The first sign you’re close to the Erawan Museum is a three-headed elephant towering above the Bangkok suburbs. Maybe it sounds like something you’d dream up after a long flight — but it’s real. Even better, the Ancient City and Erawan Museum sit on the same train line, which means you can visit both in a single day. Here’s exactly how we did it, what it cost, and what to expect when you get these must-visit attractions in Thailand.
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Can you do both the Ancient City and Erawan Museum in one day?
Yes, you can absolutely visit the Erawan Museum and Ancient City in Bangkok in the same day. But it’s definitely a full-on adventure day and you’ll be tired by the end of it, haha. Prepare to be out from about 9 AM to 7 PM. Totally still worth it, in my opinion.
The Ancient City is technically not in Bangkok, but in the Samut Prakan province. But it’s still very close and easy to get to. I actually think if you tried to see both these attractions but visit them on separate days, it’s a lot of unnecessary backtracking.
About the Erawan Museum in Bangkok
The Erawan Museum is built across three tiers, each representing a different realm: the underworld, the earth, and the heavens.
The elephant itself is bronze and the building it sits on is made of pink stone. It’s surrounded by some vibe-y gardens with waterfalls, mist, and mythological statues.
The interior is just as (if not more) stunning. Even the first floor makes life in the underworld look pretty appealing? But make your way up to the top floor — via a spiral staircase in the elephant’s legs. Now you’re in the heavens, a blue room with a collection of ancient Buddha statues, some dating as far back as the 6th century.
About the Ancient City Bangkok (Mueng Boran)
The Ancient City (Mueang Boran) is an open-air museum/park with extensive grounds laid out in the shape of Thailand.
It was created by Thai businessman Lek Viriyaphant to preserve Thailand’s heritage and making it accessible in a single location. The park features over 100 structures that represent Thailand’s famous monuments and architectural landmarks. If you’re at all into architecture, this whole place will blow you away. You can also catch cultural performances from traditional dances and storytelling to a sort of dance-meets Muy Thai boxing show.
It’s also an ideal spot for some epic photos and way more impressive than I expected. I genuinely thought four to six hours sounded like an overestimate before I got there. I was wrong. Rent a golf cart. Trust me on this one — but more on how to get around the Ancient City below under “Additional costs.”
How to get to the Ancient City and Erawan Museum
It’s relatively easy to get to both the Erawan Museum and the Ancient City in one day. You can use public transport, take a Grab/taxi, or go with a tour.
Getting to the Erawan Museum and Ancient City by BTS
We found it really easy to navigate the metro system. And there’s something special about spotting the giant three-headed elephant temple from the train window as you roll up.
Getting to the Erawan Museum: Head to Changе Erawan station (E17). Note this is on the Sukhumvit Line, separate from the main BTS. So fares are a bit higher and you can’t just tap on with your credit card. You need to get a special ticket from a machine or teller at the station.
Getting to the Ancient City: Ride all the way to the last stop (Kheha BTS station), then hop on the number 36 songthaew (truck/bus) for 20 baht one-way. Cash only, and you pay when you get off.
Example public transport journey from Chinatown to the Erawan Museum and Ancient City. (From personal experience.)
- BTS to Sukhumvit (Asok) = 32 baht
- Airport Line to Chang Erawan = 65 baht
- Chang Erawan to Kheha = 29 baht
- Songthaew 36 to Ancient City = 20 baht
- Total one-way: 146 THB
Total travel time: About 1.5 hours from Chinatown to Erawan Museum, then roughly 45 minutes from the Erawan Museum to Ancient City. (I’m talkin’ door-to-door. This includes walking to/from the train station, transferring, and catching the 36 bus.) Here’s the BTS map to help you plan your trip.
This is what it’s like on the 36 Songthaew to the Ancient City
Taking a Grab/taxi for your Bangkok day trip
If you aren’t already familiar, Grab is like Uber but for Asia. You can use it to book a car, motorbike, van, or order takeaway. There’s a huge presence all over Thailand, so you won’t struggle to catch a Grab between the Erawan Museum and the Ancient City.
And it’s pretty affordable. Here’s more or less what it’ll cost:
- Chinatown to Erawan Museum = 300 baht
- Erawan Museum to Ancient City = 150 baht
- Ancient City to Chinatown = 400 baht
- Total for the day (return): about 850 THB
So Grab could be a more cost-effective option if you’re a group of three or four. You could Grab one-way and take the metro back for a bit of variety.
Read more: Best Travel Apps for Your Next Adventure
Go to both the Erawan Museum and Ancient City with a day tour
This is certainly the simplest and most efficient way to do things. But personally, I loved taking the train. One pro of going with a guide though, is you’ll learn a ton and can ask lots of questions. The price of a tour can range significantly, but there are options under 100 USD for the day.
You can check online or speak to a local tour agency to negotiate a good price.
Tickets and cost of visiting Erawan Museum and the Ancient City
Here’s what you can expect to pay for this Bangkok day trip to the Erawan Museum and Ancient City (Mueang Boran).
Ticket cost
If you’re visiting both the Ancient City and Erawan Museum in one day, you should get a combo ticket. We paid 600 THB per person for one ticket to both attractions. The combo ticket is only good for one day.
We got our 600 baht combo tickets through Ticket2Attraction. But you can also get entrance tickets in advance through:
- Klook
- Get Your Guide
- the official Erawan Museum or Ancient City websites
But note it can be much more expensive if you buy direct or go on different days. The Erawan Museum entrance fee is 500 baht and the Ancient City ticket price is 800 baht if bought separately.
Of course, you can also buy tickets in person when you get there. I can’t imagine they ever sell out, but better safe than sorry.
One of the coolest temples at the Ancient City in Bangkok
Additional costs
I covered the cost of getting there above, so we’ll skip that. The only other real costs to prepare for are food and transport around the Ancient City. Food is all up to you, so I’ll cover transport within the park.
The Ancient City is huge. So while you could walk around for free, remember the roasting hot sun. You’re way better off renting a bicycle, e-bike, or golf cart.
- We did the golf cart and it was sooo much fun! Ancient City golf cart rental starts at 350 baht for the first hour, then and 100 baht for every additional hour. We used it for three hours total, but you could easily do more.
- Note: You don’t need to show an international driver’s license, but they do hold on to your license or passport to make sure you return it.
- Rent an electric bike. They start at 250 for one hour + 100 for every extra hour.
- Go with a tuktuk driver. They hang around the entrance, so you’ll have to negotiate a price. But it’s a very Thai style of transport and kind of a vibe.
- Alternatively, hop on one of the free trams. They take you around the park but give you less flexibility to stop and see everything at your own pace.
If you have your own car, you’re also allowed to drive around the Ancient City. There are parking spots dotted around.
Are these activities worth it?
So, is the Ancient City Bangkok worth it? Should you bother going to the Erawan Museum? Absolutely yes to both! These were the top two things I did over 10 days in Bangkok.
Because the Ancient City is so Instagrammable, I was worried it would be a little hokey or overrun with tourists. But it was honestly such a great experience.
And I don’t know what more I can possibly say about the Erawan Museum. Three. Headed. Elephant. Temple. The fact that you can go up inside is so cool, and all the intricate details of the building inside and out are just amazing. Truly a unique place to visit.
Erawan Museum vs Ancient City: If you can only choose one
Eek — that’s a tough one. And I think it really depends on what your priorities are.
If you don’t have a ton of time, it’s easiest to pop over to the Erawan Museum. And especially if you’re taking public transport, it’s closer to the city and more straight forward. You only need about an hour to explore once you get there, so you could easily make this a half-day trip and get back to Bangkok in time for something else.
If you want more variety, the Ancient City is for you. There are so many cool buildings, performances, and the highly unusual Ghost Museum that I can only describe as a fever dream. There’s more to explore, giving you better bang for your buck if you absolutely must choose between the Erawan Museum vs Ancient City.
Tips for visiting the Ancient City and Erawan Museum
Here are some helpful tips about doing a day trip to the Ancient City and Erawan Museum before you go:
- Don’t bother bringing your drone. While the footage would look super cool, all drones are banned at both locations.
- Get lunch at the little food market outside Chang Erawan metro station. We had a great lunch for 200 baht total. Food at the restaurants within Erawan Museum and the Ancient City are more expensive.
- Start your day early. You can easily spend 4-6 hours at the Ancient City alone and another hour at the Erawan Museum. So when you take travel time into account, it’s really a full-on day. And you don’t want to feel rushed.
- Sunscreen. Sunscreen sunscreen sunscreen sunscreen.
- Take advantage of the free audio guide. All you need is to scan the QR code and bring headphones. You can learn all about both sites as you move through them.
- Go to the Erawan Museum first. It closes at 5 PM and the Ancient City is open until 7 PM.
- Stay until sundown on a clear day. We were shagged by the end of the day and left around 5:30 PM. But I’m sure if you wait around until they close, you could catch some really beautiful lighting at sundown. (Sunset is basically always at 6:30 PM in Thailand!)
Is there an Ancient City dress code?
Officially, there is no Ancient City dress code. However, you still want to dress appropriately. Don’t wear anything too revealing — but this is a blanket statement for Thailand. You should obviously still be respectful of Thai culture wherever you go. And too many tourists walk around in bikini tops and shorts with their butt cheeks hanging out. Don’t be that guy.
The Erawan Museum, on the otherhand, does have a dress code to enter the temple. I wasn’t thinking when I got ready in the morning and wore a dress with my shoulders and knees (barely) exposed. Inside Erawan Museum is a temple, so I had to borrow a free shawl and sarong to enter. Chesney also needed longer shorts to fully cover his knees.
It’s nice that they provide these things, but embarrassing when you can just dress yourself properly lol.
Naomi Lai
Naomi is a Canadian travel editor and writer with 13 years of international travel across Southeast Asia, Europe, South America, New Zealand, and beyond. She covers everything from budget backpacking to luxury travel — always from personal experience.
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