Itinerary Ideas: Ayutthaya, Nakhon Sawan and Uthai Thani

In this edition of our Thailand Itinerary Ideas series, we take you on a route through Central Thailand that encompasses ancient ruins, charming riverside towns and the opportunity to see ‘Unseen Thailand’ away from the tourist trail. This itinerary can be used as a bolt-on to a longer trip, and we suggest allowing at least 10 days for these three destinations:

Ayutthaya: 2/3 days
Nakhon Sawan: 3/4 days
Uthai Thani: 4 days

You can start and finish in Bangkok, but we also provide you with options for extending the trip from Uthai Thani if you are in no hurry to get back to the Thai capital.

Ayutthaya

Proximity to the Thai capital makes Ayutthaya a popular day trip from Bangkok. While you can cover some of Ayutthaya’s most famous attractions on a whistle-stop tour, it’s a better experience spending a few nights here so you can sightsee at leisure. It’s also an easy destination to reach by train from Bangkok.

Once the thriving capital of the Siamese Kingdom, Ayutthaya was one of Asia’s most influential cities between 1350 and 1767. At its peak, this prosperous trading hub attracted merchants, diplomats, and travellers from across the world. Intersected by rivers and canals, the city earned the nickname ‘Venice of the East’ among European visitors. Although Ayutthaya was largely destroyed during the Burmese invasion of 1767, its remarkable ruins continue to showcase the wealth, power, and artistic achievements of a kingdom that helped shape modern Thailand.

Today, the remains of the former capital are preserved within the UNESCO-listed Ayutthaya Historical Park. Exploring the site by bicycle is an enjoyable way to experience the ancient city. The attractions cover a wide area, and getting to some of them does mean cycling on sections of busy roads.

If the thought of cycling around Ayutthaya seems too strenuous, take a tour in one of the city’s iconic tuk-tuks. You’ll see them parked up around the railway station and nearer to the Historical Park. The tuk-tuks directly outside the station tend to charge higher prices but are an easy option for travellers arriving by train. If you cross the road from the train station, there is a lane that leads down to the river and pier. The tour offices and tuk-tuks on this road will usually give you a better deal. Tours cover all the main attractions, but if there are particular locations you do or don’t want to see, you can arrange it with the driver. Tours range from one hour to all day. Expect to pay 200 Baht for an hour, 700 Baht for four hours and 900 Baht for six hours or more.

Among the park’s most iconic monuments is Wat Phra Si Sanphet, once part of the royal palace complex and renowned for its elegant line of restored chedis. Nearby, Wat Mahathat is famous for the stone Buddha head nestled within the roots of a banyan tree, one of Thailand’s most photographed historical sights. With its riverside setting and striking architecture, Wat Chaiwatthanaram is another highlight of Ayutthaya.

Beyond the central zone of the Historical Park, several other temples deserve a place on any itinerary. Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon is one of Ayutthaya’s most impressive temples with its towering bell-shaped chedi, rows of saffron-draped Buddha statues, and a larger reclining Buddha.

In the northwest zone of the park, Wat Lokayasutharam is home to another enormous reclining Buddha image. Further out of town, the huge white chedi at Wat Phukhao Thong was decorated with gold during Ayutthaya’s heyday, but remains a photogenic location to visit. On the road approaching the temple, there is an impressive modern statue of King Naresuan, who ruled the Ayutthaya kingdom in the 16th century and remains a much-revered figure in Thai history.

Ayutthaya’s long history as an international trading centre is also reflected in its cuisine, with dishes like khao mok gai. This fragrant chicken-and-rice dish is influenced by Indian and Muslim trading communities that once flourished in the region. Boat noodles, known locally as kuay tiao ruea, originated during the days when vendors sold meals directly from boats navigating the city’s waterways and remain a beloved speciality today. Seafood lovers should also seek out Ayutthaya’s celebrated giant river prawns, prized for their sweet flavour and succulent texture.

If you have a sweet tooth, try one of the province’s signature treats, roti sai mai. These delicate strands of coloured spun sugar are wrapped in a thin pancake-like roti. You’ll see these colourful treats for sale at locations across the city, and if you arrive by ordinary train, look out for the vendors selling them.

Ayutthaya map

Nakhon Sawan

After a couple of days soaking up the culture of Ayutthaya, take the morning train #111 north for the three-hour journey to Nakhon Sawan.

Nakhon Sawan train station is located a little way out of the main town, but songthaews meet arriving trains. These shared taxis are cheap (the fare to town is around 15 Baht), but drivers tend to cram in as many passengers as possible. With limited space, this is not ideal if you are travelling with large luggage. However, you can negotiate a fare with the driver and hire the songthaew privately to your hotel (fare will be around 150 Baht to the Paradise Park area).

Nakhon Sawan (the name translates as ‘Heavenly City’) is a large city, but if you stay in the area near Utthayan Sawan (Paradise Park), you can enjoy the quiet side of the city. This area of Nakhon Sawan is known as Pak Nam Pho and has a long history of Chinese immigrants.

Today’s Thai-Chinese community retain their traditions with Nakhon Sawan hosting one of the most vibrant celebrations for Chinese New Year. The colourful Chinese dragons at the entrance to Paradise Park hint at the city’s history, and if you look closely, you will see nods to this heritage at locations around Nakhon Sawan, including on street signs.

Paradise Park is at the heart of the community in Nakhon Sawan and a delightful place to simply observe or join in with local life. In the cooler mornings and evenings, this is a wonderful location to walk around and enjoy the ambience. A large lake sits at the centre of the park, and a popular location for families to relax and feed the fish. Young adults jog around the fitness track, aunties do aerobics, while uncles can be spotted playing woodball, a game of skill that combines golf with croquet.

For attractions further away from the park, using the Grab app is the easiest way to get around. Make the trip to see the source of the Chao Phraya River. An elegant wooden art installation sits on the land where the Ping River and Nan River meet to form the Chao Phraya River at a location known as ‘Passan: The Origin of the Chao Phraya River’. Underneath the main viewing area is a small but surprisingly good museum where you can enjoy an interactive display in English detailing the history of Nakhon Sawan and the importance of the waterways.

After visiting Passan, take a Grab taxi back across the river for lunch at any local spot or a drink at one of the city’s many coffee shops, like Happen. Suitably refreshed, take a wander and look out for street art dotted around town.

From its lofty vantage point, Wat Khiriwong offers panoramic views of the city. If you’re taking a Grab taxi there, be sure to mark the drop-off point as the car park at the top of the hill and not the temple area at the bottom. The nearby observation tower is also worth a quick visit for views of the temple.

Red Lotus Sea
If you visit Nakhon Sawan during the cool season months (December to February), you can visit the Red Lotus Sea at Bueng Boraphet. During the cool season, the wetlands are awash with red lotuses and taking an early morning boat trip is the ideal way to admire the scenery.

Nakhon Sawan map

Uthai Thani

From Nakhon Sawan, take the comfortable air-conditioned local bus for the one-hour journey southwest to Uthai Thani. This lovely riverside town is a fabulous way to round off this itinerary. You won’t see many, if any, foreign tourists here, so if you’re seeking that elusive ‘real Thailand’ experience, look no further.

For this itinerary, we focus on what you can see and do in and around the town itself rather than attractions further afield in Uthai Thani province. The real charm of Uthai Thani is relaxing into the slow pace of life in this picturesque riverside town.

Take a boat cruise along the Sakae Krang River and learn about the raft-house community. With dozens of raft-houses along the river, this is the last community of its kind in Thailand. Residents earn their living through traditional fishing and cultivating the pandan plant, which is used in Thai cooking. 

Walk or cycle along the riverside promenade and enjoy the ambience of Uthai Thani. Take a seat at a riverside cafe and, as the Thais say, ‘chill chill’ and relax.  The Sakae Krang Floating House and Cafe and the upstairs balcony at Moom Sakae Cafe are both ideal spots to soak up the atmosphere. 

For a comfortable stay and practical help getting around Uthai Thani, book a room at the award-winning Uthai Heritage Hotel. This converted schoolhouse is handily located for the river and the town’s morning and evening markets. It’s also close to the Trok Rong Ya Walking Street Market, which sets up near the centre of town on Saturday afternoons. If you do stay, be sure to visit the Thai Dessert Cafe a few doors down and the charming Baan Jongrak. The latter is part cafe and part museum, and only a five-minute walk away from Uthai Heritage Hotel.  The Uthai Thani Provincial Culture and Science Museum is also within comfortable walking distance, but not always open, so check in advance if you are planning to visit.

Wake up early on at least one morning of your stay to enjoy the quiet charm of the morning market and the opportunity to observe locals presenting alms to monks. In particular, you can see the alms-giving to the monks on the Sakae Krang River that takes place on the pier at Sakae Krang Square. The monks here are from the temple across the river, Wat Uposatharam (also known as Wat Bot). To visit the temple, you can walk across the photogenic Wat Bot Bridge. The bridge also marks the start of a scenic cycling route that takes you over the river to Ko Thepo, the largest freshwater island in Thailand.

Even if temples aren’t usually your thing, there are two others worth seeking out in Uthai Thani. Wat Sangkat Rattana Khiri features a hilltop temple with panoramic views of Uthai Thani.  It’s a bit of a hike to get there and climb the steps, but there is also the option to let a tuk-tuk or samlor do the work and drive you to the top via the back road. 

The other temple is Wat Chantharam (aka Wat Tha Sung), which has the colloquial name in English, ‘Crystal Temple’. The name comes from the 100-metre-long building, Viharn Kaew, a modern religious hall decorated with mirrors and glass chandeliers. The hall is part of a much bigger complex of buildings that includes the striking Prasat Thong (Golden Palace), attractive gardens and a host of other religious buildings. 

Ease into the slow life in Uthai Thani

Uthai Thani map

Onward travel

From Uthai Thani, buses/minivans travel to Bangkok, with the journey taking around three hours. Alternatively, you can take the bus back to Nakhon Sawan. From Nakhon Sawan, you have the option to travel south to Bangkok or head north to Phitsanulok (for a bus to Sukhothai) or onwards to Lampang and Chiang Mai. Another good option from Nakhon Sawan is to take the big bus that departs at 14:30 to Kanchanaburi, with the journey taking four hours. 

Itinerary Ideas
This article is part of our Itinerary Ideas series. These particular itineraries are for anybody, but may appeal more to repeat visitors to Thailand looking to explore different destinations on their next trip or anyone seeking meaningful travel experiences. If you’re a first-time visitor to Thailand or looking for more ideas of where to go and what to do, check out these articles too:
2-week Thailand itinerary
3-week Thailand itinerary
4-week Thailand itinerary

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