Ayutthaya

A working wat, but also contains the ruins of a large chedi and a huge roofless viharn which has tall brick columns leaning at alarming angles and a large tree growing picturesquely out of the side of one wall. It was already constructed before the establishment of Ayutthaya. The Wihan Luang once enshrined an enormous bronze head of the Buddha of the U Thong period, now exhibited at the Chao Sam Phraya National Museum. The temple also houses a reclining Buddha hall called Wihan Phra Phutthasaiyat built by his queen consort following her wish made for her daughter's recovery from an ailment. The wihan is to the north of Phra Chedi with a base of 52 surrounding singha or lions, and houses a north-facing reclining Buddha image measuring 12 m in length, with both feet gilded and inlaid with glass mosaic.

Restored temple and monastery with ruined chedis. The main highlight is a 42-metre-long reclining Buddha, the only one of its kind on Ayutthaya island. The toes of the reclining Buddha are all of equal length, and the statue is sometimes covered in orange cloth. Go early, as this place is popular among Chinese tour groups. Vendors sell flowers to those who wish to pay their respects on site.

Burial place of a Shiite Muslim historical figure who was the Minister of Civil Affairs under King Songtham (/1611-1628) of Siam. He is known for putting down a Japanese rebellion, and for being the first advisor to the Siamese King on Islamic Affairs. This tomb has alternating Thai and Arabic calligraphy just below its dome, and is a place of worship among Thai Buddhists and Muslims.

This modern wat with no ruins can be accessed by side streets off U-Thong Rd. The wat contains a few small spires, and some nicely decorated modern buildings.

Interesting museum about the history of Ayutthaya. It's best to visit this museum before heading out elsewhere, as it places the remains into a historical perspective. A big part of the museum is dedicated to Siam's relations with other peoples, but village life, art and culture are also dealt with. The centre was established by the Fine Arts Department and developed to be a tourist information centre by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) with high reliefs of six great kings and queens from the Ayutthaya Kingdom on the facade of the building. The center is home to TAT information centre, an exhibition on Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya's tourism and a contemporary art gallery.

Located in Chantharakasem Palace, originally the residence of King Naresuan the Great, built in 1557 CE before he ascended the throne. It was known as the "palace to the front". Later, during Ayutthaya period, it became the residence of the crown prince. The palace was destroyed in Burmese–Siamese War (1765–1767) (war of the second fall of Ayutthaya) and remained deserted until the reign of King Rama IV of the Bangkok period, who ordered to rebuild the palace to be used as his residence in Ayutthaya and rename it as Chantharakasem Palace. King Rama V appointed Chantharakasem Palace to be used for the local administration. At present it houses the Chantharakasem National Museum, the first regional museum of Thailand.

Bang Pa-In used to be a riverine island. When King Prasat Thong became the Ayutthaya king (1630–1655), he had the Chumphon Nikayaram Temple built on his family estate. The palace surrounded by a lake 400 metres long and 40 metres wide. Bang Pa-In was used as a country residence by every Ayutthaya monarch after King Prasat Thong.

Most treasures of Ayutthaya were stolen, burnt and melted by armies or treasure hunters. Some pieces survived though and are exhibited at this museum. Most of the riches on display are golden statues found at Wat Ratchaburana and Wat Phra Mahathat. The museum was funded by the proceeds from the sale of votive tablets discovered in the underground crypts of the principal Prang tower of Wat Ratchaburana. Since the temple was built by King Borommarachathirat II (Chao Sam Phraya), the museum was named after him. The opening ceremony of this museum was held in 1961 and was presided over by the king and queen. It was the first museum in the country to present a new form of exhibition, displaying artefacts unearthed from the archaeological excavations as well as restoration of ancient monuments.

The temple that graces the official tourist pamphlet for Ayutthaya. King Prasat Thong commanded it built. Its great beauty has been reflected from the main stupa and its satellite stupas along the gallery, an architecture influenced by the Khmer. This wat is a must-see. Many intact pagodas surround a central chedi that you can climb from all sides. A nice view of the city can be had from the top. Very photogenic. Outside the site at the parking area there is a cafe (Mayura's House) where you can view the ruins through its windows.

This wat offers a mix of old and modern buildings. It is unique because it survived the destruction of the city in the 18th century. Of interest are the vaulted ceilings and a Buddha made of black stone.

A working monastery south of Ayutthaya. No one knows how old it is, but it existed before Ayutthaya was founded as the capital. It contains a gilded 19 meter high seated Buddha from 1334 CE, called Luang Pho Tho (หลวงพ่อโต) by Thais and Sam Pao Kong (ซำเปากง) by Thai-Chinese, restored several times in history. A small room to the right of the main hall contains a nice collection of Buddha images and the room is painted with many individual unique pictures, in bright colours offset with gold. At the end of the temple, there is a shrine dedicated to Chao Mae Soi Dok Mak (เจ้าหญิงสร้อยดอกหมาก). The temple was visited in 1407 CE by Zheng He.

Impressive and huge white, and slightly wonky, chedi set in a big field. You can climb to the top for extensive views over the countryside surrounding Ayutthaya, although the modern town and power lines obscure much of the historic city on the horizon. The actual nearby temple is still working and has small grounds with a smiling fat Buddha image set in the ruins of a small viharn. You will see the 'Monument of King Naresuan the Great' on the way.

King Naresuan the Great commanded that the pagoda be built to celebrate the victory of his single-handed combat on elephant back. He also intended a huge construction to match the large pagoda of Wat Phukhao Thong. The large pagoda from a distance, and some of its ruins appear on well-known photos of temples in Thailand. Constructed in the reign of King U-Thong, the temple features a large reclining Buddha in saffron robes in its own ruined viharn, and, most spectacularly, a huge chedi swathed in golden cloth set in a courtyard which is lined by Buddha images all wearing saffron robes. Very photogenic.

A tourist attraction that preserves the tradition of Thailand. It recreates the art and culture of the Ayutthaya period (1351 to 1767) that includes historical clothing, Thai architecture styles, amusements, Thai foods, and the lifestyle of Thai people in the past. The Floating Market has a pond at the center, and is divided area into 16 zones mirroring the districts (amphoe) of Ayutthaya. There is also theatre: three shows Monday - Friday and four shows on Saturday - Sunday. As of 2024, tourists need to pay 200 baht/person to enter the market. The fee covers an optional ride around the market in a motorboat.

The Dutch East India Company (VOC) founded in 1602 was the largest and most impressive of the early modern trading companies operating in Asia. The Dutch established their first trading post in Ayutthaya in 1608. By the 1630s the Dutch received land and permission to build a lodge on the east bank of the Chao Phraya River. The two-storey brick building was known to the Dutch as de logie and the settlement developed into a separate village. This building was destroyed by the invading Burmese armies in 1767. After being archaeologically excavated, the brick foundation of the building was found and during the celebrations of 400 years of Thai-Dutch relations, Queen Beatrix donated a royal gift to establish an information centre near the site of the Dutch lodge. The Thai Fine Arts Department excavated the site and found many artifacts, such as Chinese porcelain, Dutch pipes, and a coin.

There's nothing left of the Japanese Settlement, so instead, the Japanese government decided to create a Japanese-style park at the location where the Japanese Settlement have been according to the documents of Dutch East India Company. The Ayutthaya Historical Study Centre started a branch here, a museum about Ayutthaya's foreign relations with Japan and other countries. It starts with an interesting film lasting about 15 minutes and then you can explore the museum on your own. Very interesting and gives a good background of the city's history.

A scattering of ruins, highlighted by the Dominican church (วัดโปรตุเกสโดมินิกัน). Inside the church are the excavated remains of members of the settlement. It is kind of an eerie sight, but interesting. The skeletons of those inside the church apparently belong to those who were of higher status within the settlement, like priests. It was said to be the largest community of Westerners after it was settled in the early 1500s. The settlement was destroyed in 1767 after the fall of Ayutthaya.

This market offers food, clothing, and day-to-day necessities at a variety of shops and stalls. More for locals, the market lacks the usually touristy trinkets; however, the food is fantastic, good clothing deals can be found, and the visit may be of interest for those who wish to experience a more authentic Thai marketplace.

A festival of varying names around the (ancient) city with various stages showing theatre, dance and music for free. Main light and sound show at Wat Pra Mahahtat (200 baht). Hundreds of food stalls around the area. Annual festival. Late December.