My Trip to the Nakhon Luang Palace

Hello friends! 🌸

For this post, I’d like to take you along on a fun cultural and historical trip here in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, Thailand 🇹🇭. One of the main reasons I decided to move and work in Ayutthaya was because I wanted to truly experience the culture, enjoy the natural surroundings, and live a simple, peaceful lifestyle.

Since moving here, I’ve gradually started exploring various places across Ayutthaya province 🚶‍♀️. Can you believe that one of the biggest highlights here is the abundance of ancient historical sites? If you’re looking for a trip that combines travel and learning about Thai history without being too far from Bangkok, I highly recommend visiting Ayutthaya! 💡

I’m sure that when you arrive, besides the rich history and stunning ruins, you’ll also get to enjoy some authentic traditional Thai food 🍜🥭—an experience that will truly delight you. 🌟

For my trip to Prasat Nakhon Luang, this was my first time visiting the site. I had never known before that such a beautiful place existed outside the main city of Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya. It’s located about 15 kilometers from the city center, and it only took me around 25 minutes by car to get there.

One of the advantages of this place is that it’s not as crowded with tourists compared to the historical sites in Ayutthaya city. While each site shares some similarities in architectural style, every place still has its own unique charm and distinctive features. This is definitely a spot you have to come and experience for yourself!

When I arrived

The parking area is located opposite the temple, and it only takes a short walk across the road to get there. In front of the temple, before entering Prasat Nakhon Luang, visitors will find a temple decorated with flowers and sacred objects, where both tourists and locals come to pay their respects and make offerings.

The main highlight for most visitors here is paying respects to Lord Ganesha in the Chana Mara posture, which is over 300 years old. And of course, I couldn’t miss the chance to make a wish for myself as a blessing of good fortune by offering flowers and lighting candles in worship.

After I finished making my wish to Lord Ganesha 🙏, before heading to Prasat Nakhon Luang , we came across some small shops selling clothes and fabrics naturally dyed with indigo 💙, available for tourists to buy. I really liked them 😍, though the prices were a bit steep 😅.

The front view of Prasat Nakhon Luang

On the day I traveled, the sky was overcast and looked like it might rain 🌥️, but I was lucky that it didn’t actually rain. In fact, the weather in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya is usually hot and dry ☀️, so I prefer the rainy season 🌧️. I’m not a fan of very hot weather because it makes me feel dizzy 😅, but I still enjoy this slightly overcast atmosphere. It feels breezy and not humid, which makes me feel comfortable and not dizzy.

When I entered Prasat Nakhon Luang

It was the opposite of what I had imagined 😲. Prasat Nakhon Luang is quite a large historical site, and there are many corners that left me feeling truly amazed 😍. The architecture of the main structure is made entirely of bricks 🧱, with terraces surrounding it in a square pattern that step up layer by layer.

If you walk around and observe carefully 👀, you’ll clearly see that each layer has multiple doors leading to the uppermost level. The main prang (tower) is located at the center of the temple ⛩️. Unfortunately, I didn’t have a drone to capture aerial views 🚁, so I just walked along the paths and took photos of each spot to share the beauty with all of you 📸✨.

Did you notice that the entire area around the temple is made of bricks 🧱, still preserving its original form? It’s truly amazing 😍 and made me so enjoy walking around and taking photos of the historical site 📸 that I completely lost track of time! ⏳

In some spots, small wildflowers 🌿 with beautiful yellow blooms grow along the brick walls 🧱. It looked so lovely 😍 that I couldn’t miss the chance to take photos 📸 and capture the beauty.

The angle I took the photo from was at the back of Prasat Nakhon Luang, where you can also see the view of the main prang located at the center of the temple.

Four Buddha Footprints

The Four Buddha Footprints is another spot that many Thais come to pay their respects 🙏. The footprints are carved into the rock, stacked in four layers. From my research online, the largest footprint measures approximately 2.5 meters wide and 5.5 meters long 📏. Visitors can enter the area to pay homage and receive blessings for good fortune 🌟.

Nakhon Luang Hall (also known as the Floating Moon Shrine)

Another fascinating spot that really wowed me 😲 is the side area, where there are two large Buddha statues facing each other 🙏. Honestly, visiting this place is something that words can hardly describe — it brings pure joy 😊 and makes visiting Prasat Nakhon Luang a truly great decision.

And this was another one of my trips in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya 🏛️. I hope you all enjoyed this little journey of mine! 😊

Take photo By : iPhone 15 Pro Max / Fuji X-A5 camera @kittima