The Top 19 Things to Do in Ayutthaya, Thailand theculturetrip.com

Ayutthaya is Thailand‘s unsung archaeological miracle: a vision of Buddhist temples, monasteries and ancient statues of monumental dimensions. Dating back to 1350, the city has experienced a turbulent history, rich in episodes of glory and strife. Now a Unesco World Heritage site, it demands your attention; here is our list of the top things to do and see.

By Thai standards, Bangkok is a modern city. The Thai monarchy were forced to relocate there after their royal capital of Ayutthaya – named after the mythical city of the hero-god Rama – was attacked and burnt to the ground by the Burmese army in 1767. Prior to that, the crumbling ruins you see today had been glorious – glittering with stupas, Buddhist libraries and gold-covered palaces and surrounded by gondola-filled waterways. Allow plenty of time to drift about this magical place.