Less evocative than the Ayuthaya's other major temples, peaceful Wat Maheyong, built in 1438, sees more meditators than sightseers. The walled corridor leading to the ubosot (chapel) is an unusual feature and there's a stupa surrounded by elephants in the back.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
9.25 MILES
Ornate buildings are sprinkled across Bang Pa In Palace's 19-hectare gardens. First established in the 17th century, the palace was revived in the 19th…
1.88 MILES
The prang (Khmer-style spire) in this large temple complex is one of the best extant versions in the city. There are giant stucco-sculpted Garuda on the…
3.87 MILES
Glorious in the early morning light and also at sunset, this temple is Ayuthaya's most impressive off-island site thanks to its 35m-high central prang …
1.27 MILES
Visitors to this photogenic ruin 2km southeast of the island can climb stairs up into the crypt of the stunning 60m-tall, bell-shaped chedi (stupa). There…
2.54 MILES
At this captivating ruined temple, three wonderfully intact stupas form one of Ayuthaya's most iconic views. Built beginning in 1448, this was a private…
3.55 MILES
With animatronic ghosts, supersized crows and glowing Buddhas, Wat Tha Ka Rong is eerie and playful in equal measure and feels more like a carnival than a…
2.46 MILES
Featuring a gorgeous 6m-high Buddha flanked by maroon columns, this active temple was one of the few to escape the wrath of Burma's invading army in 1767;…
1.91 MILES
Ayuthaya's most photographed attraction is in these temple grounds: a sandstone Buddha head tangled within a bodhi tree's entwined roots. Founded in 1374,…
Nearby Ayuthaya attractions
0.3 MILES
A kitschy, photo-friendly tourist trap rather than an actual market, around 250 food stalls and souvenir stands cluster on wooden platforms above the…
0.38 MILES
Though it's not yet near Indiana Jones levels, forest is slowly reclaiming this attractive ruin. The massive stupa collapsed, but the imposing walls of…
1.27 MILES
Visitors to this photogenic ruin 2km southeast of the island can climb stairs up into the crypt of the stunning 60m-tall, bell-shaped chedi (stupa). There…
4. Chantharakasem National Museum
1.4 MILES
This museum is within the grounds of Wang Chan Kasem (Chan Kasem Palace), built for King Rama IV (r 1851–68) at the site of a palace used by King Naresuan…
1.54 MILES
Although there was a temple here in the Ayuthaya era, the present buildings are from the current reign, with the bòht (ordination hall) built by King Rama…
1.65 MILES
Think you can tell a spice boat from a sam pan? This interesting little private museum is full of wooden boats, both real and artistic miniatures, many of…
1.75 MILES
This lively temple, believed to date to 1324 (26 years before the founding of Ayuthaya), revolves around the 19m-high Phra Phanan Choeng Buddha, aka …
1.75 MILES
The 6.5m-high, 14m-thick weathered walls of this 1580 fortress once served as Ayuthaya island's primary line of defence. Besides making a good photo-op,…