Muang Boran
Muang Boran Ancient City is a sprawling outdoor attraction located on the southeast of Bangkok in the Samut Prakan province. The fastest route to Muang Boran is to take a private vehicle hire (get a Grabcar!) from Bangkok city centre, costing ~ THB350. Public transportation is a little more tricky but doable. Take the BTS Green Line to Kheha station, which is also the last station. Hail a ride from the station to the entrance of the attraction, which will set you back about THB100 to THB150.
Although the entrance fees cost THB700 for foreigners, there are special deals from websites. I used Klook to get a discounted entrance ticket @ THB350, hassle-free via the Klook mobile apps or the website. If you are not sure on the actual date, just buy on the day itself, but give half an hour for the necessary details. Do bring your passport as this is required (and kept with the ticket counter during your trip) in order to rent a golf cart or e-bike. Renting these vehicles are separate fees.
There is also a standard tram to bring visitors around but these trams will not be stopping at all places, running a full circle around 1.5 hours. Visitors can take their own sweet time to walk, but beware that the place is huge and walking will take a very long time. 😀
What is Muang Boran Ancient City all about? It is privately-owned and the brainchild of tycoon Vik Viriyahbhun. The sprawling complex houses a significant number of ancient architectures from Thailand’s long history. Some are reconstructed from archaeological history, while others are based on actual complexes still standing today. At each stop, you can slowly listen to the history of these places.
For those who are avid photographer and love selfies, you will have a field day trying to absorb and capture all the beautiful sceneries. The sceneries are really out of this world, as these older architectural complexes are not crammed up but spread out with dug out rivers and beautifully landscaped trees and shrubs of flowers. Taking a rest at one of the many stops, you can feel the relaxed paces – birds chirping, grasshoppers twittering, the occasional wind blowing.
There are areas which are still being renovated, in anticipation of more crowds as these places are brimming with workers building the areas and completing the landscaping.
Ayutthaya
Another interesting attraction north of Bangkok is Ayutthaya, the ancient city of the Siamese kingdom. The remains are ancient ruins, but you can imagine the glory of the olden days based on these. Many of these temples are structured beautifully, with remnants of Buddha statues remaining.
There are many temples that you can visit – Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon (with its Buddha statues lined up majestically till today), Wat Phra Si Samphet (the holy temple of the Royal Palace), Wat Chaiwatthanaram (well-preserved structure) and many others. Most of these are located as part of Ayutthaya Historical Park.
Although there are many 1-day trip from Bangkok, to fully absorb the majestic ancient structures may need more than a day. If you happen to chance upon ancient Thai drama series, you will get an idea in terms of how the city is brimming with local populations, and sometimes even foreign dignitaries. Think Love Destiny, the super popular 2018 Thai series depicting time-travel to the ancient city Ayutthaya. The rest, fill your imaginations!
Cheng's Musings 