Ayutthaya Motorcycle Tours

The ancient capital of Ayutthaya is the perfect counterbalance to the up-to-the-minute hustle of Bangkok You can see many of the majestic ruins from the comfort of a river cruise and spend the day exploring temples.

The Historic City of Ayutthaya, founded in 1350, was the second capital of the Siamese Kingdom. It flourished from the 14th to the 18th centuries and was strategically located on an island surrounded by three rivers connecting the city to the sea.

The city was attacked by the Burmese army in 1767 who burned the city to the ground and forced the inhabitants to flee. The city was never rebuilt in the same location and remains known today as an extensive archaeological site.

The capital of the restored kingdom was moved downstream and Bangkok was born. There was a conscious attempt to recreate the urban template and architectural form of Ayutthaya. Many of the surviving architects and builders from Ayutthaya were brought in to work on building the new capital. In Thai, the official name for the new capital at Bangkok retains “Ayutthaya” as part of its formal title.