Ayutthaya

Ayutthaya: The Ancient Kingdom That Time Forgot

Welcome to Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya (or just Ayutthaya, because that’s a mouthful!), the former capital of Siam and arguably the most impressive historical playground in Thailand.

Imagine a city that was once bigger and grander than Paris or London, filled with gold-laden palaces and international traders. While the Burmese army might have burned it down in 1767, the ruins that remain are absolutely spectacular. Just an hour north of Bangkok, this UNESCO World Heritage site is a place where you can cycle through history, eat cotton candy burritos, and feel like a tomb raider for a day.

Why You Need to Visit Ayutthaya

Landscape view of the ancient brick ruins of Wat Chaiwatthanaram in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, Thailand, featuring a central Khmer-style prang tower surrounded by smaller spires under a clear blue sky.

The Ayutthaya Bucket List: Ruins, Rivers & Roti

You can see a lot in a day, but taking it slow is the way to go.

Find the Famous Buddha Head (Wat Mahathat)

This is the photo you have to get. At Wat Mahathat, nature has reclaimed history in the most beautiful way. A sandstone Buddha head fell off a statue centuries ago and was lifted up by the roots of a growing Bodhi tree. It now peers out from the wood with a serene smile. It’s magical, mysterious, and iconic.

Watch the Sunset at Wat Chaiwatthanaram

If you only visit one temple for the "wow" factor, make it this one. Built in the Khmer style (similar to Angkor Wat), this riverside temple is magnificent. In the late afternoon, the sun turns the old bricks a glowing orange, and seeing its reflection in the Chao Phraya River is a moment you won't forget.

Eat "Boat Noodles" (Kuay Teow Ruea)

You can't come here and not slurp a bowl of these. Boat noodles are small, intense bowls of pork or beef noodle soup thickened with pig's blood (trust us, it's delicious!). They were originally sold from small boats on the canals. Head to the "Boat Noodle Alley" near Wat Mahathat and stack your empty bowls high—it's a local competition to see who can eat the most! 🍜

Snack on Roti Sai Mai (Cotton Candy Burrito)

This is the official snack of Ayutthaya. You’ll see stalls everywhere selling colourful strands of spun sugar (like silky cotton candy) and stacks of pandan-flavoured crepes. You grab a crepe, stuff it with the sugar hair, roll it up, and eat it. It’s sweet, chewy, and addictive!

Cycle the Ruins

Ayutthaya is flat and the temples are spread out, which makes it the bicycle capital of Thailand tourism. Rent a rickety bike for 50 baht and pedal your way from Wat Phra Si Sanphet (with its three famous bell-shaped stupas) to the giant reclining Buddha at Wat Lokayasutharam. It’s hot, sweaty work, but feeling the breeze as you ride past 600-year-old ruins is unbeatable. 🚲

How to Get There

Ayutthaya is so close to Bangkok you could almost throw a stone and hit it.

By Train: The classic choice! Trains leave Bangkok’s Krung Thep Aphiwat (Central) Station almost every hour. It’s cheap (like, really cheap), scenic, and takes about 1.5 hours.

By Minivan: Fast and air-conditioned vans leave from Mo Chit Bus Terminal regularly.

By Boat: For a splurge, book a river cruise from Bangkok. You’ll travel up the Chao Phraya River just like the ancient kings and traders did!

The Provinces of Central & Western Thailand...

Wat Muang is located in Hua Taphan sub-district, Wiset Chai Chan district. It is presumed that the temple was constructed in the late Ayutthaya Era

Ang Thong

View of the Chao Phraya River looking south from Bang Rak

Bangkok

A golden Buddha statue nestled on a hillside.

Chai Nat

An ancient temple.

Kamphaeng Phet

A serene, hazy view of the long, wooden Mon Bridge in Kanchanaburi, spanning a calm lake where a small boat is cruising. Layers of forest-covered mountains are visible in the background under a soft, warm light.

Kanchanaburi

Macaque monkeys play on the green entrance sign for the ancient stone temple of Phra Prang Sam Yod in Lopburi, Thailand.

Lopburi

A high-angle, scenic view looking along the crest of the massive Khun Dan Prakan Chon Dam in Nakhon Nayok, Thailand, with its reservoir on one side and a lush green valley and forested hills on the other, under a partly cloudy sky.

Nakhon Nayok

The magnificent golden stupa of Phra Pathom Chedi in Nakhon Pathom, Thailand, glows against a deep blue twilight sky, with a Buddhist monk in orange robes standing in the foreground courtyard.

Nakhon Pathom

A panoramic view from a high vantage point in Nakhon Sawan, Thailand, looking out over a dramatic, forest-covered limestone peak and a vast plain of green and yellow patchwork agricultural fields stretching to the horizon under a blue, cloudy sky.

Nakhon Sawan

A modern cable-stayed bridge with a distinctive pylon topped by a golden, traditional Thai spire, spanning a wide river in Nonthaburi, Thailand. The foreground is filled with green water hyacinths under a clear blue sky.

Nonthaburi

A traditional Thai temple with an orange-tiled roof sits in the middle of a tranquil pond in Pathum Thani, Thailand. A large, ornate Naga serpent statue encircles the structure, its body forming a walkway leading to the entrance. The building and a blue sky are reflected in the water, and the scene is framed by dark green leaves in the foreground.

Pathum Thani

A scenic view of the Wat Pha Sorn Kaew temple complex in the mountains of Phetchabun, Thailand. A massive, white seated Buddha statue and an ornate, golden pagoda are nestled in the lush green hills, with layers of distant mountains visible in the background.

Phetchabun

A white pickup truck with a boat trailer parked on the dirt shore of a large, calm lake in Phetchaburi, Thailand. In the distance, mountains line the horizon under an overcast sky, with dramatic sunbeams breaking through the clouds and shining onto the water.

Phetchaburi

The ancient brick ruins of a temple in Phichit, Thailand, are illuminated by the warm, golden light of sunset, with surrounding trees and a clear sky.

Phichit

A scenic, high-angle view of the patchwork rice paddies in Phitsanulok province, Thailand. The fields, some flooded with water and others a vibrant green, stretch towards a line of dense trees with rolling hills in the background under a cloudy sky.

Phitsanulok

An elevated, panoramic view of Prachuap Khiri Khan province in Thailand at sunset. A red-roofed temple is nestled in the foreground, overlooking a vast landscape of winding rivers, aquaculture farms, and a small town, with dramatic limestone mountains rising in the hazy, golden-lit background.

Prachuap Khiri Khan

A long-exposure photograph of a river with milky, flowing water cascading over smooth, dark boulders, surrounded by the lush green trees of a forest in Ratchaburi, Thailand.

Ratchaburi

A riverside view of Phra Samut Chedi in Samut Prakan, Thailand, at sunset. The chedi is brightly illuminated in pink and white, reflecting on the calm water next to a traditional temple and docked boats under a colourful sky.

Samut Prakan

A large, golden statue of a mythical bird stands before an ornate Thai temple in Samut Sakhon, featuring a multi-tiered red and gold roof, all set against a clear blue sky.

Samut Sakhon

A red and yellow train approaches on a track running directly through the center of a bustling market in Samut Songkhram, Thailand. Crowds of tourists stand inches from the track, holding up their phones to photograph the train as it passes the colourful market stalls.

Samut Songkhram

A wide stone staircase with ornate Naga serpent railings leads up to the magnificent golden Mondop of Wat Phra Phutthabat temple in Saraburi, Thailand, under a bright blue sky with white clouds.

Saraburi

A white Thai temple in Sing Buri with an ornate, multi-tiered red and gold roof. In the foreground, on a manicured green lawn, are several colourful and whimsical statues, including two large pink rabbits, a rooster, and a black elephant.

Sing Buri

An aerial view of the sprawling temple ruins at Sukhothai Historical Park in Thailand, showing numerous ancient brick stupas and pillars set amongst green lawns, trees, and ponds, with mountains visible in the distance under a warm, hazy sky.

Sukothai

A massive, golden dragon statue at the Dragon Descendants Museum in Suphan Buri, Thailand. The dragon is coiled over stylized clouds with its mouth wide open, spouting a cascade of water onto a structure below. Visitors walk on the paved plaza in front of the immense statue under a clear blue sky.

Suphan Buri

An aerial view of the Bhumibol Dam in Tak province, Thailand, a large, curved concrete structure surrounded by lush green mountains and a vast reservoir under a cloudy sky.

Tak

An ornate, multi-tiered golden temple in Uthai Thani, Thailand, featuring intricate gables and numerous pointed spires set against a bright blue sky with fluffy white clouds. In the foreground is a manicured garden with red flowers and green hedges.

Uthai Thani