It's easy to spend a couple of days here cycling around the different sites. For your first day, travel around the main sites of the island; you really don't need to go into all of them (mostly 50 Baht entrance to each), then the second day head south along the river taking in the temples along the way then the ferry over the river and north. A fantastic couple of days easy cycling.

Accommodation

The budget accommodation is mostly "huts" over sometimes stagnant water, so even if you have booked ahead, take the time to look at the options before paying for your room. 

    Ayothaya Hotel

Address: 12 Naresuan Road

Prices from: Double 1,500-3,500B, Triple 2,200-3,800B

Includes: En-suite, AC, breakfast, TV, fridge, hot-water

Tel: 035 232 855 Email: info@AyothayaHotel.com

Upgrade and you get a separate living area as well.

    Baan Are Gong

Address: off Th Rotchana, 

Prices from:  Double 300-500B

Includes: Shared bathroom, fan

Tel: 03 523 5592  Email: siriporntan@yahoo.com.sg

Upgrade to en-suite, AC and a TV for 400B. Top end price is a king-sze.

    Baan Kun Pra

Address: 48/2 Th U Thong, 03524 1978, www.bannkunpra.com

Prices from:  Dorm 250B, Double 600-1,100B, Triple 850-1,450B

Includes: Shared bathroom, fan

Tel: 03  524 1978 Web: www.BaanKunPra.com

Top-end prices gets you en-suite, AC and breakfast as well.

    Baan Lotus

Address: 20 Th Phamaphrao

Price from: single 200-250B, Double 350-600B, Triple 600-800B

Includes: Shared bathroom, fan, hot-water

Tel: 03 525 1988  Email:  Web:

Top-end prices will get you en-suite and AC

    Prom Tong Mansion

Address: 23 Pathon Road

Prices from: Double 1,090-1,390B Triple 1,590B, Family 1,690-1,890B

Includes: En-suite, AC, Wi-FI, Breakfast

Tel: 0891 656 297 Email: PromTongMansion@gmail.com Web:

You also get a TV and refrigerator in your room as well as free tea/ coffee throughout the day.

    Tony’s Place

Address: 12/ 18 Soi 2, Th Naresuan

Price from: Double 300-1,000B, Triple 1,200B

Includes: En-suite, fan, hot-water

Tel: 03 525 2578 Web: www.TonyPlace-Ayutthaya.com

Top-end on a double gets you AC. The triple room has AC, TV and a separate living room!

Sites

Wat Mahathat

The temple is located in front of the grand palace to the east near Pa Than Bridge. It was originally constructed in the reign of King Borom Rachathirat I and houses many holy relics of the lord Buddha, most of which were beheaded by the Burmese during an attack on the area. The above "body-less" head of Buddha is possibly the most photographed image in all of the area. We in fact missed it on our first loop because it was surrounded by tour groups, all bobbing down so that there heads were not higher than the statues on the instruction of the security guard posted there.

Wat Ratchaburana

The monestary of Wat Ratchaburana was constucted under the command of King Borom Rachathirat II. The two pagodas were built on the ground where Chao Ai and Chao Yi engaged in single-handed combat on elephant back. Both were killed. 

Pharan Park

Take a slow cycle around Pharan Park, which is the west of the previous two sites and in the direction of the royal palace area. The park has a mixture of small modern temples, ponds and copious amounts of large birds!

Wat Phra Si Sanphet

Wat Phra Si Sanphet is a great example of one of those temple areas that are simply so much easier to photograph from afar. It was used as a residential palace in the reign of King Ramathibodi I. When King Borom Trai Lokkanat commanded that a new living quarter was built, this residential palace became the royal chapel without monks or novice inhabitants.

Wat Phra Mongkhon Bophit

The original Phra Monghon Bophit (what a name), a large bronze cast of Buddha was originally enshrined outside the royal palace until King Songtham commanded that it be transferred to its current location. During the 2nd fall of Ayutthaya, the building and image were badly destroyed by fire. The one here today is a reconstruction of the original.

Whan Phra Wian 

Set back from the main road and quite a distance from the other temples.

 

Surrounded my "normal life" the temple was going through a detailed restoration period on the internal paintings. Some of the most detailed we'd seen in any temple. 

Wat Pananchoeng

Although the Wat is the main listing on the tourist information there are several other places of religious import here. Our first site is Ganesh in all of his glorious colour, then a small Chinese temple before coming to the renovated Wat.

Wat Yai Chainangkhon

Breathtaking is the best way of describing this wat. The images of Buddha are swathed on bright orange and the grounds are immaculate. Though some of the building work is supported or repaired, on the whole this was the best Wat we'd seen so far.

King Naresuan the Great commanded that the pagoda be built to celebrate the victory of his combatant on elephant back. He also intended a huge construction to match the large pagoda of Wat Phukhao and named it "Phra Chedi Chaimongkhon".

Travel

Ayutthaya is one hour north of Bangkok by train. The station is close to the main accommodation area.

Getting around

Ayutthaya is really flat, so getting around on cycle is extremely easy.