Breakaway Destination Guides (International)

The kingdom of Ayutthaya was a Thai kingdom that existed from 1351-1767. Ayutthaya was friendly towards foreign traders, including the Chinese, Vietnamese, Indians, Japanese and Persians, and later the Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch and French, permitting them to set up villages outside the city walls.

Hire a bike to see the scattered ruined temples

Wat Ritchaburana, Bang Pa-In and Lopburi

Do not pose behind the Buddah for 'comic' photos as it causes offence.

By boat or train from Bangkok

For 400 years from 1350, Ayutthaya was the capital of Siam and the home of 33 kings. Wealthy and powerful, merchants from all over Europe and the Far East came here. During a brief Burmese invasion in 1767 the city was all-but destroyed and the new capital was established at Bangkok. Today the ancient city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a canal has been built to connect the three rivers that join where it stands, thus creating an island.

Ruined temples are scattered across the site and there are others on the rivers' edges too. The main temples can be visited on foot but if you hire a bike you will be able to see much more of this extensive site. Wat Phra Si Sanphet was the largest temple in Ayutthaya and also served as the palace. Built in the fourteenth century it has three magnificent stupas. The adjoining Wat Mongkhon Bophit contains one of Thailand's largest Buddha figures, which was cast in bronze in the fifteenth century.

Some of the temples are built in the Khmer style. Many are ruined but still magnificent and there are a great many Buddha figures including one in Wat Phra Mera from Sri Lanka that is said to be 1,300 year old. Sadly many figures were damaged by the Burmese invaders and more recently art thieves have stolen some of the heads. Nevertheless this is a sacred site for Thais, who dress many of the Buddha figures in yellow robes, scatter flower petals and burn incense sticks reverently at their feet.

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