Sunset in Ayuttaya
I came to visit Ayuttaya again with some visiting students from Japan for a welcome dinner. It has always been a great chance for me to take scenic photos rather than just concentrating on the sumptuous thai food being served for us. While on the cruise, there’s the usual places of worship like the mosque, church and temples parading along the riverbanks. This photo shows one of the beautiful ruins (Wat Chaiwatthanaram) wherein Ayuttaya is much known for.
Wat Chaiwatthanaram
Wat Chaiwatthanaram is an imposing monastery located in the west of Ayutthaya on the Chao Phraya River. It was built by King Prasat Thong in 1630 and its architecture is similar to that of Angkor Wat in Cambodia and it may have been built to commemorate the King’s victory over Thailand’s neighbour. The temple comprises a main ‘prang’ (or tower) which is 35 meters tall surrounded by a series of smaller prangs situated alongside a gallery containing over 100 Buddha images. The temple is spacious and its well-kept grounds are peaceful. Well worth a visit if history and culture are your interest.
Details
Admission to the temple is 20 Baht and opening hours are 08:00 to 18:00.
How to get there
You can reach the temple’s ruins by bicycle if you have hired one, and a Tuk-Tuk fare will be in the 30 Baht range from the town centre. Long-tail boat services are available from Chankasem Palace at around 350 Baht for the full one-hour round trip.
