The trip to Ayutthaya was rather strange. From the most vivid memories - how I was lying in a stuffy guest house with a high temperature in a half-forgotten state, and by no means temples. But I managed to see them and the famous Buddha's head too, so I don't regret anything, the place is interesting. However, first things first.
Having enjoyed a week in Chiang Mai, I decided to go to Bangkok via Ayuthaya. All transport passes through it anyway. I bought a ticket Chiang Mai - Bangkok for a night bus, explained to the driver that I needed not the end point, but Ayutthaya and hit the road.
The content of the article
- one From the highway to Ayutthaya
- 2 Ayutthaya - the ancient capital of Siam
- 3 Ayuthaya on the map of Thailand
From the highway to Ayutthaya
Early in the morning, even after dark, they put me off right on the highway, and not at the bus station. The navigator suggested that the city is about 5 kilometers from here. There were motorbikes and taxis at the landing site. Taxit wanted 200 baht, although it’s nonsense to go there, and I naturally didn’t know the price of a motorcycle bike where I was going with my hiking backpack. Crossing the pedestrian bridge to the other side (again, I looked at the navigator that I needed to cross the road), I asked the Thai how to get there. He replied that a 7 baht songteo runs from here. Literally in 10 minutes I was already on the minibus. Not a sickly difference, 7 baht or 200?
Songteo brought me directly to the bass station, it is convenient to settle here: minivans leave for Bangkok every hour, there is a bike rental for 200-250 baht, several guesthouses to choose from, a market, and the most ancient capital is not far away. Therefore, I did not even choose a specific place or area, but immediately found a guest house and settled in. About budget hotels in Ayutthaya, read the link. A complete list of hotels in Ayutthaya can be seen at search service RoomGuru, and book there. In the season, it is better to do this in advance, otherwise there will be no numbers, I almost did it, I took the last one and waited a long time until it was free.
Ayutthaya - the ancient capital of Siam
Once upon a time, from the 14th to the 18th century, Ayutthaya was the capital. They say it was a big beautiful city with a million inhabitants, but then a civil war began and the Burmese captured, burned and destroyed it. Then the capital was moved to Bangkok. Now Ayuthaya is a small provincial town with a bunch of ruins, which in 1991 were included in the UNESCO list.
Personally, I like it more Sukhothai, since it is more soulful, more abandoned and mysterious than Ayuthaya, so I usually advise everyone to go there. On the other hand, you can come to Ayutthaya for just one day, because Bangkok is very close (how to get from Bangkok to Ayutthaya), only 60 km.
Despite the crowds of tourists, it is not bad here so you can wander around, sit and think, and enjoy the views of the ancient ruins. The territory of the ancient capital is large, there is where to hide from the eyes, it is enough just to get away from the main temples, and then there will be no one there.
In total, I looked at 4 churches, although on the map in the guest house they circled me 5 must see pieces. But there are much more temples here, dozens, if not hundreds. It's just that many of them are a bunch of stones or are similar to each other, so they don't cause any interest. But this does not mean that you do not need to watch anything else. The entrance is paid (50 baht) only to the main temples, the rest are free.
Each temple has its own territory, and these territories are sometimes adjacent to each other, and sometimes not. Between these territories, you move along asphalt roads, for example, on rented scooter (200-300 baht / day) or bike (40 baht / day), but the territory itself can only be reached on foot. The temples are separated by ponds, bridges, paths, beautifully. You just need to remember that in extreme heat (and it is very hot there, as a rule), you can't hit a lot on the bike, and I was sometimes hot on the bike. Moreover, the bicycles there are so-so, ordinary city.
Ayuthaya is surrounded by rivers
Channel ponds dividing the temples
The life of ordinary people
You can wash the wheels in the nearest canal
Ayutthaya Monster Bus
Ayuttai tuk-tuks are not like others
Something not Thai at all, but did not come closer
I travel on a bike
Wat mahathat
One of the most popular temples, because everyone comes to see the head of the Buddha, entwined with the roots of a tree, which has already become a symbol of Ayutthaya. As I understand it, when the temple was destroyed by the Burmese, the statues were smashed and thrown into the ground. And since the temple stood abandoned for about 100 years, trees grew there, and one of them pulled this head out with its roots. Apart from the head, there are only ruins, little has survived.
Entrance 50 baht.
Buddha among the ruins and trees
The famous Buddha head in the roots of a tree
Usually there are many more people here.
Exhibition of Headless Buddhas
The wall is about to fall, held by a support
One of the many groups
Wat mahathat
Almost a chameleon, barely noticed
Thai still life
Wat Ratchaburana
On Google maps, it is designated as Wat Rat Praditthan, but this is a mistake. I remember it by the fact that it was possible to go inside to the prang. Usually they are either closed or there are no voids. Wat Ratchaburana has a small hall inside, from which a steep narrow staircase goes down. I went down of course, but there is a dead end.
Entrance 50 baht.
Wat Ratchaburana
During the day everyone is so sleepy-kind, and at night they are angry
Constructor - assemble Buddha
Why not take a break, work is not a wolf
Corn approaching
Wat Ratchaburana in the woods
Inside the hall with lighting
View of Ayutthaya
And a dark corridor goes down, the photo is lightened
But at its end there is a dead end and a light bulb
Sometimes the roads turn into beautiful alleys
Wat Phra Si Sanphet
The largest temple in Ayutthaya and here the most people. Known for his three chedi, standing in a row. They were badly destroyed, and now we see them restored. Around full of shapeless ruins, you can imagine how it all looked not so long ago.
Entrance 50 baht.
Modern Viharn next to Wat Phra Si Sanphet
Thai squirrels eat rice too
Wat Phra Si Sanphet - old stupas
Except for stupas, everything else is ruins.
Big, massive
Here you will also be offered elephant rides
Wat Lokkayasutharam
All that remains of this temple is a statue of the Reclining Buddha. There is nothing else here, no stupas, no other buildings. Well, more precisely, behind the statue there is a brick and «corn» small, but that doesn't count. I noticed how Thais do business here - they sell lotus flowers, and as soon as the worshiper of Buddha leaves, they take the flowers back to their stall.
Free admission.
Near the Reclining Buddha
Wat Lokkayasutharam - Reclining Buddha
Business Thai - take the lotuses back to the counter
Traditional trash
Initially, I came here to see live the famous head of the Buddha, entwined with roots. Her photograph has sunk into my soul. And in principle, apart from the above-described temples, there is nothing else you can look at. So for everything about everything, one day will definitely be enough for you. And if you use transport, you can catch even more. On the other hand, why unnecessary haste, you can stretch everything for several days, penetrating the place.
Unfortunately, I had no choice. I came here already ill, and on the first day, when on the way to the next church, I realized that the world was floating before my eyes, I immediately retreated to the guesthouse, where I spent the next two days, almost without getting up. I only went for water. By the way, I checked once again that hunger + water + lime + ginger, puts you on your feet quite quickly, much faster than taking medicine.
Ayuthaya on the map of Thailand
Attractions in Ayutthaya
Ayutthaya Attractions:
Ayuthaya map with all the temples (click large)
