The Ruins

Most of the temples or we can say one of the tourist spots here in Ayutthaya is mostly ruins. Most of these Temples are dilapidated Temples, which contains complete stories of the past.

Wat Maha That

This is the next Temple we visit after we visited Wat Yai Chaimongkol. Some of these Temples are broken, a Buddha with broken heads and a Buddha's head almost eaten by the tree.

Let me begin with why the temples are so dilapidated and seemingly untidy? According to our tour guide, this place has not been rebuilt again after the previous war. "You know why? To let tourists know why the Temples are in ruins and to know the history of the place. A place like this was ruined due to the war between the Burmese and the Siamese in 1568 which lasted until 1767 and until now the place has been neglected. Others were also devastated by the heavy rains and storms in the area.

The story of the Buddhas beheaded, where they used to say that there was hidden jewelry on that Buddha's head and because of that they tried to cut off the heads of the Buddhas and take the hidden treasures from the head. But one of the most talk about of this beheaded Buddha is the one where the head is almost eaten by the tree! Which is one of the perfect spots to get awesome pictures to your Instagram feed. The story of the Buddha's head is also due to the attempt to steal it, and because there was a war that day, the man who allegedly took the Buddha's head accidentally drop the head beside to this tree until the tree has grown and as it grows, the tree will gradually eat it.

Wat Lokayasutharam

This is the next place we went to which is a 20 to 30 minutes drive from the second Temple we went to. This place is located at Naresuan Rd, Pratu Chai Sub-district, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya District, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, Thailand. A reclining Buddha with a flower lottos on his head which is believed to be a symbol of prosperity and happiness for the people of Ayutthaya. Behind this Reclining Buddha can also be seen dilapidated buildings which are also said to be one of the beautiful Ayutthaya Temples.

Wihan Phra Mongkhon Bophit

This temple is just one of the most beautiful temples in the area. There are also souvenir shops, restaurants, and items made by Ayutthaya people that we can buy. Here you can also see the big Chedi painted in white. The net site is wide and at the top of this Chedi, you can see the whole of Ayutthaya.

What To Do?

One of the most important things to do here in this place is to climb this very high tower built by the ancestors of their former king. Seen inside this chedi is the mysterious well that is very deep where people began making wishes as they tossed coins into these well and a Buddhas sitting on the side of the well that is circling.

Right next to the chedi is a large lake where you can see large turtles that are freely cared for and fed by the caretakers in the area. There are also souvenir shops and food for visitors to the area.

Place Info:

• Address: หมู่ที่ 3 40/3 ตำบล คลองสวนพลู Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya District, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya 13000, Thailand
• Hours: Open every day from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM
• Entrance Fee: 20 baht per person
• Website: CLICK HERE

Rules and Tips:

• Do not throw the trash inside the temple
• Wear formal attire especially for women
• Do not make noise inside the temple
• Remove shoes when inside the temple
• Do not imitate the position or appearance of the Buddha when taking a picture next to the Buddha

Expectations:

• Only wear light clothing so as not to sweat the body
• Join in a group tour to avoid paying a large amount of cash on a private car or van
• Bring drinking water to prevent dehydration
• The temples in Ayutthaya are very different from the temples in Bangkok