And so we come to the last of the four sites we visited in Ayutthaya, and I’ve saved the best for last. Wat Chaiwatthanaram is the biggest of the four, at least it seemed to be, and also the busiest.

Wat Chaiwatthanaram was built in the 1600s on the banks of the Chao Phraya River by King Prasat Thong in honour of his mother. Built in the style of Angkor Wat, the site is made up of a central prang with several smaller prangs and pagodas surrounding it. It has undergone several rounds of restoration over the years and restoration work continues today.

We came here by accident. Our intention was to visit Wat Phutthaisawan, one of the few temples to escape the Burmese in 1766, but we ended up at the wrong place, which turned out to be lucky. Be warned, there is an official car park beside the temple, but on the opposite side of the road there are hawkers trying to wave you into their yards so you can rent traditional Thai costume. There are about 8 or 9 shops opposite, all renting out Thai costume, so if that’s your thing, then this is the place to rent them.

This site was the busiest of the sites we visited with plenty of tourists in Thai costumes taking photos, so something to be mindful of. That said, it wasn’t so busy we couldn’t enjoy the place. This was also my favourite of the four sites we visited and honestly, it felt like stepping into Star Wars. I half expected x-wing fighters to take off.

There was a very different atmosphere here, almost other-worldly. The place felt grander and more expansive and more significant some-how, and strangely enough, this felt the most peaceful and enjoyable of the four sites we visited. It was a good end to our two days here.

Ayutthaya is a great place to visit. Culturally significant and lots of friendly people. If you’re debating whether to add it to your Thailand itinerary, wonder no more and do it. I think you’ll find it well worth it.