Go back in time and visit Thailand’s ancient capital of Ayutthaya. It’s a 3 hours drive from Bangkok that will take you back some 600 plus years! This splendid former capital was founded by King U-Thong in 1350 and in its heydays was quite an awe inspiring sight with its magnificent palaces and countless temples. The kingdom thrived for over 400 years until it was ransacked by the Burmese in 1767.
The remnants of its former glory remain today and have become the Ayutthaya historical park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. For those that are into archeological ruins, you’re in for quite a treat and you’ll probably need more than a day to explore the entire site. A must-see attraction is the Buddha’s head stuck in a tree trunk, located at Wat Mahatat. Some say it’s a miracle, others think it’s the work of man or an act of nature. Whatever the cause, it’s still quite an intrigue and definitely not to be missed!
How to get there
Driving:
- Take Highway #1 (Pahonyothin Road), then take Highway #32 and turn left onto Highway #309 to Ayutthaya.
- Take Highway #304 (Chaeng Wattana Road) or take Highway #302 (Ngamwongwan Road) then turn right onto Highway #306 (Tiwanon Road). Next, take Highway #3111 (Pathum thani - Samkhok - Sena) and turn right at Amphoe Sena to Highway # 3263 to Ayutthaya.
- Take Highway #306 (Bangkok - Nonthaburi - Pathum Thani Road), then take Highway # 347 to Ayutthaya.
 
Bus
For 30 Baht, you can take the Bangkok Northern Bus Terminal at Mo Chit to Ayutthaya's Main Terminal on Naresuan Road. The bus runs about every 20 minutes between 5.00AM - 7.00PM
Train
Go to Bangkok's Hua Lamphong Station. Trains to Ayutthaya run about every hour between 4.20AM - 10.00PM.