Ayutthaya - City Island Bicycle Track III (The Hidden Ruins Loop)

This bicycle tour has been designed to present some of the seldom seen ruins hiding inside of urbanized areas of Ayutthaya’s main city island. These historic sites can be found at government offices, public schools, private businesses, and residential zones. Guidebooks and travel agencies rarely promote them, and even locals can be quite surprised to discover such ruins near their neighborhood. It is easy to drive by these sites without noticing they exist. Therefore, the fun of this particular biking route includes your effort in spotting them from their hiding places.

Ayutthaya is a living city that has risen, like the mythological Phoenix bird, from the ashes of an ancient kingdom. Burmese invaders destroyed Ayutthaya in 1767 and forced thousands of local residents to relocate to Burma as war captives. Historic sites such as former Buddhist monasteries crumbled into ruins for decades afterward. However, a modern city population gradually returned to the area and established a new city. They constructed schools for their children, hospitals for their sick, police stations for their protection, and government offices for administration. New neighborhoods sprouted up around ancient temple whose names had been forgotten.

Unfortunately, brick walls and fortresses were torn down to help build the new capital in Bangkok. Many of the ancient sites in Ayutthaya were further destroyed and old canals buried to construct roads for the city’s prolific motor traffic. As a result of this damage, the Thai government decided to launch a master plan to protect the country’s national heritage in Ayutthaya, which was registered with UNESCO in 1991 as a World Heritage Site. Approximately 221 historical structures in Ayutthaya have been registered as cultural heritage sites, and a large number of these ruins are highly concentrated in the Ayutthaya Historic Park, which covers 1/3 of the city island. However, the other 2/3 of the main city island is also full of historic sites that have fallen into ruin. These are worth protecting and appreciating as well. This bike tour has been designed to raise consciousness about these little-known historic sites and to advocate that they also be shielded from unchecked urban growth.

The tour will take 5-6 hours depending on the time spent at each location point. A few highlights on this itinerary have been listed more for the sake of smoother navigation and referencing, although they may also appeal to many cyclists as points of interest. Individual cyclists can choose where to stop according to their own tastes and time constraints. None of the historic sites listed on this route charge any admission fees.

If you are interested in viewing photographs of the temples in advance or would like additional historic information about these ruins, visit our website at www.ayutthaya-history.com.

Tips and Warnings

Bicycles can be rented in different locations on Soi 2 Naresuan Rd, which is the starting point of this tour. Bike rental costs 40-50 baht (about $1.5) per day on average, which makes bike touring an inexpensive way to see the city. Ayutthaya’s terrain is mostly flat and easy to ride, but many streets and side roads are poorly marked, so use the map to simplify navigation.

Be cautious as traffic in and around Ayutthaya is sometimes chaotic. Motor vehicles often fail to see cyclists and pedestrians, so you must closely watch out for them. Motorcycles are a particularly hazardous cause of local accidents. Dogs and potholes can also be dangerous, especially in remote areas. Weather can be very hot, so make sure to drink plenty of fluids and wear sun block. It is inadvisable to drive at night due to the lack of lighting and occasional recklessness of motor traffic.

The theft of bicycles is uncommon in Ayutthaya, but backpacks and cameras have been stolen on rare occasions. It is best to keep valuables with you when visiting the historic sites on route.

Who are we?

Ayutthaya Historical Research [AHR] consists of a small group of researchers/writers with the aim to promote Ayutthaya’s cultural heritage. We are local expatriates who have been living in Ayutthaya for many years and would like to share our knowledge with future visitors. Therefore, we have personally tested each of these suggested routes by cycling and/or walking. More information on the authors can be found at: https://www.ayutthaya-history.com/Authors.html

In emergency or accident:

Contact the Ayutthaya Tourist Police Station: (035) 241-446, (035) 242-352 or 1155.

Disclaimer

AHR will not be held liable for any loss or damage whatsoever for any suggestions made in relation to the site’s promotion of ecotourism. It is the responsibility of the user of the site to take the necessary precautions to avoid any physical injury, traffic incident, animal attack, theft, and damage to equipment. Any reliance on the site’s information is therefore strictly at your own risk. Read our full disclaimer at website www.ayutthaya-history.com.

POI Markings:

Historical signboard in situ is marked as (*)
Entry fee required is marked as ($)

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