5 Palace Day Trips in Thailand That Earn Their Entry Fee

1.Royal Grand Palace and Bangkok Temples: Half Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 336 reviews · from $114Our pick

Spend four to five hours with a private guide and driver visiting Wat Traimit, the Grand Palace, and Wat Pho. You’ll see Bangkok’s 5.5-ton solid-gold Buddha, the Emerald Buddha, and the city’s famous reclining Buddha. Hotel pickup, air-conditioned transport, entrance fees, and photo help are included.

“A great half day tour. The temples and palace complex are all amazing and really worth a visit. We had a very knowledgeable and helpful guide who spoke very good English and who took us by car between sites. Both men and women need to wear long trousers for one of the temples and sites. Great morning, we were amazed by the sites and their beauty and scale.”

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2.Grand Palace and Emerald Buddha Half-Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 267 reviews · 2 hours · from $18Best value

Spend two hours exploring Bangkok’s Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew with a live guide in English, Chinese, or Thai. You’ll see royal courtyards, ceremonial buildings, the Emerald Buddha, palace walls, and the Pavilion of Regalia. Guides such as Sam, Pond, Sammy, and Lee are praised for clear explanations and helpful photos.

“I recently had the pleasure of joining with my partner a walking tour at the Grand Palace in Bangkok with Sataporn (Lee) , and it was an unforgettable experience. Lee was not only extremely professional, but also incredibly attentive to our needs. She had an impressive knowledge of the history and culture of the Grand Palace. Furthermore, the tour was very well-organized, allowing us to make the most of our time exploring this landmark. I would highly recommend this tour and Lee in particular to anyone looking to learn about the rich heritage of Bangkok. Thank you Lee for your exceptional service!”

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3.Ayutthaya Summer Palace and Temples Day Tour from Bangkok

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 176 reviews · from $39Top rated

Spend about nine hours traveling from central Bangkok to Bang Pa-In Palace and three major Ayutthaya temples. Guides such as Chicky, Jake, Jimmy, and Tony are praised for clear cultural explanations. Air-conditioned transport, water, insurance, refreshments, and entrance fees are included, but lunch is not.

“Ayutthaya is a must see! Rich in history and just simply beautiful. Traveling with local guide is the way to do it, Jimmy was very friendly and loved sharing about Ayutthaya.”

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4.Grand Palace Glory and Emerald Buddha : Half-Day Tour in Bangkok

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 66 reviews · from $77

Explore Bangkok’s Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew in about three and a half hours with an English-speaking guide. You’ll see gilded royal buildings, temple courtyards, and Thailand’s sacred jade Buddha. Pickup is available from central hotels, with group tours capped at 15 people or private touring available.

“My husband and I did this tour recently and we were very impressed with our English speaking guide, Tanya. We were collected from our hotel and dropped off close to the Palace. Tanya was very knowledgable about the Palace and the suRead more”

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5.Ayutthaya Full-Day Tour with Bang Pa In (Summer Palace)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 2 reviews · 9 hours

Spend nine hours tracing Thailand’s royal past with a private guide in English or German. Visit Ayutthaya’s Wat Phra Si Sanphet, enjoy a Thai lunch, then walk the gardens and royal buildings of Bang Pa In Summer Palace. Central Bangkok pickup and drop-off are available, with entry fees included.

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