Lopburi Monkey Temple & Ayutthaya Old City Tour From Bangkok

Two of Thailand’s most photogenic historical sites — Ayutthaya’s ruined temples and the macaque-overrun Phra Prang Sam Yot in Lopburi — sit close enough that a determined day trip from Bangkok can link both, and this ten-hour tour caps the group at ten people with an English-speaking guide. Pickup is from hotels in the Khao San Road area and Siam Square; meet-up is at the WanderSiam office next to Tai Hong Kong Shrine on Chao Khamrop Road.

Ayutthaya comes first, working through the old royal capital that ran from 1350 to 1767 — Wat Phra Si Sanphet (the three-chedi silhouette on the coins), Wat Mahathat (Buddha head in the bodhi tree roots), and Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon (the reclining Buddha and row of seated monks). The afternoon shifts to Lopburi, one of Thailand’s oldest continuously inhabited cities, and the Khmer-era Phra Prang Sam Yot where dozens of long-tailed macaques have taken over the three-prang temple and treat visitors as part of their daily entertainment. Lopburi became the second capital of Siam under King Narai in the 17th century, so the history layers up.

Expect an early start and a late return — the two sites are two hours apart, so a lot of the day is in the vehicle. Food, meals, and personal expenses aren’t included; plan on 150-250 THB for lunch en route. The monkeys at Lopburi will steal anything loose (glasses, water bottles, food), so leave valuables in the van. Temple dress code applies at both sites — shoulders and knees covered. Tipping for driver and guide is optional but customary. One bottle of drinking water per person is provided.