Ayutthaya is a popular tourist destination in Thailand, located only 100 km north of Bangkok. The city was the capital of the Kingdom of Ayutthaya from 1350 to 1767 and is now known for its impressive ancient temples and ruins.
In this article, I will share with you the list of the best things to do and see in Ayutthaya. These include the most popular temples to visit, the markets, local dishes, and some other cultural attractions.
Ayutthaya has hundreds of temples scattered throughout the city and its surroundings. Most temples share similar architectural styles, influenced by both Thai and Khmer architectural traditions, as well as a mix of Burmese and Sri Lankan elements. I recommend making time to visit the most popular ones.
Famous temples in the old town are Wat Mahathat, Wat Ratchaburana, Wat Phra Ram, and Wat Phra Si Sanphet. Famous temples along the river are Wat Chaiwatthanaram, Wat Phanan Choeng Worawihan, and Wat Phutthaisawan.
In addition to the temple ruins, you can try Thai street food at the Ayutthaya Night market on Bang Lan Road, experience local life at Chao Phrom Market, or take a visit to the floating market.
Ayutthaya is known for several local dishes such as Boat noodles, Sai Tai Mai, and River Shrimps. While exploring the ancient ruins, you can try these delicious local cuisines.
If you need recommendation on itinerary and how to get around Ayutthaya, you can read these articles:
- 1-2 days In Ayutthaya Itinerary
- How to get to Ayutthaya and Get Around
- 3 Best Areas to Stay in Ayutthaya
If you have time in Ayutthaya, you can explore attractions such as Bang Pa-In Palace, Japanese Village, or Portuguese Archaeology Museum.
Here are the top things to do in Ayutthaya:
20 Amazing Things to Do & See in Ayutthaya
Top activities
#1. Cycling around the old town
Cycling, in my opinion, is one of the best ways to explore the old town and its ancient ruins. Ayutthaya is a bike-friendly city and with the bicycle, you can easily visit both major temples and smaller ones.
While you can hire a tuk tuk or songthaew driver for a few hours to visit the major temples in Ayutthaya, I highly recommend exploring the old town on a bicycle. Renting a bicycle is cheaper and gives you the freedom to see each attraction at your own pace.
You can rent a bicycle from your guest house or at the several shops in the old town. I rented a bike from my hotel. I paid 40 baht per day and it came with a lock.
#2. Taking a boat trip at sun set
Taking a boat ride around Ayutthaya along the Chao Phraya River, in my experience, is a must thing to do in Ayutthaya. With this trip, you can observe local life along the banks of the river, and visit major temples such as Wat Phanan Choeng Worawihan, Wat Chaiwatthanaram, and Wat Phutthaisawan.
I booked my sunset boat trip with my guesthouse. You can easily book it with your accommodation or any local travel agencies. If you have a generous budget, you can book a private boat. I traveled on a budget, I booked the shared boat with other people and it cost 400 baht.
I recommend taking the morning to explore the temples within Ayutthaya island on bicycle, and spend the afternoon for the boat trip to explore the other temples located along the river.
Ancient Temples and Ruins
The temples in Ayutthaya are open everyday from 8am to 6pm. The ticket for one temple is 50 baht. You buy a ticket at the entrance of each temple. You can buy a combo ticket of 6 temples for 200 baht.
The combo ticket will allow you to visit 5 popular temples and 1 lesser known temple. These include Wat Mahathat, Wat Ratchaburana, Wat Phra Si Sanphet, Wat Phra Ram, Wat Chaiwatthanaram, and Wat Maheyong. Wat Maheyong is the less-visited temple located outside of the old town.
I prefer buying individual tickets and picking the temple I want to see. I don’t think it saves much buying the combo one, especially when it includes the less famous Wat Maheyong.
When exploring the temple, you will see lots of local terms such as Prangs and Chedis. Prangs are Khmer-style temple towers, while Chedis (Stupas) are bell-shaped temple towers.
Many temples in Ayutthaya suffered significant damage during the Burmese invasion of 1767, when the city was sacked and destroyed.
Here are some of the most notable temples in Ayutthaya:
#3. Wat Mahathat
Wat Mahathat is one of the most photographed temples in the Ayutthaya Historical Park. It is famous for the iconic Buddha head entwined in banyan tree roots. I recommend visiting this temple early in the morning to avoid crowds and have more time to take photos.
If you are taking photos with the Buddha head, make sure to put your head lower than his head by sitting down next to the Buddha statue.
You can spend one hour exploring many ancient prangs, chedis, and the piles of Buddha images missing their heads. One of the main reasons Buddha statues are missing their heads is due to the destruction during Burmese invasion of Ayutthaya in 1767. During the invasion, Burmese destroyed many Buddah statues and chopped off their heads.
#4. Wat Ratchaburana
Wat Ratchaburana is a popular temple located in Ayutthaya Historical Park, very close to Wat Mahathat. This temple was built during the reign of King Borom Ratchaburana in the 15th century, to honor his two royal brothers.
You can climb to the well preserved Main Prang via steep stairs and have stunning views of the ruins and the city. I recommend spending at least 30 minutes to one hour walking around the temple and exploring surrounding ruins.
#5. Wat Phra Ram
Wat Phra Ram is a nice temple located in Ayutthaya Historical Park close to Wat Phra Si Sanphet. The temple has very tall, Khmer style Prang and is surrounded by smaller chedis.
You can spend 30-60 minutes wandering around the temple grounds. There is a small lake next to the temple and you can see people riding elephants near the lake and on the road to the temple.
#6. Wat Phra Si Sanphet
Wat Phra Si Sanphet is one of the most iconic temples in Ayutthaya. It is located between Wiharn Phra Mongkhon Bophit and the royal Palace. It was used as a royal chapel within the Grand Palace area.
The temple is particularly famous for its three large chedis, holding ashes of three kings: King Borommatrailokanat, King Ramathibodi II, and King Borom Ratchathani.
The ticket to this temple is 50 baht. While in Wat Phra Si Sanphet, you can explore the Royal Palace and Viharn Phra Mongkhon Bophit for free.
You can buy food, drink, and souvenirs on the grounds of Viharn Phra Mongkhon Bophit and at the entrance of Wat Phra Si Sanphet. I think 30-60 minutes is enough to walk around and take photos.
#7. Wat Lokaya Sutha
This is a huge reclining buddha located in an open space on the outskirts of the ancient city of Ayutthaya. It is free to visit. You can get here by bicycle or tuk tuk.
The temple is situated slightly away from the main cluster of temples in Ayutthaya, which makes it a more peaceful and less crowded place to visit. There are several cafes and restaurants around the temple. When I visited late November 2024, it was being renovated.
#8. Wat Chaiwatthanaram
Wat Chaiwatthanaram is an iconic temple located on the bank of Chao Phraya River, slightly outside the main historical area of the city. I visited this temple at sunset on a boat trip.
This temple has Khmer style with one main prang in the central area and many other smaller chedis in the surroundings. It has a similar architecture with the famous Angkor Wat in Cambodia. Lots of locals and tourists wear traditional Thai clothes to take photos at this temple.
I recommend spending one hour here walking around. For the best photos at sunset, I recommend walking to the back of the temple for the best lights.
#9. Wat Phanan Choeng Worawihan
This temple is located on the bank of Pasak river, outside of the city center. It is famous for housing the Big Buddha. It is an active temple. I saw locals come here to pray.
I visited this temple in the afternoon on a boat trip. We stopped at this temple for 20 minutes, explored the 20 feet tall Big Buddha, the Chinese temple, and watched the big fish on the river. You can buy food and feed them.
#10. Wat Phutthaisawan
Wat Phutthaisawan is a beautiful temple located on the bank of Chao Phraya River, south of the old city. I visited this temple on the sunset boat trip. This temple has a mix of old ancient temple ruins and modern buildings.
It is very peaceful to take a leisure walk around the temple ground. You can check out the tall white Khmer style prang, as well as the reclining buddha in the backyard. We spent around 20 minutes at this temple. It is free to enter.
#11. Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon
This is a popular temple located east of Ayutthaya Old Town. You can use Grab Bike to tuk tuk to get to this temple. It was built in the 14th century during the reign of King Uthong , the founder of the Ayutthaya Kingdom.
This temple is famous for its large Reclining Buddha and the striking chedi (62m tall). The main chedi is huge and is surrounded by many seated Buddha statues. You can climb inside the chedi and enjoy the beautiful views.
Markets
#12. Ong Gaan Tolasap Night Market
This is a vibrant night market located on Bang Lan road in the heart of Ayutthaya Old Town. The market has many stalls selling Thai street food, fruits, clothing, and souvenirs. The price is affordable and I saw lots of locals come here.
You can find several seafood and hotpot restaurants at the end of the market where you can sit, eat, and people watching. It is a good place to take a walk, and enjoy the evening.
Ong Gaan Tolasap Night Market is open every evening from 4pm but closes quite early at around 9pm.
#13. Chao Phrom Market
This is a local market located close to the Pasak River and the Pier. You’ll likely pass this market when traveling from the train station and the old town by boat. The cross ferry is at Chao Phrom Market Pier, located just a few minutes walk from the market.
The market sells different kinds of goods for local daily life, inducing veggies, meat, and clothes. The market is open everyday from early morning to late afternoon. It is more bustling in the morning, when locals buy fresh food for the day.
#14. Ayothaya Floating Market
If you haven’t visited any floating market in Thailand and you have time in Ayutthaya, you can visit Ayothaya Floating Market. I visited the Damnoen Saduak Floating Market in Bangkok, which is one of the largest floating markets in Thailand, so I skipped this one in Ayutthaya.
Ayothaya Floating Market is located east of the old town, and easily accessible by Grab or Tuk tuk. You can take a boat ride along the river and explore shops and restaurants. The entrance ticket for foreigners is 200 baht, which in my opinion, is quite expensive.
Local Food
#15. Boat Noodles
Boat noodles are a famous dish originating from Ayutthaya in the 18th century. It is a small bowl of rice noodle soup that was once served by vendors on boats along the canals of the city. It is served in a small bowl to avoid spilling while the boat is moving.
There are many restaurants specialised in boat noodles in Ayutthaya. I tried this dish at the Mae Pranee Boat Noodle restaurant, on the main road in the old town to the river. I highly recommend it. The food is delicious, the staff is friendly, and the price is cheap.
#16. Roti Sai Mai
Roti Sai Mai, aThai cotton candy wrap, is also a popular dish in Ayutthaya. “Roti” is the base of the dish. It is a thin, crispy pancake made from flour, sugar, and coconut milk. It’s cooked on a flat griddle until golden brown.
“Sai mai” is a colorful cotton candy, usually made from sugar, flavored with natural colors like pink, green, and yellow. The cotton candy is spun fresh and then carefully placed inside the roti.
#17. River Prawns
The giant River Prawns is another famous dish in Ayutthaya. The prawns found in the Chao Phraya River are often quite large and prized for their sweet, tender meat. This is a must try dish in Ayutthaya for seafood lovers.
Other Historical and Cultural Attractions
#18. Bang Pa-In Palace
If you have time in Ayutthaya after exploring the main temples and ruins, you can visit Bang Pa-In Palace. This place is a popular stop on the day tour from Bangkok to Ayutthaya. It is located 20 km south of the old town, and can be reached by train.
It is a big complex, you can consider renting a golf cart to get around and to avoid the heat. You can explore the lake, the gardens, and admire the beautiful architecture of different buildings. The entrance fee is 100 baht.
#19. Japanese Village
This is a nice little Japanese themed village located a few km south of Ayutthaya Old Town. Here you can explore the well-maintained garden, the show rooms to learn about the relationship between Japanese and Thai in the past.
The entrance fee is 50 THB. It is also a good place to take photos. There is a cafe/restaurant onsite.
#20. Portuguese Archaeology Museum
This is a small historic site that is home to the church ruins and a modern building. It is a good place to visit for those who are interested in the history of the relationship of Portuguese in Ayutthaya.
It is located along the bank of Chao Phraya River, opposite the Japanese village. You can have good photos of the Japanese Village from here.
These are my recommendations on the top things to do and see in Ayutthaya. The main things to do in Ayutthaya are ancient temples and ruins. You can explore these attractions by cycling or taking a boat trip. Other things to do if you have more time is to visit the Bang Pa-In Palace, or Japanese Village. Be sure to visit the night market, and try local foods such as boat noodles.