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.
Hotels in the Wat Chaiwatthanaram locality 
Restaurants and bars in the Wat Chaiwatthanaram locality 
