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85 kilometres north of Bangkok, is Ayuthaya, the capital of Siam from 1350 to 1767. The English, French, Dutch and Portuguese merchants fell in awe of the city, claiming it to be one of the most splendid cities they had seen. At its peak, in the early 1700s, it had a population of over one million.
  The present day city is located at the confluence of the Chao Phaya, Pa Sak and Lopburi rivers. A canal joins them and encircles the town. Boats are available at the palace pier for the circular trip around the city. If wanting to see all the old ruins, a songthaew (taxi) can be hired by the hour. Or, if you’re feeling fit, you could hire a bicycle. All the ruins charge a small fee to enter, 30 - 50baht.
  Wat Phra Si Sanphet was the most breathtaking temple in it’s day, containing a 16 meter high Buddha image that was covered in 250kg of gold. Before Ayuthaya became the capital of Siam, Wat Phra Phanan Choeng was built in the 14th century, possibly by Khmers. This temple contains a 19 meter high Buddha image. One of the most striking sites among the ruins is the famous stone Buddha head entwined by a tree. Also worth a look are the two museums in the city.
  Many of the old ruins still standing are in good condition, and have been declared a world heritage site. It’s certainly worth spending a day there visiting them all. It takes roughly two hours to get to Ayuthaya from Bangkok’s MoChit bus terminal, and some of the guesthouses in the modern area of the city are very reasonably priced.