Discover Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya District

Explore Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya District through the historic city of Ayutthaya and its river landscape. Ayutthaya was founded in 1350 and was the second capital of the Siamese Kingdom. The city island is surrounded by three rivers: the Chao Phraya, the Pa Sak and the Lopburi. The city’s history and waterways thus provide two distinctive reference points for your trip.

City Island and Riverbanks

The Portuguese Settlement is an archaeological site south of Ayutthaya’s city island. It is located in Samphao Lom Subdistrict, on the western bank of the Chao Phraya. The Japanese Village is also south of the city island, but on the eastern bank of the same river. This makes it easy to distinguish between two different riverside locations: an archaeological site to the west and a village to the east. When you’re identifying places to visit on your trip, these location details help you distinguish the city island from the places along its banks.

Wat Lokayasutharam is also located in Pratu Chai Subdistrict. The temple is near the Old Palace and Wat Phra Si Sanphet. It is home to the largest reclining Buddha on Ayutthaya’s city island. The whitewashed figure stands outdoors and is made of brick and stucco; it is 42 meters long and 8 meters high. Its name, location and dimensions give this visit a clear focus: a large reclining Buddha image and its specific form take center stage here.

Temples and Museum Collections

Chao Sam Phraya National Museum is also in Pratu Chai Subdistrict. It displays gold and jewelry recovered from the crypt of Wat Ratchaburana. This part of the district therefore offers two distinct cultural highlights: Wat Lokayasutharam with its monumental Buddha figure, and the museum with gold and jewelry from a specific find site. You can give these two themes different weight when planning your visit, depending on whether you’re more interested in temple art or collection pieces.

When choosing a hotel, you can first consider which of these themes you want to shape your stay: the city island and its temples, the archaeological site on the western bank, the Japanese Village on the eastern bank, or the museum collection. These highlights provide a starting point for your search for hotels in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya District.

Context in the broader destination of Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya

In the broader destination of Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, Ayutthaya Historical Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the heart of Ayutthaya. The historic city was laid out on a systematic, strictly ordered plan of streets, canals and moats around its most important structures. Ayutthaya’s art also combines different traditions: Sukhothai and Angkor sit alongside influences from Japan, China, India, Persia and Europe. This urban and cultural perspective complements the district’s specific locations and collection highlights.

Other architectural examples can also be found in the broader destination of Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya. Wat Niwet Thamma Prawat stands on a small island in the Chao Phraya; visitors reach the temple by cable car from the parking area at Bang Pa-In Palace. Check this access information again before your trip. The main hall was built in the Western, or European, Gothic Revival style and looks more like a Catholic cathedral than a Thai temple.

At Bang Pa-In Palace, the Wehat Chamrun Throne Hall was built by Chinese merchants in Thailand in 1889 and presented to King Rama V. Another hall at the palace, the Aisawan Thiphya-at Throne Hall, is considered its landmark and stands in a pond. These examples broaden the view of the architecture in the wider destination, from a Gothic Revival main hall to throne halls, each with its own historical and spatial context.

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View the broader trip overview: Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya.