Bang Pa-In
Only 61km (38 miles) north of Bangkok, this delightful royal palace is usually combined with Ayutthaya in most 1-day tours and is accessible by minivan. Much of the palace isn't open to the public so, if pressed for time, stick to Ayutthaya.
The 17th-century temple and palace at Bang Pa-In were originally built by Ayutthaya's King Prasat Thong, later abandoned when the capital moved in the late 1700s, and then rebuilt again by King Chulalongkorn in the late 1800s.
The architecture is Thai with strong European influences. In the center of the small lake, Phra Thinang Aisawan Thippa-At, is an excellent example of classic Thai style. Behind it, in Versailles style, are the former king's apartments, which today serve as a hall for state ceremonies. The Phra Thinang Wehat Chamrun, also noteworthy, is a Chinese-style building (open to the public) where court members generally lived during the rainy and cool seasons. Also worth visiting is the Phra Thinang Withun Thatsuna, an observatory on a small island that affords a fine view of the countryside.
