Ayutthaya is an important ancient city that created a foundation and made up the Thai modern history of today. The city was mentioned in many of the colonial-era European chronicles as the Venice of the east, due to its strategic location, lively commerce, and the river the surrounded the city.

Today, Ayutthaya is one of the most popular tourist spots in the country due to its close proximity to Bangkok, the capital city of Thailand. The ancient city attracts all kinds of travelers from history buffs to regular travelers who are interested in the rich history of the Thais.

Ayutthaya is the relic of Thai’s past with many monuments and temples built between 16 – 18th century still left standing for curious visitors to see. Within this guide, you will find all the information you need to make your Ayutthaya trip happen.

From the best ways to get here to cool things to do, what to eat and drink, and where to stay, here is a complete backpacking guide for Ayutthaya.

Ayutthaya Itinerary Map

When To Visit Ayutthaya, Thailand

The best time to visit Ayutthaya is from November to January where the weather is cooler and less humid due to Thailand’s climate making it much more enjoyable to walk or cycle around Ayutthaya.

That said, Thailand in recent years has suffered a lot from air pollution due to the burning season and it is extremely prevalent during Thailand’s winter period (December – January) so even though the weather is cooler, your visibility might not be the best. Be sure to buy a face mask if you decided to visit Thailand during this time.

March – April is the hottest and most humid period of the year so if you can’t handle heat very well, avoid visiting during this time. The air quality may be a bit better during this time though but it’s not guaranteed.

All the other months are considered to be a rainy season which, even though the weather is a little more manageable than the summer months, you will also be seeing a lot more rain which might prevent you from enjoying the outdoors. Air quality during this time should be better due to rain.

As you can see, the best time to visit Thailand used to be during its wintertime BUT now that the air quality is getting worst and worst, you will have to decide which is more important to you as a traveler, good weather but bad air quality or vice versa.

How To Get Around Ayutthaya, Thailand

By Walking: Within the Ayutthaya, you can walk to most of the temples in the vicinity if you do not mind the heat but for temples further away, I would recommend you either rent a bike or a motorbike to save time and spare you the crazy sun we have here in Thailand.

By Bike: Most of the hostel and guesthouse usually have bikes for rental and sometimes for free so be sure to ask your accommodation first. If not, they can often point you where to rent a bike nearby. The cost is usually around 50 – 100 THB per day.

With a bike, you can reach most of the tourist attractions I listed here but some of them are pretty far out and if you want to save time, a scooter is another great option.

By Scooter: To reach places in the outer rim of the Ayutthaya island such as Wat Phra Ngam and the Portuguese and Japanese village, you might find it tiring to rider a bicycle around. A scooter will get you there faster and sweat-free, so if you want to save time, be sure to ask your accommodation where you can rent a scooter. Usually, the going-rate is 150 to 300 THB per day.

How Many Days To Spend In Ayutthaya

Many people often do a day-trip from Bangkok as it is not that far from the capital city but in order to see the most beautiful and interesting sides of Ayutthaya, I would recommend you stay at least 2 nights, preferably 3 nights if you want to take your time.

Within the Ayutthaya island, you can do it in a day but for the temples and museums outside of the Ayutthaya island, you would need another day to cover those places. The best itinerary for Ayutthaya is to spend one day exploring the main temples within the island and the next, exploring the outside, so 2 – 3 nights is a great timeframe.

Is It Safe In Ayutthaya, Thailand?

Like most of Thailand, Ayutthaya is very safe and you will unlikely to meet any undesirable scammers that you often meet at other crowded places like around the Grand Palace in Bangkok. That said, always try and negotiate with moto-taxis or Samlor before getting on one just in case they try to get more money out of you.