Graphic credit: blank map of Thailand by ChristianBier - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3922832
Dates: April 1 - April 3
Ayuthaya was my first real destination in Thailand after bussing from Cambodia to Bangkok. From 1370 to 1767, Ayuthaya, built upon an inland island surrounded by rivers, was the glamorous capital of the Kingdom of Siam and one of Asia’s chief trading ports. After the city was looted by the Burmese in 1767, Siam moved its capital to Bangkok. While Ayuthaya’s gold and other royal treasures were carried off by the Burmese, dozens of UNESCO archeological ruins still grace the island, making Ayuthaya a treasure of Thailand’s cultural heritage. I spent a couple days exploring the town on bicycle.
Built in the late 15th century, the Royal Palace temple, Wat Phra Si Sanphet, is the largest and most iconic temple in Ayuthaya.
Buddha statues at Wat Ratchaburana, one of Ayuthaya’s better preserved temples.
Tourists can take short elephant rides around the city center.
Roti pancakes—filled with egg and banana, and topped with condensed milk or powdered sugar—are a popular street food are a popular street snack in Thailand.
Stupas in the Wat Phra Si Sanphet complex.
Tourists visiting Wat Phra Si Sanphet pique a dog's curiosity.
A statue of the Buddha at Wat Maha That, built during the 14th century.
All the tuk-tuks in Ayuthaya have variations of this unique retro look.