Ayutthaya with Kids
A Buddha in Tree Roots, the Train from Bangkok & Elephants

The classic mistake is walking kids from one temple to the next in full sun until they are spent by lunch. The fix is to pick the right transport. Cycling around the old city suits families with older children (rental shops near Wat Mahathat have child seats too), or hire a tuk-tuk by the hour to loop the main temples one at a time, with a cool breeze between stops — far more fun for kids than walking. For little ones in a stroller, a hired tuk-tuk is the most comfortable option of all.

If you could take kids to only one place in Ayutthaya, make it this one. Wat Mahathat holds the city's most famous sight — a sandstone Buddha head cradled in the roots of a banyan tree, an image children stare at and ask about endlessly. It is the perfect moment to tell them this was a capital city hundreds of years ago. Around it are more towers and chedis to wander, and the grounds are not so big that you cannot manage them with kids. Teach children to crouch so their head is lower than the Buddha's when they pose for a photo — that is the custom here.

Wat Chaiwatthanaram is the most photogenic temple in Ayutthaya — a tall central Khmer-style tower ringed by smaller towers, lined up beside the river. The grounds are open and flat, so kids can run around freely. The best time to come is late afternoon near sunset, when the light turns gold, the air cools and it is nowhere near as hot as midday. Many families make this their last stop of the day. At times there are people in traditional Thai dress posing for photos, which the kids enjoy watching. It sits just west of the old-city island, easiest to reach by tuk-tuk or car.

Wat Phra Si Sanphet stood within the grounds of Ayutthaya's former royal palace, and its signature sight is three white bell-shaped chedis in a row that have become the symbol of the city. Tell the kids this was once a king's palace, like the Grand Palace in Bangkok in its day. The grounds are wide and easy to walk, and right beside it is Wihan Phra Mongkhon Bophit, a hall with a huge seated Buddha indoors — a good place to step out of the sun and pay respects. You can see both in one stop.

Here is something handy to know: the centre of Ayutthaya is an island ringed by rivers on three sides. That means a boat ride is a great way to sightsee with kids — instead of walking in the sun, take them on a loop around the island to see riverside temples like Wat Chaiwatthanaram and Wat Phutthaisawan from angles you only get from the water. The breeze is cool, the kids get to sit and rest, and you watch riverside life drift past. There are private hire boats and evening tour boats, some with dinner aboard. It is a good thing to slot in to break up a heavy temple day.

After a morning of temples, kids need somewhere to eat and play, and Ayothaya Floating Market is the answer — a re-created old-style waterside market lined with food stalls and Thai snack vendors. You can graze on traditional Thai sweets as you wander, there are spots to feed fish and small animals, and at times there are performances to watch. The kids get to run around and snack, the grown-ups get to sit in the shade, and it makes a good midday break before heading back out to the temples in the evening.

Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon is one of the temples kids get most excited about, because it has a tall central chedi you can climb by stairs — from the top you look out over the temple and the rows of saffron-robed Buddha statues below. Older kids love the challenge of the climb. In another corner of the temple is a large reclining Buddha that has little ones wide-eyed. Unlike the ruins, this is a working temple with monks in residence, so it feels greener and shadier, with big trees for cover. It sits southeast of the old-city island.

Elephants have long been part of Ayutthaya, and nearly every child wants to get close to one — but we recommend watching and feeding rather than riding, because rides raise animal-welfare and safety concerns. There are now spots where a child can stand and feed bananas or sugar cane to an elephant up close, with a mahout supervising; kids find it more exciting and learn more from it anyway. It is a chance to teach children how to approach an animal calmly — move slowly, no shouting, no camera flash, and always follow the mahout's instructions.

If you have more than a day, or want a sight that is not a ruin, Bang Pa-In Palace is a beautifully intact summer palace with huge gardens and lawns for kids to roam. There are pavilions in mixed Thai, Chinese and European styles, including one set in the middle of a pond, and the part kids love most: you can rent an electric golf buggy to tour the grounds rather than walk far in the sun. It is about 20 km south of Ayutthaya town. Dress modestly (cover-ups are loaned at the entrance).

Nothing rounds off an Ayutthaya trip better than roti sai mai, the town's own sweet that you really only find done this way here — thin, soft roti wraps with colourful threads of spun sugar that look like candy floss but are made from melted sugar. You eat it by laying the sugar threads on a wrap and rolling it up yourself, which for kids is half the fun. Vendors line several streets in town, and you can buy boxes to take home as a gift since it keeps for days. It is the flavour your kids will tie to Ayutthaya forever.

Start with the sure thing: roti sai mai is just sweet enough, not spicy, and every child can eat it — plus they get to roll the sugar threads into the wrap themselves. The well-known shops let you taste before you buy, so pick a few colours to get the kids excited.

Boat noodles are an Ayutthaya specialty served in tiny bowls that are just the right size for kids, in a rich, fragrant broth most children take to. If you are worried about spice, ask for no chilli. Adults usually order several bowls each. There are well-known shops both in town and by the river, and it makes a filling, cheap lunch.

A family dinner in Ayutthaya should be at a riverside restaurant with a cool breeze and a good setting. The standout dish is grilled river prawns, big and rich, which the grown-ups love, while the kids can order fried rice, an omelette or plain stir-fried vegetables at any place. Many have riverside seating where kids can watch the boats go by, and some are part of the riverside hotels you may already be staying at, so you can just walk down to dinner.

In the evening, take the kids to a market in town — the night bazaar and riverside markets are full of small bites, from traditional Thai sweets to fried chicken, meatballs and fruit. The kids get to choose for themselves and try lots of things in small amounts, which makes a fun dinner that does not pin them to a table for long. It is cheap and relaxed.