Bang Pa-In Palace: Escape Bangkok for Delight and Peace
European statue and Aisawan Thiphya floating pavilion at Bang Pa In Palace.
Situated 60 km north of Bangkok, along the banks of the Chao Phraya River, Bang Pa-In Palace has remained the beautiful royal summer palace of the kings of Thailand since the seventeenth century.
During the nineteenth century Thai kings Rama IV and V began to add more structures within the site and, while mostly European in style, Bang Pa-In Palace showcases a variety of architectural styles including the following:
The intricate Chinese-style Wehart Chamrun
Ho Withun Thasana, an orange-and-red striped observatory
Aisawan Thiphya, he elegant Thai-style pavilion pictured above
The pavilion is located, for maximum visual effect, on an artificial lake. In fact all buildings throughout the palace’s 19-hectare gardens are situated around a lovely waterway, which you’re able to walk alongside as you explore this most beautiful and peaceful site.
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Bang Pa-In Palace: What You Need to Know Before Visiting
The entrance fee for Bang Pa-In Palace is 100 Thai baht (USD $3:20) for foreigners and 30 Thai baht for Thai nationals.
In some ways Thais are quite conservative. Be aware that proper dress codes are important and need to be respected at royal and Buddhist sites throughout Thailand.
At Bang Pa-In Palace, shorts and sandals are not allowed. That means you’ll need to wear long pants or a long skirt, in addition to closed footwear, when you visit.
It’s also worth noting that symbolism is very important in Thai culture.
Don’t make the mistake I made on my first visit to Thailand. It was many, many years ago and I was slow getting up from my seat, to stand for the National Anthem, prior to watching the film Willow at a Thai movie theatre.
Though I wasn’t even aware the National Anthem was being played, I coped a slap across the back of the head for my tardiness. Apparently, ignorance is no excuse.
The Importance of Color in Thai Culture
Color is important to Thai people. For Thai’s, colors carry meaning and are deeply symbolic.
Traditionally colors represent deities, coming out of animistic beliefs that pre-date Buddhism, that are associated with different days of the week.
The belief is that, by wearing the color that’s associated with a particular day of the week, good luck, good health and a positive mental state will come your way.
Needless to say that, by wearing the wrong color, bad luck will come knocking.
For example, yellow is associated with His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej and his son, the current King of Thailand, King Maha Vajiralongkorn. Both kings were born on a Monday.
Pink, symbolising good health and long life, is the color associated with Tuesday.
Green is associated with Wednesday. It’s said that the Hindu deity, Phra Isuan, rounded up 17 mystic elephants, prior to turning them into powder which he then wrapped with a green leaf.
Actually Phra Isuan appears in the mythology associated with every day of the week in Thai culture. In the case of Thursday it’s believed that Phra Isuan created the planet Mars by turning 19 hermits into power, which he wrapped in an orange cloth.
A similar story is associated with Friday, the day on which Phra Isuan turned 21 bullocks into powder, which he wrapped in a light blue cloth and sprinkled holy water onto to create the planet Venus.
In addition to its mystical symbolic origins, blue is recognised as the birthday color of Her Majesty Queen Mother Sirikit. It’s become a significant color in Thailand and wearing blue is regarded as a gesture of support, symbolizing love and tranquility.
Actually, celestial bodies are associated with every day of the week in Thai culture. Purple, the color associated with Saturday and the god Shani, relates to the planet Saturn.
Finally, the color red is associated with the creation of the sun, and is known as the color for Sunday. Did you know that Tiger Woods’ mother is Thai? It’s said to be why he wears red colored shirts when playing golf on championship days.
Actually, most young Thais no longer strictly adhere to the tradition of wearing specific colors on particular days of the week. However, the tradition is still widely practiced by older generations in Thailand.
As a tourist you certainly wouldn’t be expected to follow this tradition. However, if you did, it would likely be noticed and appreciated.
But colors goes far beyond there association with days of the week in Thailand.
Blue is the national color of Thailand and white symbolises purity and is the color associated with Theravada Buddhism, Thailand’s dominant religion?
It’s worth noting that Thai’s avoid wearing black as it signifies bad luck. Black is also thought to attract bad spirits. As a general rule, isn’t only acceptable for someone to wear black when attending a funeral.
Again, as a tourist, you’re unlikely to cause a problem by wearing black. Just be aware of the powerful symbolism of this color in Thai society and think about when and where it might not be right for you to dress in black.
Over recent years the colors red and yellow became controversial and, potentially, dangerous to wear, particularly for local Thais.
The Yellow Shirts and Red Shirts are two diametrically opposed political forces in Thailand.
While the Yellow Shirts are loyal to the traditional monarchy and the significant role of the military in Thai politics, the Red Shirts supported Thaksin Shinawatra and, most recently, his daughter and Thailand’s current Prime Minister, Paetongtarn Shinawatra.
It’s important to understand and respect the significance of the colors red and yellow in modern day Thailand.
There was a time when masses of red-shirted Thai’s attending a rally on a Monday, the day traditionally associated with the color yellow, brought on violent disputes with their yellow-shirted political opponents.
Tensions have calmed significantly since then and it’s my hope that Thailand will be governed well, and that Thai people will live happy and prosperous lives, well into the future.
How to Get to Bang Pa-In Palace
There’s numerous ways by which you can travel to Bang Pa-In Palace. Trains and buses provide good options with train prices varying according to the quality of the seat you’ve booked and whether you’re on an express or local train.
Hiring a car and, if you prefer, a driver is also a great option and the one I prefer.
How to Get to Bang Pa-In Palace By Train
If you’re going by train from Bangkok you’ll need to get to Ayutthaya and, from there, change trains for Bang Pa-In station.
The train from Bangkok’s main train station, Hua Lamphong Railway Station, is a very affordable option. There are lots of daily departures and the one-way trip should take between 1.5 and 2 hours. There’s lots of stops along the way, but at least you get to stay one the same train all the way to and from Ayutthaya.
Third class tickets range in price from 20 to 45 Thai baht. Your carriage will not have air-conditioning, but there should be a fan operating during your trip.
Alternatively, there’s a range of second class options available. Just be aware that prices will vary, depending upon whether you’re on an express or ordinary train.
There’s a second class fan seat that ranges in price from between 61 to 181 Thai baht, a second class air-conditioned seat for between 241 and 345 Thai baht, a second class fan sleeper for 385 Thai baht and a second class air-conditioned sleeper available from 551 to 731 Thai baht.
At the top of the options list is the first class air-conditioned sleeper, which you can expect to pay between 886 and 1,059 Thai baht.
Once you’ve alighted your train at Ayutthaya look to take one of 16 daily trains onto Bang Pa-In station. Expect to pay in the range of 3 Thai baht to 20 Thai baht for the 15 minute trip.
From Bang Pa-In station you can make your way to the palace, another 1.7 km away, by jumping on the back of a motorcycle taxi for about 20 Thai baht or taking a túk-túk for around 50 Thai baht.
If you’re arriving by car there’s a large carpark near the palace where you can park your car for 20 Thai baht.
Getting to Ayutthaya from Bangkok by Bus – the fastest way
Buses also run regularly between Bangkok and Ayutthaya from the Northern Bus Terminal (Mo Chit) in Bangkok to Bangsue Grand Station in Ayutthaya. Taking a bus from Bangkok to Ayutthaya is the fastest option as the journey is around 1 to 1.5 hours and costs roughly 50 Thai baht.
Classic Thai-style pavilion at Bang Pa-In Palace near Ayutthaya, Thailand.
Should You Take A Tour To Bang Pa-In Palace?
Unfortunately, the tour I signed up for only allowed an hour for our visit to Bang Pa-In Palace. I remember, not for the first time, seeing our tour guide wave us off in the direction of the palace while they settled in for a nice afternoon nap.
No problem for me, as I’m not a fan of standing around while someone pours out a whole bunch of not particularly interesting information on a site and the people who once lived there.
I’m there to make photos and, unless it’s a photography tour, I accept that my experience and objectives are likely to be significantly compromised by joining a regular tour.
This is why I tend to travel alone, avoiding group tours.
Back in the day I’d travel on a public bus or train and rely on my guidebook and a good degree of ingenuity to get me to remote locales across China, India and the Himalayas.
Over the years, as my travel budget grew, I started renting cars when traveling abroad.
Where it was illegal for a Westerner to drive themselves, I’d happily support the local tourism industry by renting a car and paying for a driver and separate guide to get me where I wanted to go and, where required, help secure the permissions I needed to make the photos I wanted to make.
If you can afford it, I’d consider finding your own way to Bang Pa-In Palace. You may be able to do so by renting a car and driver through your local hotel or guesthouse. Otherwise, you can extend your adventure by taking a bus or train.
If you decide to drive yourself, or hire a local driver, and you have time to spare, why not make a day of it. Avoid the traffic and get out of Bangkok early. Stop at a nice restaurant for lunch and/or dinner and drive back to Bangkok later in the evening.
While the cost of renting a car and driver will cost more for this kind of extended trip, the time you’ll save avoiding peak hour traffic on your return trip to Bang Pa-In Palace could make that extra cost worthwhile.
While you’re in the area, the Historic City Of Ayutthaya is well worth a visit. Managed as an historical park, you could easily spend half a day there exploring the variety of temples and other historical sites on offer.
If might also be worthwhile extending your visit by staying overnight in Ayutthaya, followed by an early morning exploration of Bang Pa-In Royal Palace.
If I had my time again, that’s what I’d do.
Getting Around Bang Pa In Palace
But for this particular visit, with only an hour up my sleeve, I needed to get a move on. It might be possible to get around the large 19-hectare estate in an hour, but not if you’re a photographer and not if, like me, you making carefully composed images.
The solution was to hire one of numerous electric golf buggies, which were lined up inside the entrance to the complex, to zip along the pathways between the various sites.
Expect to pay 400 Thai baht to hire a buggy for your first hour, which might be enough time for most folks, and then another 100 Thai baht per hour after that. Personally, I think it’s money well spent.
I would have loved to have had more time to walk around the site, but the golf buggy enabled me to get the photos I needed in the limited time available to me.
Not being a golfer, I'd only once before had the opportunity to whiz around in a golf buggy. That was many years ago on Hamilton Island, off the coast of Queensland, in the Whitsunday Islands.
I can report that both experiences were a great deal of fun.
Gardener raking the lush lawns at Bang Pa-In Palace, Thailand.
Bang Pa-In Palace Offers Relief to the Jaded Traveler
While an interesting and vibrant city, Bangkok lacks the lush green parks of Australian cities like Melbourne or Adelaide.
During most of my time living in Melbourne I was fortunate to have lived in Clifton Hill, directly across the road from Merri Creek, which flows through the northern suburbs of Melbourne into the Yarra River.
I loved walking alongside those waterways and enjoying the beautiful parklands surrounding them. I even undertook the 3 to 4 hour walk into the city and, on a few occasions, walked much further out to suburbs in the north and northwest of Melbourne.
There’s something very special about the color green. It calms the mind and relaxes the senses. If you add clear, clean flowing water you have the perfect recipe to reduce stress and anxiety. Perfect for folks looking for relief from their busy city lives.
My research tells me that the positive affects this combination of natural elements brings to our state of mind goes well back to our more primitive times as hunter and gatherers.
When the grass was green and the rivers and waterholes were filled, there was likely to be plenty of game for our ancestors to hunt.
This abundance of food and water met two of our most important needs at the time, meaning there was less need to wander in search of food and water, and more time to rest, socialise and develop culture within fledgling tribal communities.
I remember how, after the 19-day adventure to Antarctica that preceded this particular trip to Thailand, just how much I wanted to walk on green, solid ground. Frankly, with the exception of Chatuchak Park the concrete jungle that is Bangkok just didn’t offer what I needed.
Thankfully, after a little online research and a chat with some of the staff at the boutique hotel I was staying at, I decided to hope on a small group tour and take a day trip out to Bang Pa-In.
The tour itself was quite unremarkable. I felt it jammed in too many attractions, some of them pretty tacky. However, my visit to Bang Pa-In Palace did not disappoint, and it was a highlight of that particular trip to Thailand.
As the photos throughout this post showcase, the grounds at Bang Pa-In Palace are magnificent. I witnessed several gardeners diligently sweeping paths and carefully tending the beautifully manicured lawns.
While time constraints associated with the tour limited by ability to leisurely explore the royal palace, I did manage to see most of the complex.
Due to the size of the site, keen photographers will likely benefit from a 3-hour visit, ideally early or late in the day. Needless to say, the light will be softer and less harsh at those times of the day.
What’s more, due to lower temperatures during the morning and late afternoon, the whole outdoor experience should be more enjoyable.
Having said that, there’s lots of established trees around the main path, providing the visitor with plenty of shade from the hot, tropical sun.
Monitor lizard and tower at the beautiful Bang Pa-In Palace, Thailand.
Making Unusual Photos at Bang Pa-In Palace, Thailand
I have to tell you, while I’ve had the good fortune to photograph crocodiles on several occasions, I’m terrified of them. Likewise, I’m not all that keen on sharks, poisonous spiders or the variety of very large lizards, like Komodo dragons.
I’m really happy when I get to photograph exotic creatures, from a safe distance, like this very attractive monitor lizard in the grounds of the beautiful Bang Pa-In Palace in Thailand.
But this is about as close as I’d want to get, without the guidance of a reputable reptile wrangler.
Nonetheless, despite my unease, it’s reasonable to assume that such creatures can’t be all that dangerous to tourists, particularly in a busy, touristed site like the Bang Pa-In Royal Palace.
If they were they’d surely be signs or, to protect tourists, workers and the royal family (who still visit the palace), these colorful creatures would likely be relocated.
If in doubt, get on your phone and google an answer. But, either way, keep your distance and make sure you don’t approach wildlife in a way that might cause them to respond aggressively.
In this case I made sure that, rather than approaching from behind, I kept my distance and moved slowly down towards the water so that the monitor lizard could clearly see me and track my movements.
As you can see, the composition in the above photo is based upon the three primary objects within the frame: the monitor lizard; the tower and its reflection; and the palm tree and its reflection.
Notice how the lizard, with its up raised head, leads your attention towards the tower. The same is true for the palm tree and its reflection, which serves to frame the image by pushing your attention back towards the tower.
Of course the warm orange and red colors within the tower contrast beautifully with the cool blue color of the sky and the lush greens present in the lawns and surrounding foliage.
Taking a few moments to carefully compose your photos can really take them to another level. Most viewers won’t necessarily understand how you’re using composition to heighten their engagement and extend the time they’re spending looking at your photos.
But that’s not important. What matters is that they find themselves looking longer. And the longer they look, the more engaging their experience will become.
Conclusion: Bang Pa In Palace is Worth the Trip
If you allow 3 to 4 hours for your visit you'll have ample time for photography and plenty of time to rest and soak up the serenity of this most lovely and peaceful setting.
I’m happy to recommend a visit to Bang Pa-In Palace, both as a visually interesting place for the enthusiastic photographer and also as a respite for the jaded traveler, weary of the hustle and bustle of Bangkok.
I’m very keen to return and hope that I’II be able to do so soon.
