See Bang Pa In Palace: An Uplifting And Peaceful Place
A graceful European statue in front of a classic Thai-style pavillion at Bang Pa In near Ayutthaya, Thailand.
Situated sixty kilometers north of Bangkok, along the banks of the Chaopraya River, lies
Bang Pa In is the name given to the beautiful royal summer palace of the kings of Thailand since the 17th Century.
Predominantly European in style, except for an elegant Thai-style pavilion that’s located, for maximum visual effect, within an artificial lake and a lovely tower, the palace's buildings are positioned around a lovely waterway.
A worker raking the lush lawns at Bang Pa In near Ayutthaya, Thailand.
While an interesting and vibrant city, Bangkok lacks the lush green parks of my current home in Melbourne, Australia.
I fortunate to live across the road from a Merri Creek which flows into the Yarra River. I can follow these waterways on a 3 to 4 hour walk into the city and, much further, in other directions.
After a 19-day adventure to Antarctica, which preceded this trip, I'd so much wanted a walk in the green after the concrete jungle that is Bangkok.
Bang Pa In did not disappoint.
The beautiful pavilion in the grounds of the Bang Pa In Palace near Ayutthaya, Thailand.
The palace grounds are magnificent and manicured by a team of gardeners.
It was a joy to behold and, while time constraints limited by ability to explore the royal palace at leisure, I did manage to see much of the complex.
Keen photographers would likely benefit from a 3-hour visit, ideally early or late in the day, due to the size of the palace and its grounds.
Unfortunately I only had an hour available. The solution was to hire a gold buggy to zip along the pathways between sites.
I would have loved to walk around the site, but the golf cart enabled me to get the photos I needed in the time I had. And, not being a golfer, I'd only once before had the opportunity to whiz around in a golf buggy.
It was a lot of fun.
A monitor lizard enjoying the view at the beautiful Bang Pa In, Thailand.
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 recommend the Bang Pa In royal palace, both as a visually interesting place for the enthusiastic photographer and also as a respite from the hustle and bustle of Bangkok.
