Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Province · Thailand
Ayutthaya
The capital of Siam for four hundred years and one of the largest cities in the world in its day — a river island of temples, trading quarters and palaces that the Burmese army burned in 1767 and nobody rebuilt. What is left is a UNESCO field of brick prangs and headless Buddhas, ninety minutes north of Bangkok.
Ayutthaya was a cosmopolitan port before Bangkok existed: Portuguese, Japanese, Dutch, French, Persian and Chinese quarters, each with its own settlement outside the walls, in a city that European visitors compared to Paris and London. That is why the food here has egg-yolk sweets a Portuguese-Japanese woman introduced to the royal kitchens in the 1680s, and why the ruins are Khmer-influenced rather than Lanna. The sack of 1767 is the hinge of Thai history — the reason the capital moved downriver, the reason the country's oldest architecture is a ruin, and the reason the headless Buddhas are headless. Thais come here on a school trip and again as adults; foreigners mostly come for four hours on a bus, which is the wrong length of visit.
Plan your trip
Ayutthaya Tour Itineraries
Timed, walkable day plans — plus the best season to go.
Where to shoot
Ayutthaya Photo Spots
Entry A small national-museum ticket, higher for foreign visitors
Chao Sam Phraya National Museum
- Best timeMidday, and mostly as a break from the sun rather than for photographs — the gold is behind glass and photography in the treasure room is restricted
- ColorsNavyCreamOlive
Entry Free
Hua Ro Market
- Best timeLate afternoon, when the food stalls set up and the light comes in under the awnings from the river side
- ColorsWhiteIndigoRust
High crowdEntry ฿50, or included in the ฿220 combined ticket
Wat Chaiwatthanaram
- Best timeSunset from the far bank of the river, and then the hour after dark when the whole complex is floodlit — it is the only ruin here that is lit at night and it is the best photograph in the city
- ColorsIvoryGoldDeep blue
High crowdEntry ฿50, or included in the ฿220 combined ticket
Wat Mahathat
- Best timeThe first entry of the morning, when the light is low across the brick and the queue at the Buddha head is short — by ten there is a line for it and a warden managing the crouching
- ColorsWhiteTerracottaCream
Medium crowdEntry ฿50, or included in the ฿220 combined ticket
Wat Phra Si Sanphet
- Best timeLate afternoon, when the three chedis are side-lit and cast long shadows across the platform — at midday they are white shapes against white sky
- ColorsWhiteCreamGold
Medium crowdEntry ฿50, or included in the ฿220 combined ticket
Wat Ratchaburana
- Best timeEarly morning for the prang against a clear sky; the crypt is unlit and needs a torch rather than a time of day
- ColorsTerracottaCreamOlive
For the feed
Trending Wear in Ayutthaya
Modern, Instagram-friendly looks
Rooted in the city
Ayutthaya Traditional Wear
Local, cultural, handcrafted outfits
Taste the city
Food to Eat in Ayutthaya
Trusted tables
Where to Eat in Ayutthaya
The Hua Ro market food stalls
Hua Ro, the island's northern corner
The rice-and-curry shops
The island's back streets, around the market and the schools
The riverside prawn restaurants
Along the Pa Sak and Chao Phraya banks
The roti sai mai stalls
The roads out of the city, and the hospital road in particular
Questions
Ayutthaya — FAQ
What is Ayutthaya famous for?
The capital of Siam for four hundred years and one of the largest cities in the world in its day — now a spread of temple ruins on an island: Wat Mahathat, Wat Phra Si Sanphet and the riverside Wat Chaiwatthanaram among them.
How many days are enough for Ayutthaya?
One day covers the main ruins; staying the night lets you have them after the day crowds leave.
What is the best time to visit Ayutthaya?
November to February, when it is dry and cool enough to cycle between the ruins.
How do I get around Ayutthaya?
The railway station puts Ayutthaya on the long-distance line, and the ruins sit on an island around it — most people cycle from one to the next.
Can you visit Ayutthaya as a day trip from Bangkok?
Yes — the railway station puts it on the long-distance line out of Bangkok, and the main ruins fit in one day by bicycle. Stay the night if you want them quiet, after the day-trippers have gone.