Thailand Central Thailand (Chapter) Edition 14th Edition, February 2012 Pages 35 PDF Page Range 156-190 Coverage includes: Ayuthaya Province, Around Ayuthaya, Lopburi Province, Lopburi, Kanchanaburi Province, Kanchanaburi, Around Kanchanaburi, Thong Pha Phum, Sangkhlaburi, and Around Sangkhlaburi. Useful Links: Having trouble viewing your file? Head to Lonely Planet Troubleshooting. Need more assistance? Head to the Help and Support page. Want to find more chapters? Head back to the Lonely Planet Shop. Want to hear fellow travellers’ tips and experiences? Lonely Planet’s Thorntree Community is waiting for you! © Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd. To make it easier for you to use, access to this chapter is not digitally restricted. In return, we think it’s fair to ask you to use it for personal, non-commercial purposes only. In other words, please don’t upload this chapter to a peer-to-peer site, mass email it to everyone you know, or resell it. See the terms and conditions on our site for a longer way of saying the above - ‘Do the right thing with our content. ©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd C e n t r a l T h a i l a n d Why Go? Ayuthaya Province ........157 Overfl owing with nearly as much history as it is nature, Cen- Ayuthaya .......................157 tral Thailand off ers everything from cascading waterfalls to Around Ayuthaya...........167 ancient temple ruins. Nature lovers are drawn to the cloud- Lopburi ......................... 168 canopied mountain ranges that separate Thailand from My- anmar (Burma) and the untamed jungle that shelters tigers, Kanchanaburi Province .........................173 elephants and leopards. History buff s head north of Bang- kok to Ayuthaya, the former capital of Siam. Once one of the Kanchanaburi ................173 world’s most splendid cities, today visitors can cycle around Bridge Over the River its well-preserved ruins. Further north is the tiny town of Kwai ...............................174 Lopburi, where monkeys scamper among the Khmer-style Around Kanchanaburi ..182 temples. Erawan National Park... 183 Northwest from Bangkok is Kanchanaburi, where trek- Soi Yok National Park ... 184 king and adventure activities are the big draw. Visitors also Thong Pha Phum ..........187 come to remember those who died in WWII building the Sangkhlaburi ................ 188 ‘Death Railway’. Around Sangkhlaburi ...190 In the northwest mountains sit Thong Pha Phum and Sangkhlaburi, home to several ethnic groups. Best Places to Eat When to Go » Blue Rice (p 181 ) Central Thailand experiences the country’s three seasons » Sai Thong (p 165 ) in equal measure; Kanchanaburi can have baking sunshine » Baan Watcharachai (p 166 ) while torrential rain buff ets Sangkhlaburi. It is hot in the » Khao Tom Hor (p 172 ) region from February to June, rainy from June to October, » Jukkru (p 181 ) and cool (relatively speaking) from October to January: the one constant is the humidity. Because of altitude, it can be cooler in Sangkhlaburi and Best Places to surrounding national parks than in other areas. Ayuthaya Stay and Lopburi sit in a wide-open plain that receives similar amounts of rain and heat as Bangkok. » Baan Lotus Guest House (p 165 ) » Tony’s Place (p 165 ) » Noom Guest House (p 171 ) » Jolly Frog (p 179 ) » Sabai@Kan (p 179 ) 157 AYUTHAYA PROVINCE 1Sights At one time, 400 glittering temples stood proudly in Ayuthaya. Today, more than a Ayuthaya พระนครศรอยี ธยาุ dozen restored ruins can be found within the POP 137,553 heart of the city, while there are also several Ayuthaya was once one of the most dazzling working temples. The headless Buddha im- and dynamic cities in Asia; today, its temple ages, crumbling columns and battered balus- ruins largely off er just tantalising hints of trades recreate images of a once mighty city. this former majesty. The city’s most famous For simpler navigation, we’ve divided up sites have been partially restored so it is easy the sites into ‘on the island’ and ‘off the is- to imagine how they must have looked in land’ sections. It is easy to get between the CENTRAL THAILAND their prime, while others remain fully func- sites by bicycle, and hiring a guide for some CENTRAL THAILAND tioning temples. historical detail is useful. Between 1350 and 1767 Ayuthaya was the Most temples are open from 8am to 4pm; capital of Siam. As a major trading port dur- the more famous sites charge an entrance ing the time of the trade winds, international fee. A one-day pass for most sites on the is- merchants visited and were left in awe of the land is available for 220B and can be bought hundreds of glittering temples and treasure- at the museums or ruins. laden palaces. At one point the empire ruled The ruins are symbols of royalty and re- over an area larger than England and France ligion, two fundamental elements of Thai AYUTHAYA PROVINCE combined. Ayuthaya had 33 kings who en- society, and so please show respect (see p34 ). SIGHTS gaged in more than 70 wars during its 417- year period; however, fi ne diplomatic skills ON THE ISLAND also ensured no Western power ever ruled The following sites are in central Ayuthaya. Siam. The last of the empire’s battles was in o Wat Phra Si Sanphet TEMPLE 1767, when an invading Burmese army ( วดพระศรั สรรเพชญี ;์ admission 50B) The sacked the city, looting most of its treas- three chedi (stupas) at Wat Phra Si Sanphet ures. What was left continued to crumble are perhaps the most iconic image in Ay- until major restoration work began. In 1991 uthaya. Built in the late 14th century, it was Ayuthaya’s ruins were designated a Unesco the city’s largest temple and was used by World Heritage Site. several kings. It once contained a 16m-high Away from the temples, Ayuthaya has a standing Buddha (Phra Si Sanphet) covered growing number of attractions that focus on with 250kg of gold, which was melted down locally made produce and handicrafts. by Burmese conquerors. AYUTHAYA IN… Two Days Rise early to beat the Ayuthaya sun and cycle around the Historical Park. Stop for lunch at Lung Lek’s noodle emporium before heading north of the island to catch a late- afternoon performance at Ayuthaya Klong Sabua Floating Market and Water Thea- tre. The following day hop on an elephant for a short ride among the ruins then fi nish your visit by sampling locally made produce at the Ayothaya Floating Market. Four Days Head out of the city to visit Bang Pa In Palace and the nearby Bang Sai Arts and Crafts Centre. On the way back, drop by at Wat Phanan Choeng and ensure good luck by releasing fi sh back to the river. One Week A week gives you plenty of time to see the temples and the nearby countryside. Cycle to Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon and mingle in the neighbouring Muslim markets before return- ing to the island for a sunset boat trip. With a few extra days spare, you can learn how to be a mahout at the Ayuthaya Elephant Palace. Huay Central TAK Thailand Nam M Y A N M A R Chou Kha Highlights (B U R M A) Reservoir 1 Exploring Khaeng remote national parks, such as Si Thung Yai Nakharin (p 186 ), Naresuan to look for elusive Wildlife Sanctuary tigers, elephants and Payathonzu gibbons Three Pagodas Pass Clambering up CENTRAL THAILAND 2 the seven levels at Ban Tai Erawan (p 183 ), one Sangkhlaburi of Thailand’s most Khao Laem impressive waterfalls National Park 3 Cycling around 323 the temple and palace ruins in Ayuthaya (p 167 ) Khao Laem Sampling the Reservoir AYUTHAYA PROVINCE4 laid-back vibe of Sangkhlaburi (p 188 ) Tha Yai and spending time Si Nakharin with ethnic groups National Park Thong Pha that live there Phum 5 Watching monkeys scurrying E-Thong Si Nakharin Si Sawat around the temple Thong Pha Phum ruins in Lopburi National Park Reservoir (p 168 ) 6 Visiting the WWII museums and Hellfire Pass remembering the Sai Yok past in Kanchanaburi National Park (p 174 ) Erawan Mae National 7 Flying across zip- Park lines, riding elephants Nam Nam Tok through the jungle, kayaking along rivers Khwae and enjoying other M Y A N M A R Sai adventure activities (B U R M A) Yok (p 188 ) around Noi Sangkhlaburi 0 50 km 0 30 miles Hua Thanon Sawang Yai Phaisali Thap NAKHON 1 SAWAN Huay Huay Kha 1 Khaeng Salao Wildlife Sanctuary Uthai Thani Hang Nam Tak Fa Thung Men Wong UTHAI 32 Sawang THANI Wat Sing Ta Khli 333 CENTRAL THAILAND CENTRAL THAILAND Chainat Nong Muang Hua Chang 311 Chang CHAINAT 11 Thong Ban Rai Ban Mee Nong Pun Huay Hankha LOPBURI Singburi Krasiaw AYUTHAYA PROVINCE Taphoen SIGHTS Reservoir Dan Chang 1 Krasiaw SINGBURI Huay Sam Lopburi Chuk Chaloem 333 ANG THONG Ratanakosin Nong Khon National Park Sa Krachom SUPHANBURI Ang Thong Nong Ri Suphanburi 32 KANCHANABURI 309 U-Thong AYUTHAYA Bophloi Bang Pa In AYUTHAYA Thung Mae Nam Khok Bang Sai Khwae Yai 3358 Lat Ya 323 340 Mae Kamphaeng Kanchanaburi Saen Pathum Nam Thani Tha Chin Don Muang Airport Dan Nakhon Makham Pathom Tia 338 4 Nong Tak Ya Thonburi Chom BANGKOK Beung 35 Ratchaburi Samut Prakan RATCHABURI Samut Sakhon 160 AYUTHAYA PROVINCE AYUTHAYA THAILAND CENTRAL e01km Ayuthaya # 00.5miles A B C D E F G k a 66T 29 S h #ú a ä# A P 5 T y h u m t a â# D 1 h 3 1 ò# N a u e y s a a i 1 M t - #æ P 7 6 ä# a Wat M Ú# Suwannawat Chinese o æ# Shrine 66k 6 ÿ# ä# Mae Nam Ú# Wat Kuti aphrao 18 ÿ# 20 Lo m S pburi Thong Th Pa ÿ# ÿ#o 25 31 23 i M 4 â# Buses to 2 Ø#14 Chao ae ú# ì# N a Bangkok 36û# ÿ#15 Phrom m 11 ä# ›# f# C ä# Old Royal ä# 9 Pier 2 ha ›# ì# 19 2 o Palace ) û# T P o Phrom ›# h ÿ# h n (Cha Main Bus T r Ayuthaya resua 35 K ay Wat Th Na h a ä# ä# Minivans h Terminal Train U Historical Park n 8 l £# Chetharam to Bangkok o f# 666666