37 Best Sights in Around Bangkok, Thailand

This 800-year-old Khmer-influenced structure on the western side of the Phetchaburi River is a royal temple located in a charming district with narrow lanes and wooden shophouses. It comprises five large prangs that are visible from all over town. It is notable for its fine stucco work, which is characteristic of the Phetchaburi school of art seen on many of its temples.

This bustling temple complex on the banks of the Lopburi River is an interesting diversion from the dormant ruins that dominate Ayutthaya. A short B3 ferry ride across the river sets the scene for its dramatic origins. The temple was built in 1324 (26 years before Ayutthaya's rise to power) by a U-Thong king in atonement for the death of his fiancée. Instead of bringing his bride, a Chinese princess, into the city himself, the king arranged an escort for her. Distraught at what she interpreted to be a lackluster welcome, the princess threw herself into the river (at the site of the current temple) and drowned.

Built by the Khmers, this wat underwent so many restorations during the Sukhothai and Ayutthaya periods that it's difficult to discern the three original Khmer prangs—only the central one is intact. Several Sukhothai- and Ayutthaya-style chedis sit within the compound.

The royal family worshipped at this wat, Ayutthaya's largest temple. The 14th-century structure lost its 50-foot Buddha in 1767, when the invading Burmese melted it down for its 374 pounds of gold. The trio of chedis survived and are the best existing examples of Ayutthaya architecture; enshrining the ashes of several kings, they stand as eternal memories of a golden age. If the design looks familiar, it's because Wat Phra Si Sanphet was the model for Wat Phra Keo at the Grand Palace in Bangkok. Beyond the monuments you can find a grassy field where the Royal Palace once stood. The foundation is all that remains of the palace that was home to 33 kings.

Across from Wat Phra Mahathat stands Wat Ratchaburana, whose Khmer-style prang dominates the skyline. King Borommaracha II (Chao Sam Phraya) built this temple in 1424 to commemorate the death of his two older brothers, whose duel for the throne ironically left him as king. Their relics, including their swords, were buried in a crypt under the prang's base, which was looted in 1957. Arrests were made, however, and the retrieved treasures can now be seen in the Chao Sam Phraya National Museum.

One of the Kanchanaburi area's best cave-temples, the wat displays Buddhist and Hindu statues and figurines amid stalagmites and stalactites. During World War II the Japanese used the cave complex as storerooms. A local may appear at the small shrine outside the cave and offer to direct you, but you can walk through the cave by yourself. Paying a donation to enter the cave is voluntary.

King Naresuan constructed the enormous chedi at Wat Yai Chai Mongkol, the largest in Ayutthaya, after defeating the Burmese crown prince during a battle atop elephants in 1593. A recent painting of the battle is one of the temple's highlights. The complex, parts of which date to 1357, was totally restored in 1982. Linger a while to pay your respects to the huge reclining Buddha, or climb to the top for a spectacular view. The site closes at 5 pm, but you can enter after that if the gates are left open, as they often are. The view at sunset is beautiful, and you'll completely escape the crowds.