Ayutthaya Historical Park
The UNESCO-listed cluster of palace and temple ruins of Thailand's former capital (sacked 1767), spread across the river-ringed old-city island.
- Category
- Historical Sites & Ruins
- Entrance fee
- Free to roam the grounds; individual ticketed temples ~50 THB each, or a 220 THB combined 6-temple pass (as of 2026, confirm locally)
- Hours
- Grounds accessible daylight hours; ticketed temples approx. 08:00-18:00 (as of 2026, confirm locally)
- Best time
- Cool season Nov-Feb; early morning and late afternoon each day to avoid midday heat
- Time needed
- Half to full day
About Ayutthaya Historical Park
This is the reason you come to Ayutthaya. A UNESCO-listed spread of palace and temple ruins from Thailand's former capital, scattered across a river-ringed island, and it is genuinely world-class. Most of the individual temples on this list live under this umbrella, so think of the park as the whole experience rather than a single stop.
The classic way to see it, and the best value, is to rent a bicycle and link the ruins at your own pace. A tuk-tuk by the hour works too if the heat is heavy, but the bike lets you wander and stumble onto quieter corners.
Give it half a day at minimum, a full day if you want to do it justice. Ride in the early morning and late afternoon and rest through the harsh midday hours. The cool season is by far the most comfortable time to spend a day out among the brick.
Highlights
- UNESCO-listed ruins of Thailand's former capital
- Palace and temple sites spread across the old-city island
- Free to roam, with combo tickets for the ticketed temples
- Best explored by rented bicycle
- A genuinely world-class historical site
Tips
- Rent a bicycle to link the ruins, it is the classic and best-value way
- Ride early morning and late afternoon, rest through midday heat
- Cool season (Nov-Feb) is the most comfortable time to visit
- The 6-temple combo pass saves money if you plan to see several ticketed sites
How to get there
You are in it once on Ayutthaya island; explore by rented bicycle (~50 THB/day), tuk-tuk by the hour (~200-300 THB), or on foot