Limited time and budget are not excuses for travel enthusiasts like me. In fact, there are many trips that can be done within a limited time and budget. Today, I'm taking you on a trip with limited time and budget for less than 500 baht. You'll also get merit and beautiful photos to post on social media. Many people may overlook Ayutthaya, a place near Bangkok (including myself, who has never been there even though I have lived in Bangkok for almost 10 years).

Prior to the extended "Mother's Day" holiday, I spent a considerable amount of time contemplating potential trip destinations. Despite having numerous plans, none materialized when the holiday arrived. Consequently, I remained at home until my younger sister messaged me with an invitation.

Younger sister: Hey sis (calling me like a girl), are you free tomorrow? Let's go to Ayutthaya for a 1-day trip.

We: Let's go when we're free. (Think about it first, okay?)

Sister: Okay, what time should we meet? 7:30 AM?

We: We need to leave earlier to buy tickets, around 6:30 AM. Let's meet at Hua Lamphong station. (This led to this trip.)

The scene cuts to Sunday morning, where the first excitement + disgrace occurs.

I woke up at 6:33 AM (although I had agreed to meet my friend at 6:30 AM). After glancing at the clock, I exclaimed, "Oh, no!" I was sure I was going to be late and that my friend would be furious (and maybe a little annoyed with me too). I quickly pulled myself together and managed to shower and get dressed in less than 10 minutes, setting a new personal record (I was quite proud of myself). I then rushed downstairs and hailed a motorbike taxi to take me to Hua Lamphong Railway Station. Luckily, my house wasn't too far away. Upon arrival, I bought a ticket and sprinted onto the train just as it was about to depart.

Coincidentally, while we were looking for seats on the train, we bumped into a high school friend whom we hadn't seen for almost 10 years since graduating. She was with her younger sister. After catching up, we realized we were all headed to the same destination, so our group of two expanded to four.

The journey to Ayutthaya takes approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes. We discussed our transportation options.

There are three options to choose from:

• Rent a bicycle for 40 baht per bike.
• Rent a motorbike for 200 baht per bike.
• Hire a car for 900 baht per day.

Ultimately, we opted for the second option, renting two motorbikes for 400 baht.

We were ready to go, so we followed the advice of the motorbike shop owner and headed to Ayutthaya Island first. He warned us that the traffic on the island would be heavy later in the morning, so we decided to take his suggestion. (Originally, we planned to explore the outer areas first and then come back to the island.) As the morning progressed, the traffic did indeed become heavy, just as the shop owner had predicted.

Our first stop was a place we stumbled upon by chance while driving. (We couldn't help but laugh at the serendipity!)

That is Wat Mahathat.

The temple was relatively quiet, possibly due to the early hour and the absence of large crowds.

A stunning post to make your friends jealous on social media (courtesy of my sister, the mastermind behind this trip).

The next temple is Wat Ratchaburana (located next to Wat Mahathat).

Entrance archway

Fortunately, the sky was clear that day, giving the impression that we were standing inside the Venetian Macao. The sky was truly beautiful.

The accessible portion of the pagoda features a square chamber at its summit.

Looking down from the top of the pagoda, you can see the entrance like this. If it were still intact, it would be very beautiful.

The next temple is Wat Phra Si Sanphet.

The final temple we visited was Wat Chaiwatthanaram.

The recent photos are scarce because the scorching sun was unbearable. Our skin, already tanned, was burnt to a crisp. Unable to withstand the heat any longer, we decided to return to the train station immediately after visiting this temple.

The main expenses for this one-day trip are as follows:

Train fare 20 baht/trip Round trip = 40 baht

Motorcycle rental fee 200 + fuel 30 = 230/2 people = 115 baht

Entrance fee per location is 20 baht (4 locations) = 80 baht

Total trip expenses = 235 baht (Food expenses paid by the admin are about 3 times more than entrance fees +55555)

Note: Expenses may vary depending on food costs and the number of attractions visited (we eat a lot).

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Hong Three