Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
wí·hăhn
contains a highly revered, 19m sitting Buddha image from which the wát derives
its name.
Elephant Kraal
North of the city, the
Elephant Kraal
F
is a restoration of the wooden stockade once used
for the annual round-up of wild elephants. A fence of huge teak logs enclosed the ele-
phants. The king had a raised observation pavilion for the thrilling event.
Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon
Southeast of town, this
wát
(admission 20B)
is a quiet place built in 1357 by King U Thong
and was once famous as a meditation centre. The compound contains a large
chedi,
and a
community of
mâa chee
(Buddhist nuns) lives here.
Wat Na Phra Meru
This
temple
(admission 20B; )
is notable because it escaped destruction when the Burmese
army overran and sacked the city in 1767. The main
bòht
was built in 1546 and features
fortress-like walls and pillars. The
bòht
interior contains an impressive carved wooden
ceiling and a splendid 6m-high sitting Buddha in royal attire. Inside a smaller
wí·hăhn
be-
hind the
bòht
is a green-stone, European-pose (sitting in a chair) Buddha from Sri Lanka,
said to be 1300 years old. The walls of the
wí·hăhn
show traces of 18th- or 19th-century
murals.
SLEEPING IN AYUTHAYA
Baan Lotus Guest House
( 0 3525 1988; 20 Th Pamaphrao; s 200B, d 450-600B; ) Set in large,
leafy grounds, this converted teak schoolhouse has a cool, clean feel and remains our favourite place to crash.
Staff are as charmingly old-school as the building itself.
Tony's Place
( 0 3525 2578;
www.tonyplace-ayutthaya.com
;
12/18 Soi 2, Th Naresuan; r 300-1200B;
) Budget rooms still offer just the basics, but the true flashpacker can hang out in renovated rooms that
verge on the palatial, relatively speaking.
Iudia on the River
( 0 3532 3208;
www.iudia.com
;
11-12 Th U Thong; s 1550B, d 2750-5550B;
) Superbly designed rooms that fuse traditional Thai furnishings with modern finishes make this a fabulous
spot.
GETTING THERE & AWAY
