Ancient City historic park - a one-day tour of Thailand


by Andy Burrows - Date: 2007-06-26 - Word Count: 722 Share This!

A vast site displaying reproductions of some of the most famous monuments Thailand might sound like a day at a tacky amusement park, but most people find Samut Prakan's Ancient City (Muang Boran) something of a pleasant surprise. Most visitors only visit Samut Prakan on arriving and leaving from the international airport in Bangkok, but the Ancient City is a popular distraction with expats, locals, school children and holidaymakers.

Having been conceived in the 1960s and finally having opened its doors in 1972, the Ancient City really isn't ancient, but some of the monuments reproduced here are. The park's location is close enough to Bangkok to make it an easy half-day trip, but also far enough to make you feel like you are escaping from the city for a few hours. It's a good idea to come here just after rush hour in the morning; that way you can escape the heat of the day and also avoid travelling back in the afternoon rush hour.

The Ancient City spans 320 acres, so it's difficult to expect to cover it all in one day. Simply use the map given to you with your ticket and explore at leisure. The Ancient City is conveniently shaped roughly the same as the country itself, and with the attractions arranged accordingly, it's easy for you to know which region the monument you are looking at hails from.

Generally, you will find the reconstructions here are built to an excellent standard, which is a result of the input of the Thailand National Museum experts in the building phase. It's certainly a good way for people on a short trip to Thailand to see things that they simply wouldn't have the time to see, not to mention a few buildings which no longer exist. There are currently 116 monuments here with the promise of more to come in the future. The Ancient City in Bangkok

You'll find plenty of drink and snack places around the park, some in attractive quiet areas. But for a more substantial meal, you should plan your trip so that you reach the Floating Market area when you are most hungry. There are some reasonable eateries here with tables on wooden platforms overlooking the water. If there is a school trip in the park, it might be a good idea to take an early or late lunch to avoid the mad rush.

The Royal Hall of Ayutthaya, which was destroyed in 1767, is one of the more impressive reproductions here, but you will also find a range of traditional Thai houses according to the style of the region they originated from. Although most of the monuments here are reconstructions, there are also a few originals, such as the wooden temple in the north of the park which was purchased from a northern Thailand hill tribe village.

The Ancient City isn't really the place for souvenir shopping, but you will find a model village quite close to the entrance which sells a number of ceramic and other souvenirs. Most people agree that the Ancient City is worth the effort to visit and some even enthuse about the park. A recent British visitor commented, "coming here is a great way to do some sightseeing without the kids getting bored".

The size of the Ancient City in Bangkok makes walking not really a viable option, but there are plenty of bikes available for hire at the entrance. Far more fun though is to hire a golf buggy and zip your way around, making exploring and getting lost must less tiring! There is also a mini-tram service with guides who speak English, Japanese or Chinese. The advantage of the park's size is that even on a busy day, you won't really notice that many people around.

You'll find the Ancient City included on a number of organised tours in the city, but it is also an easy place to visit independently, if you prefer. A taxi from the centre of Bangkok should take just over an hour or alternatively, you can travel to On Nut by Sky train and take a taxi from there. It's usually easy enough to find a taxi to take you back, or you can negotiate with your taxi driver to wait for you. It's a great way to see the highlights of Thailand tourism in a day. Thailand tourist guide


Related Tags: thailand, attraction, city, architecture, sightseeing, tours, tourist, attractions, bangkok, history, ancient, thai, out, days, muang, boran, ayuthaya

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