Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Ayutthaya Tourist Center
first stop in Ayuthaya, as the excellent upstairs exhibition hall puts everything in context
and describes the city's erstwhile glories, and the ground-floor TAT office has lots of
maps and good advice.
Wat Ratburana
Wat Ratburana
(admission 50B; 8am-6pm)
dates back to the early 15th century and contains
chedi
and faded murals that are among the oldest in the country.
Wat Lokayasutharam
This
temple
(off Th Khlong Thaw; 8am-7pm)
F
features an impressive 28m-long reclining
Buddha, ostensibly dating back to the early Ayuthaya period. A visit is worth the short
bike trip it takes to reach it.
Wat Phra Mahathat
This
wát
(cnr Th Chee Kun & Th Naresuan; admission 50B; 8am-6pm)
has one of the first
Ъ rahng
(Khmer-style tower) built in the capital and an evocative Buddha head engulfed by finger-
like tree roots - the most photographed site in Ayuthaya.
Wat Thammikarat
Wat Thammikarat
(
8am-7pm)
F
features overgrown
chedi
ruins and lion sculptures.
Chao Sam Phraya National Museum
The city's largest
museum
(cnr Th Rotchana & Th Si Sanphet; adult/child 150B/free; 9am-4pm Wed-Sun;
)
has 2400 items on show, ranging from a 2m-high bronze-cast Buddha head to glisten-
ing treasures found in the crypts of Wat Phra Mahathat and Wat Ratburana.
Wat Suwannaram
The two main structures of this
wát
(off Th U Thong; 8am-7pm)
F
boast attractive murals, in-
cluding a modern-era depiction of a famous Ayuthaya-era battle in the
wí·hăhn
(central
sanctuary), and classic
jataka
(stories from the Buddha's past lives) in the adjacent
bòht
(ordination hall). Nearby
Pom Phet
served as the island's initial line of defence for centur-
ies. Only crumbling walls remain today, but the spot features breezy views and is also
home to a ferry to the mainland.
Chantharakasem National Museum
