milling about. Well, I couldn't complain. He got me to my destination. By then, droplets of rain were starting to fall from the heavens so wasting no time, I chose to go with a driver who managed to speak to me in English with a ready-made itinerary.

Originally, the driver said he could take me around to visit five of the more popular sites given our limited time but rain suddenly poured while I was at the Wat Yai Chaya Mongkol forcing me to take shelter near the gigantic reclining Buddha. By the time the rain subsided allowing me to run to where the song thew was parked, I only had enough time to visit two others.

Wat Yai Chaya Mongkol

The reclining Buddha

With the little that I saw, I was surprised to see how much more ruined the ruins of Ayutthaya were more than those of Sukhothai. In Wat Mahathat (yes, same name as the one in Sukothai), there were a lot of headless Buddhas, a very famous one is stuck on the roots of a tree. Seemed like the Burmese invaders did a grand job of lopping of the heads which is really a shame. They do look vandalized. Same in the case of Wat Phra Si Sanphet, though it seems that restoration efforts are underway. 

I regret spending so little time in Ayyutaya, I would have liked to wander around the city a bit but it wasn't meant to be. Three hours after my arrival, I was paying my 210 baht train ticket for Bangkok. Another two hours and 30 minutes and I was in Hua Lamphong train station.

The train station at Ayyutaya

Itchy feet in Chang Mai

Travelling via Nakonchaiair bus from Bangkok to Chiang Mai was easy-peasy. My original plan was to take the sleeper train so I would be fully rested upon arrival in Chiang Mai but since the bus was recommended to me, I decided to give it a try. Not a bad choice at all! Water, dinner and blankets were all part of the 759 Baht bus fare which is about half the price if I took the second class coach on the sleeper train. The eight- hour journey was comfortable and uneventful and before I knew it the bus was parked at the Arcade Bus Station.

I was hoping that our arrival would be a bit delayed and we wouldn't be arriving in Chiang Mai at an ungodly hour but it seems the bus runs on time. I should not be complaining.

So, what does one do to pass the time away?

Well, here is an idea. Find a charging station and charge one's phone. Which I did! There were no charging stations around the bus station so I tried the 7-11 shop a few meters away. As luck would have it, they do not have a charging station, but instead have a socket outside the shop where I was told I can plug in my phone free of charge. Ha! I am a fan of anything that is free. Sue me!

Two hours later, phone fully charged, walked back to the bus station, bought myself a cup of Joe and by 7:30 I was ready to hail a song thew to the old city and find a place where I can drop my bags.

Where I stayed:

I originally thought of booking at Julie's Guesthouse but at the last minute I saw a review on TripAdvisor saying that it has got bed bugs. Oops! I once stayed in a backpacker hostel in Lusaka where I saw and crushed bedbugs crawling on the mosquito netting. I didn't sleep a wink the whole night thinking about  bed bugs gorging themselves on my blood and bed bugs getting in my bags and eventually having them in the house. You get the idea. The horror!

Seeing that review, I backtracked and booked myself in the first guest house that I saw.

Central Guesthouse is located near Tha Phae Gate, one of the gates of Chiang Mai's old city. It was actually very near where I was dropped by the song thew. On the first floor of the guesthouse is a Ugo Central restaurant, which seems to be a must try in Chiang Mai. The place is always full and people have to wait for them to be seated. I did not try it myself, though. I have been often full with all the fruits and street foods I munched on while walking around the city.

The lady in charge, who communicates well in English, allowed me to book early without extra charge so that was a good deal. After a refreshing shower and reviewing my planned itinerary, I was ready to hit the streets.

 First stop: Wat Chedi Luang

From Central Guesthouse I walked to Wat Chedi Luang passing by other temples- Wat Phan On and Wat Phan Tao.

Inside Wat Chedi Luang with its standing buddha.

Wat Chedi Luang is a historic temple constructed in the 14th century. You wanna see ruins? Check out this wat's chedi believed to be have been destroyed by an earthquake during the 16th century and further damaged by cannons during the Burmese invasion. I wanted to climb up the stairs and see what is up there but it understandably, it was not allowed.

The ruins of the chedi

The temple used to house the Emerald Buddha before it was taken to Wat Pra Kaew in the outer area of Bangkok's Grand Palace. Now, it just has a replica of the original.

Second stop: Buddhist Manuscript Library and Museum

Found within the Wat Chedi Luang compound, this museum is very easy to miss. It is a 2-story small building with the second floor containing manuscripts of monks. The first floor explains details of the evolution of Wat Chedi Luang and its relevance in history.

Third stop: Chang Mai City Arts and Cultural Centre

My next stop was supposed to be Wat Phra Singh but I couldn't be bothered to ask for directions,so I just wandered around.  The concentration of wats in such a small area was incredible. It was fun just wandering in and out of the temples and marvelling at the elaborate designs. That is an exaggeration on my part. I did not enjoy that bit where I always have to bend down and tie my shoelaces after coming out of temple. I learned in Bangkok that we always have to remove our shoes when entering temples. Learned that too late. Next time, I will travel with slip on sneakers.

A few blocks away from Wat Chedi Luang and I found myself in front of Chang Mai's City Arts and Cultural Center.

Entrance fee was 90 baht but they offer a single entrance ticket for the Arts and Cultural Centre, The Lanna Folklife Museum and the Chiang Mai Historical Museum for only 180 baht. Cool! Always, the bargain hunter, I decided to take the single entrance ticket thinking that I would have enough time to visit all the three. Thing is, I requested for a museum guide which kind of extended the the time of my visit at the Centre. He was particularly proud of his Lanna heritage and was telling stories about Chang Mai's Lanna Thai kingdom, the royal families of Chang Mai and Siam and life in Chang Mai in general. Before we know knew it, we were being ushered out of the building after we extended 15 minutes beyound closing time. I am glad I requested for a guide. They always liven up museum visits. Judging from the reactions of the staff, it seems it is not usual for guests to request one.

Fourth stop: Tha Phae Gate

Tha Phae Gate with all its pigeons

I was dropped by the song thew driver across Tha Phae Gate earlier in the day but I did not realize its historical importance. It did look interesting because there was a couple having their wedding photos taken, but I thought it was just a park or something.

However, my  guide at Chang Mai's Arts and Cultural Center said that it is actually one of the four gates of the old city. That particular information automatically made it more interesting for me. Had to stop by and check it out again. While I was at it, I also went a bit further to see the Ping river. If Bangkok has its Chao Phraya river, Chang Mai has the its own Ping river.

Fifth stop: Thai massage parlor
Well, its Thai massage so the best place to experience it is Thailand, wouldn't you agree. Chang Mai has a massage parlor in every corner in every block. One doesn't lack choices. In my case, I went to one near the Central Guesthouse. First thing I noticed, they do not have massage beds with holes for the face, but instead have the mattresses on the floor. I guess it makes sense. It is a lot easier for the masseuse. Thai massage require a lot of pressure.

Sixth stop: Markets and Shops

Since Sompet and Warorot Market were specifically mentioned in the brochure of Central Guest house, I decided to check them out. I did not find anything spectacular in Sompet market. It is a wet market and within the old city, but while I was there, I observed this guy talking to tourists and giving them the names of the different vegetables and fruits. That must be the attraction. Me, I found the spices more interesting.

Warorot market on the other hand is different. It has got everything- curios, gold, souvenirs, clothes. It is a shoppers haven and right across it is the TonLamYai Market. Both are huge, but offer more or less the same kind of stuff. I spent hours going in and out of the shops. In the end, I realized, I bought nothing. Blame it on having too many choices. Well, that and the fact that I know I still have several days left. I did not like the idea of moving around carrying the extra baggage.On my way back to the guesthouse, I passed by Lao Zhou Alley, the Chiang Mai Chinatown. I do not know about the quality but the products offered here seem to be more expensive than in Warorot.

Goods displayed at Sompet Market

At the Tonlamyai Market considered to be the Lanna culture market

Warorot Market: a  bird's eye view

Dresses on display at Lou Zhou Alley

Seventh stop: Wat Phra Singha

This is my last stop. Constructed by King Phayoo of the Lannas, this wat is ancient. I visited the place very early in the morning and was impressed seeing the sun shine on its huge chedi. It is one of the more important wats in the city.

The magnificent chedi of Wat Prasingha

Monk alley at Wat Prasingha

Chang Mai is very tourist friendly. It has a lot of activities to offer-ziplining, cooking classes, chatting with monks, river cruise, nature treks, visiting elephant sanctuaries. It is no wonder it is overrun by tourists.

In my case, I chose to stay within the old city, just walking around and basking in its energy. Maybe, next time I return, I would venture farther afield.

A Day in Bangkok

Just a part of the massive Grand Palace complex

Here is a fact. One day is not enough for Bangkok. It is not enough for any place really--but then, in this world we are just passersby and we try to fit in as much memories and experiences as we can.

Where I stayed

I had a late morning start. Blame it on the comfy mattress of the female dormitory of Golden Mountain Hostel, a place which I would gladly stay in again should I have another chance to visit the city. Aside from the beds, the hostel appealed to me for it is just a walking distance away from the places I wanted to visit.

                    

                    8-bed female dorm room

The shower

The toilet

The bed

Unfortunately, since I started off late, the sun was already up and the scorching heat was just not ideal for walking. I still ended up taking the tuktuk to the Grand Palace where I and a friend residing in Thailand have agreed to meet.

First stop: The Grand Palace 
(only two kilometers away from the Golden Mountain Hostel, tuktuk should be around 80 THB)
Entrance fee: 500 baht
Opening hours: 8:30 a.m to 3:30 pm

The Grand Palace is a complex covering an area of 218,000 sq. meters. King Rama I started building it in 1782 as the official residence of the royal family and as the site of his administrative offices. His successors added to it and now it has become a massive complex. I recommend spending at least three hours in this place in order to soak in the grandeur and the history that comes with it. It is feast for the eyes. You see something different in every corner, and you also see a LOT of tourists. I found it difficult to take a photo with just the building or the temple. I do not know if it is any different in the earlier part of the day.

Wat Phra Kaew also known as Wat Phra Sri RattanaSasadaram or Temple of the Emerald Buddha is a located in the outer area of the palace. It is part of the original buildings built by King Rama I in 1782. Entrance fee is included in the 500 baht entrance fee to the Grand Palace.

Second stop: The Museum of Siam
(just a block away from The Grand Palace)

Unfortunately, when we went there, it was closed so I didn't get to see it.

Third stop: Wat Arun (Temple of the Dawn)
Entrance fee: 50 baht
Opening hours: 8:30 a.m to 6:00 pm

More commonly known as Wat Arun or Wat Chaeng to the locals, it is actually Wat Arun Ratchawararam. Located at the west bank of the Chao Phraya river, it is named after the Indian god of dawn, Aruna.

So, what is special about this temple? I guess it must be pretty important to have made it as an image in Thailand's 10 baht coin.

Other temples who have similar distinction are Wat Benjamabophit (the Marble Temple), located in the Dusit District of Bangkok (5 baht coin), the chedis of the Temple of the Emerald Buddha (1 baht coin) and Wat Prathat Doi Sothep in Changmai (50 satang or .50 baht)

Fourth stop: Khao San Road

From Wat Arun, we took the Chao Phraya tourist boat (blue flag) for 50 baht to Khao San Road. It was too late, when we learned that there are also much cheaper boats (orange flag) plying the same route. By the time we learned about it, we already are in possession of our non-refundable tourist boat tickets.

The Chao Phraya river boat

Cruising along the river

Anyway, the boat actually has several ports much like a train. So, one has to know exactly where to drop off.

To be honest, I do not see the appeal of Khao San Road. Probably, it is the party atmosphere especially at night and the touristy souvenir items being sold in the shops. It is where one goes when one is interested to meet other travelers I guess.

Fifth stop: Wat Saket (The Golden Mountain temple)
Entrance fee: 50 baht
Opening hours: 8:00 a.m to 7:00 p.m

From Khao San Road, Wat Saket is just around 1.2 kilometers. We could have walked but we were too exhausted from walking under the midday heat. We decided to take a tuktuk instead which charged us 150 baht, same price for locals he said. Ha! According to the Golden Mountain hostel guide to Bangkok--which is just a piece of paper that I got from the reception--it should have cost us 60 baht only.

Since my hostel is just a block away, we stopped by and collected my backpack first before heading to the temple.

It was a perfect ending for day. It was a lot of stairs to climb, 300 to be exact,  but the view of the sunset was just awesome.

            

              The stairs going up.. well in this case, going down.

The chedi

A view of Bangkok

Sunset

A view of the temple from the road

Sixth stop: Mo chit bus station

My original plan was to travel at night to Chiang Mai through the sleeper train. So, I was supposed to go to Hua Lamphong Station. However, my friend recommended that I take the Nakchonchaiair first class bus. It is cheaper but also very comfortable. So instead of going to the train station, we headed to Mo chit bus station. Taking the metered taxi from Wat Saket to Mo Chit costs 129 baht.

I paid 759 baht for a bus seat to Chiang Mai which is like one half of what I would have paid if I took the second class sleeper train.

The bus service was  great--comfortable massage chairs with blankets. Food, water and snacks were also provided. All in all, I'd say this one is a pretty good deal!

...waiting for the bus to start boarding

Thailand: My 7 days itinerary

I never intended to book tickets for Bangkok. When I sat in front of my laptop, it was to check out flights to Taiwan. I wanted to take advantage of the fact that Filipinos were granted visa free entry to the country on a trial basis. For some reason, I found myself booking a ticket to Thailand instead. Yay! So how does one spend a holiday in Thailand. Googling the country offers various choices from shopping and cooking classes to beaches and temples. I figured I already saw enough beaches being from the Philippines so I opted to go on a temple safari instead. My original plan was to head to Chiang Mai and then eventually Pai. It did not happen that way.

Arrival in Bangkok

I landed in Bangkok at around 10:30 in the evening. I was actually concerned about this, being a solo female traveller. Turns out, it was not that much of a concern really. After getting myself cleared at imigration, I had to take care of my connectivity issues. This was very important for me since I agreed to meet one of my former students the next day. I approached one kiosk at the arrivals area and subscribed to True Move network tourist SIM. They gave me the package that costs 299 THB, valid for 8 days. It comes with free unlimited 4G/3G internet for 8 days at maximum speed up t 3 GB and reduced speed of 128 kbps thereafter. So far, I had no issues with it. Anyway after I got that organized, I had to rush in order to catch the airport link to Bangkok. Apparently, the last train leaves at midnight. I barely had 15 minutes to find where I can board the train, figure out where I should drop off and get my payment sorted. As luck would have it, people were very helpful. I made it to the last train with a minute to spare.

My hostel was located at Pomprap so I was advised by an airport employee that I should drop off at the Paya Thai station which I discovered was the last station for the airport rail link. From there, I could have walked or taken a tuktuk but since it was past midnight, I had no choice but to take a cab. It was a bit of a rip-off. The cab drivers were explaining to me that after 10 pm they no longer operate with their taxi meters. It sounded like bollocks to me but I have to get to the hostel. From an initial 200 baht, I managed to bargain and get it down to 150. Not bad. 

Arriving at the Golden Mountain Hostel, I was met by a sleepy receptionist. He can only understand a few words in English and I do not speak Thai so I'd say we had a communication problem. However, I cannot really complain. He was very accommodating. He had my booking printed and ready.After I filled in the necessary information, he handed me the key and led me upstairs where I had my first cultural initiation. Get this--I had to take off my shoes and leave them downstairs despite my room being located on the third floor. That was a first for me!

I booked a bunk in the female dormitory. It had a very comfortable mattress and was very private There were two other guests in the room but I never even caught a glimpse of them the entire time. I would definitely recommend the place.

Day 1: Bangkok

Met up with a former student and we visited the massive complex of the Grand Palace. In my itinerary, I included a visit to the National Museum which was just a block away but we were informed that it was closed for that day. So, we headed for Wat Arun instead and afterwards, took a ferry to Khao San Road where we had a bit of a stroll before heading back to my hostel to pick up my back pack since I was taking a night trip to Chang Mai. Before heading to Mo Chit Station, we decided to drop by Wat Saket to view the sunset over Bangkok.

Just a part of the the Grand Temple complex

Wat Arun

Wat Saket

Day 2: Chiang Mai 

Arrived in Chiang Mai at around 4:30 in the morning. I did not book a place ahead and since it was very early I decided to just hang around the bus station and charge my phone outside the 7-11 store. It was interesting, just sitting there and watching the bus station wake up and come alive--food stall owners arriving in their motorbikes, opening their shops and displaying their goods. Office workers coming in dressed smartly, looking for the buses that would take them wherever their destinations are. 

By 6:30, phone fully charged, I found myself a song thew (Thai local transport) and headed to the old city. I thought of booking a place at Julie's Guesthouse, which was recommended by one of the blogs. However, I changed my mind when I saw a review on Trip Advisor that it has bed bugs. Having no plan B, I went around and found Central Guesthouse. Lucky for me, I did not have to wait for 2 pm to check in so I was able to get myself refreshed before hitting the streets and visiting countless temples and museums. The highlight was Wat Chedi Luang. 

Wat Chedi Luang

Day 3: Chiang Mai 

Woke up early. Shopping day! I visited a lot of markets-Sompet market, Warorot market, Tonlamyai Market, Lao Zhou Alley (The Chiang Mai Chinatown) and a lot of shops in between. I just walked all day fueled by bottles of water and a kilo of mangosteen I bought from a vendor. What I discovered from this experience is that I could actually have fun getting lost in alleyways and taking in the different sights and smells. I had all the time so going from one shop to another, I would always have this idea that the next shop would be cheaper. I ended up buying nothing.

Warorot Market

Spices sold at the Sompet Market

Day 4: Chiang Mai to Sukothai

I was supposed to head to Pai today. However, my former student, whom I met in Bangkok highly recommended that I visit Sukothai. I did read about Sukothai in the web but hearing none about it from people who have been to Thailand, I did not give it much notice.

Wat Phra Singh

It was another early start. Took a morning walk from Central Guesthouse to Wat Pra Singh which is right at the other end of the old city. I must have spent more than an hour there before heading back to the guesthouse-checking out and heading to the Arcade Bus Terminal where I caught a Win Tour bus to Sukothai. Travel from Chiang Mai to Sukothai is more or less six hours which means I arrived at Sukothai in the early evening.

Day 5: Sukothai

Boy! I am so happy, I visited this place. Sukothai historical park is just amazing. The stiffling heat of the sun did not deter me from checking out all the ruins and letting them transport me to a bygone era. On hindsight, my Day 3 visit to the Chang Mai City Arts and Cultural Center Museum was a very good introduction to Sukothai. 

Wat Mahathat

Day 6: Sukothai to Ayyutaya to Bangkok

I originally planned to stay for another day in Sukothai and then take the night bus back to Bangkok.Then, I thought to myself, why not visit Ayyutaya. I am already in Thailand so I should drop by the place on my way to Bangkok. Luckily, buses heading to Ayyutaya pick up passengers at the ticketing office in Sukothai's old city which means I did not have to go to the bus terminal at the new city. 

The lady at the ticketing office told me the trip lasts around seven hours. However, I read in the internet that travel from Sukothai to Ayyutaya takes around five hours so I remained very hopeful that I would have more time to see the sights. Sadly, the internet  posts must have been referring to private cars. The lady was right. My bus trip (yes, it was another Win Tour bus) took me six hours and thirty minutes. So, by the time I got dropped off at the highway and had a motorbike taxi transport me to the city proper, it was already late in the afternoon. Luckily, I reached Ayyutaya before the heavens opened. Yikes... and I only had three hours to see the sights before they close for the day. 

Deciding to cut my loses, I got one of those song thew drivers with "official" looking documents from the tourism office take me around. It was a bit pricey but to console myself, at least I was able to visit three of the countless ruins.

                

By six-thirty, I was at the train station buying my ticket to Bangkok. I was debating to myself whether I should spend the night in Ayyutaya or head to Bangkok. In the end, I wanted to make sure that I arrive in Bangkok in good time since I was flying back home the next day. I took Train 210. After getting used to paying at least 100 baht to song thew and tuktuk drivers, the 15 baht train fare from Ayyutaya to Bangkok came as a nice surprise.

The train station in Ayyutaya

Day 7: Flight back home

All good things have to come to an end. I ended the trip with a visit to MBK shopping center where again, I window shopped. Had I left the hostel earlier, I could have visited the cultural center right next to it but I decided to sleep in. By 1 o'clock I was at the Suvarnabhumi International airport ready to head back home.