Travel Home > Directory > Destinations > Asia > Thailand > Ayutthaya

Ayutthaya. Pop. 741,000 (Approx). Province - Ayutthaya. Currency – Thai Baht. Language – Thai. Time Zone – GMT + 7 hours. Nearest Airport – Bangkok Suvarnabhumi BKK. Average Temperatures – 20° (Jan), 36° (Apr). Best time to go – February to June. Ayutthaya city is the capital of Ayutthaya province in Thailand and is both an ancient capital and modern city in the Central Plains of Thailand, 85 km to the north of Bangkok. 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 city served as the Thai capital for 417 years (1350 1767: Kingdom of Ayutthaya), and was regarded as one of the biggest cities in the world. Today there are still remnants left of the kingdom including rows of headless Buddhas and crumbling temple compounds. Visitors will be fascinated by the architecture of Ayutthaya, which is an intriguing mix of Khmer (ancient Cambodian style) and early Sukhothai style. Some cactus-shaped obelisks, called prangs, denote Khmer influence and look something like the famous towers of Angkor Wat in Cambodia. There are numerous temples or wats (A wat is a temple in Cambodia, Laos or Thailand) to visit including: Wat Phra Si Sanphet, Wat Thammikarat, Wat Ratchaburana, Wat Phra Mahathat and Phra Chedi Sisuriyothai.