Visiting the Majestic Ruins of Ayutthaya, Thailand

During the 1700’s the largest city in the world was Ayutthaya in Thailand. It was considered the trading capital. Traders from all over Asia, the Middle East, and Europe would sell their products at this majestic city. Much of the trading was done outside the city walls. Foreigners were forbidden inside the walls of the city where there were hundreds of Buddhist temples and even a Buddha covered in gold.

Ayutthaya is situated between the rivers of Chao Phraya, Lopburi, and Pa Sak. Today, the rivers are still majestic, but Ayutthaya has lost its glory. The Burmese invasion of 1767 almost burned the whole city to the ground. Only a few temples were left standing, others were left in ruins.

Nevertheless, the history of Ayutthaya has managed to bring the city to at least a fraction of its former glory. Thousands of tourists visit the city every year. As for local inhabitants, there are only about 60,000, but they’ve managed to bring life back to the city. The flood that almost covered the city with water during 2011 is proof of their resilience.

How to Get There

Most visitors will be coming from Bangkok, the capital of Thailand. From there, you’ll have three major options in terms of transportation to Ayutthaya. The first is by the train that travels from the Bangkok Central Train Station to Ayutthaya. This is the recommended means of travel. If you’re on a budget, you can take a third class coach, which is cheaper. The second-class coaches provide more comfort but are a bit more expensive as well.

The next option is to travel on one of the provincial buses. However, you’ll need to reach the Northern bus terminal and depending on where you’re staying in Bangkok, going there can be quite a hassle.

Still another option is to ride on one of the minivans that depart from the Victory Monument square in Bangkok. The fares are a bit more expensive but the travel time is only about an hour. You’ll need to be careful, because there have been reports of unscrupulous drivers asking foreign tourists to get down from the vehicle just before reaching the city. A tuk-tuk will then offer to take the tourist to the city for a fare of 100 baht. If you do take the van, make sure that the driver takes you to the city.

Another option, which is not recommended for foreign travelers is to rent a car from Bangkok and use it to travel to Ayutthaya. The downside of doing this is that if you’re used to driving on the right side of the road, you’ll need to get used to driving on the left side in Thailand. Additionally, many of the road signs are not in English so you may have a bit of problem finding the way even with a map.

Getting Around Ayutthaya

Once you reach the outskirts of the city, you’ll need to take a small ferryboat to get to the city proper. While inside the city walls, you can either rent a tuk-tuk, bicycle, or simply walk around. Renting a bicycle is the best way to get around, but you’ll need to ask for directions occasionally. A tuk-tuk will be much better since the driver can take you to the different temples and ruins. Make sure that you’re in proper clothing when visiting the temples. Religious respect is necessary when visiting Thailand and one of its many temples. Never wear sleeveless shirts or attire that exposes too much of your body.

Places to See

Most of the temples that you’ll find within the city are in ruins. You won’t need to worry about dress codes there, but you can expect to be charged a small fee to visit the ruin. Other than visiting the numerous temples and ruins, you should take some time to visit the museums. There are four museums in Ayutthaya; two of them are national museums. Try to do most of your touring during the morning or later afternoon. The temperature may be too hot to handle during mid-day.

Accommodation

Ayutthaya has plenty of small hotels or lodges where you can spend the night if you plan to stay there for more than a day. These hotels will normally be near the bars or have a small bar of their own. It can be fun to spend an hour or two visiting some of the lively bars.

Safety

There is no shortage of scammers in Ayutthaya, so always be alert in whatever you are doing. If you plan to rent a bicycle or motorcycle, make sure that everything is in order before you leave. Other than that, touring the once great city will certainly be a nice adventure.

Photos of Ayutthaya