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Off the beach in Bangkok, Thailand: The historic city of Ayutthaya
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Ayutthaya Tombs - Barbra Stuter
As you are making your way to the beautiful beaches and islands of Thailand, odds are that you will have a layover of some sort in Bangkok, especially when coming in from the States or from Europe. There are many opportunities to experience the cultural history of this land and its people in and around the city, but one of my favorite spots off the beach is about 40 miles north of Bangkok along the banks of the Chao Praya River; the beautiful ruins and grounds of Ayutthaya, “The City of Kings”.
From 1350 to 1767 Ayutthaya was the capital of the Thai Kingdom, which in its heyday sported over 400 temples and three palaces. Housing 33 kings and multiple dynasties; ambassadors of the day compared the city to Paris in its wealth and grandeur. That will be readily apparent when you are walking about the grounds between the many tombs and temples. In 1767, Ayutthaya was destroyed by the invading Burmese army and Bangkok was established as the new capital. Ayutthaya has lain in ruins, albeit spectacular ruins, ever since. A great accounting of the history of the city can be found here.
Ayutthaya Buddha - Barbra Stuter
If you are making Ayutthaya part of your itinerary, there are many guided tours that you can book through your hotel, or any number of Thailand tour operators that will be happy to arrange a day trip for you. I like to go at my own pace, so I hired a driver to take me there and back. Basically, I liked the taxi (clean) and the driver (great English and polite) that picked me up from the airport, so I got his card and arranged to hire him for the next day. I have done this in many cities and I find it works quite well. All you need to do when you find a driver and car that you like is to simply ask the taxi driver for his card. In most countries the folks driving the cars are independent contractors and are usually quite happy to give you their cell phone number and arrange to pick you up. You could of course also hire a car and driver from your hotel as this is quite common in Bangkok, but it is the more expensive route. As far as the guided tour part of the equation goes, all of the major Wats and monuments in Thailand that I have been to have guidebooks at their sites, printed in a multitude of languages. You are sure to find a handbook or map in at least one of the languages you speak, and they are generally either free or suggest a donation to cover the cost. Especially when visiting temples and historical monuments undergoing restoration, I consider it a deposit in the karma bank to make a donation anyway, so it is a bonus to pick up a guidebook as well. There are also tours you can join once you get to the site.
Headless Buddha Statues, Ayutthaya - Barbra Stuter
There were a disturbing amount of headless Buddha statues at the site, and it prompted me to hunt down a guide to explain what had happened to all the heads. I found a guide at the main complex who explained that before the Ayutthaya was designated as a UNESCO (World Heritage Site), treasure seekers and antique hunters would sneak onto the ground and behead the Buddha statues with chainsaws, shipping the heads to “New York and Paris for collectors”. There is an effort to reclaim some of these treasures by the historical society, and they have had some limited success. There were signs posted everywhere indicating that it would be an absolute insult to photograph someone standing behind one of the statues with their head in the place of the missing Buddha’s visage. You would think that would go without saying…
One of the things that drew me to Ayutthaya was the fantastic mix of architectural styles. You get the Khmer style Cambodian prangs, which are the tall aureate spires you see all throughout the ruins and the Sukhothai style Buddhas with idealized human characteristics. I was also drawn by the resemblance to Angkor Wat, a place that is high on my list for “where to go next”. Unlike the Grand Palace, Wat Po and Wat Arun, Ayutthaya is a bit out of the way and therefore has a much more serene and relaxed feel about it. The grounds are extensive and the many temples, tombs, museums and palaces are sprinkled around the ruins of the city so that even if there are a large number of visitors, you don’t get the sense that it is crowded. Certainly you will be able to find a quiet spot for yourself to reflect or enjoy the scenery, as you will see from my slideshow. Careful going up into some of the tombs, as the ammonia smell of bat guano can be overpowering, and be sure to visit the Historical Study Center which has great exhibits on the history of this magical place.
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