The other day, the whole family had a day trip to Ayutthaya. It’s about an hour train ride north of where we live and was a great place to visit.

Quite popular on the tourist circuit but not busy at all as there are about 15 main sites to visit which include ruins, major Buddhist temples, ancient capital building and other very interesting sites.

We rented a tuk-tuk for half a day. The driver gave us a whirlwind tour of most places and we had a lovely lunch by the Chao Phraya River.

The history of Ayutthaya is fascinating; here is the “wiki”:

Ayutthaya city is the capital of Ayutthaya province in Thailand. The city was founded in 1350 by King U-Thong and became capital of his kingdom. The king came to escape smallpox outbreak in Lop Buri. Often referred as the Ayutthaya kingdom or Siam.

Ayutthaya was named after the city of Ayodhya in India, the birthplace of Rama in the Ramayana. In 1776, the Burmese army destroyed the city, and the ruins of the old city now form the Ayutthaya historical park, which is recognized internationally as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city was rebuilt a few kilometres to the east.

The city is located at the junction of the Chao Phraya, Lopburi and Pa Sak. The city is located at the junction of the Chao Phraya, Lopburi and Pa Sak rivers, and on the main north-south railway linking Chiang Mai to Bangkok. The old city is on an island formed by a bend of the Chao Phraya on the west and south sides, the Pa Sak on the east side and, on the northern side, the Klong Maung canal rivers, and on the main north-south railway linking Chiang Mai to Bangkok.

What amazed me the most while I visited is the sheer amount of history, culture and spiritual depth that exists in Thailand. This brief visit of Ayutthaya really brought this home.

There are still tons of things we did not get to see, so we will certainly be back soon.