We moved on to Ayutthaya, the second capital of Siam and now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city was founded around 1350 and became the Siamese capital after Sukhothai, until the Burmese army razed it in 1767. It was never rebuilt on the same spot, and UNESCO listed the Historic City of Ayutthaya in 1991.
We spent our time around the ruins of Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon and Wat Phanan Choeng, which gave us a good sense of how grand the old city must have been, and how much its temples still matter to people today.
Good to know
- UNESCO: the Historic City of Ayutthaya was listed in 1991. UNESCO
- Getting there: trains from Krung Thep Aphiwat station in Bangkok take about an hour, and slower trains from Hua Lamphong about two.
- Fees: some temples charge a small entry fee, so keep some cash handy.
We checked these details in October 2026. Times, prices and rules do change, so it’s worth a quick look at the official sites before you go.