Wat Yansangwararam (pronounced Wat Yana-sang-wara-ram) is located approximately 20km south of the seaside town of Pattaya. Enclosed in a huge 145 acre complex, Wat Yansangwararam is surrounded by clean gardens, massive lakes, and several different architectural styles of buildings, making it the perfect place to spend a day seeing the quieter side of Thailand.

The temple was built in 1976 to celebrate the Supreme Patriarch Somdej Phra Yanasangworn, who at the time was the current leader of the Thai Monastic Order.

Wat Yansangwararam is now dedicated in honour of the current Thai King, King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX).

There are many interesting things to see including pagodas and many unique architectural influences from India, Switzerland, China, Japan and Lanna Thai can be seen as you wander across the site. Inside the main complex, you can find a replica footprint of the Buddha, and a large stupa that contains a many relics from the Buddha.

Wat Yansangwararam draws in tourist and local with its mediation classes, it has even been dubbed as heaven on earth for those who enjoy practicing it. Classes are held daily and offer a range of different courses, suitable for everyone.

How to get there

From Pattaya, the best way would be via songthaew, that is a tuck that has been converted into a mini bus. Other options include getting a taxi, be sure you agree the price before hand as the taxis in Pattaya may not have a meter!

From Bangkok, you can catch a bus for around 129 baht from Ekkamai bus terminal to Pattaya, then catch either a taxi or songthaew to Wat Yansangwararam. A direct Taxi from Bangkok to Wat Yansangwararam will take around 2.5 hours and should cost around 2,500 baht. Always use the meter.

When is the best time to visit?

If you hate crowds then Monday to Thursday are the best times to visit. Alternatively, if you enjoy crowds and festival activities, much like any temple in Thailand, it’s best to visit during various Buddhist holidays such as Songkran or Lat Krathong. Meditations classes held daily at 6am and 4pm. Remember to dress appropriately, no shorts or vests, or anything exposing too much skin. Article text by: Harvie

Wat Mahathat (pronounced Wat Ma-har-rarrt), also known as the Monastery of the Great Relic, is a temple ruin located in central Ayutthaya, Thailand.

The temple is believed to have been built around the 14th century and was once residence to the Supreme Patriarch leader of the Thai Buddhist monks. Today it sits in the Ayutthaya Historical Park along with several of temples, and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1991.

History of Wat Mahathat

Wat Mahathat first fell into ruin in the early 16th century when the main prang was said to have collapsed.

Restoration took place a few years after by the then King Prasatthong ordered workers to restore the temple. In 1767, it was believed the Burmese army stormed Ayutthaya and destroyed and set fire to the temple, leaving it a ruin once more. Many Buddha statues were destroyed and the temple was left alone until the late 1950s when modern restoration began on the site.

The most popular tourist attraction of Wat Mahathat is a tree whose roots have grown around the head of the Buddha statue. No one knows exactly how it got there, but one theory suggests that during the period of ruin, the tree just happened to grow around the head of the Buddha. Another theory claims that during its final collapse in 1911, the site was plagued with looters, and one thief hid the head of the Buddha in the tree, only to never return.

In the early 16th century, Wat Mahathat was a place where royal ceremonies and events were held. It was said that during that time, the Ayutthayan Kings would give offerings to the good and pray for the whole country.

How to get there

From Bangkok, the best way to reach Ayutthaya is via taxi, boat, or rail. Once inside the city, there will be many tuk-tuks, taxis, and tour operators who will be happy to take you there.

The temple is open daily from 8am until 5pm with an entrance fee of 50 baht. Please remember to dress appropriately, no shorts, vests, or anything showing too much skin.

When is the best time to go?

Wat Mahathat is open every day and apart of a larger temple tourist site. No festivals or special events are held their any more, so any time is ideal to visit.

We suggest Monday -Thursday mornings if you want to take some amazing photos without the tourists crowds.

Article text by: Harvie

Many thanks to photographer: Jason Gong
https://www.facebook.com/Gong.Jason

When talking about Sukhothai, people usually refer to the Sukhothai Historical Park, also known as Old Sukhothai City, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, located 300km south of Chiang Mai in the central plains region and one of Thailand’s most visited ancient sites.

According to legend, Sukhothai was founded in the 13^th century, when two brothers, known as Pho Khun Bangklanhao and Pho Khun Phameung, took over the kingdom from the Khmer, a then major frontier post of the Angkor Empire.  Over the following years, Sukhothai was drastically expanded until Muang Sua (Luang Prabang), parts of southern Burma and South Thailand and established even political ties with China during its Yuan Dynasty. The name Sukhothai means ‘Dawn of Happiness’.

The Sukhothai-era however only lasted a brief 140 years, until armies of the Ayutthaya kingdom took tributary over Sukhothai.

For Thais, Sukhothai is from great importance, as it is considered to be the first real capital of Thailand and the golden age of Thai civilization; King Ramkhamhaeng who reigned over Sukhothai from 1279-1298, is credited with inventing the Thai alphabet.

Today Sukhothai is split into two parts: the Old City being the preserved heritage site and New Sukhothai, some 12km to the east.

Visitors often favour the ruins of Sukhothai over Ayutthaya, as these are considered to be in better shape.

Remains of the Old City can be found across an area of 70 km², separated into five zones, of which each charges an admission. The central zone is the ‘Royal Zone’ and the one with the most important sites. The other being north, south, east and west and are lesser visited.

The park is daily open from 06:00 to 16:00 and the admission is 100 Baht per person per zone.

We listed a number of important places & festivals below which you shouldn’t miss on your visit to Sukhothai:

Wat Mahathat

The temple is not only the most impressive, but also the most important one. It is believed that the main stupa (in Thai: ‘chedi’) contains relics of Buddha. The temple has a further 200 smaller stupas and is surrounded by brick walls and moat; again indicating its high significance.

There is also a Wat Mahathat in Ayutthaya – the name means ‘Temple of Great Relic’.

Wat Si Chum

‘The Temple of the Bodhi Tree’ is located about 1500m north of Wat Mahathat. A seated 15m high Buddha, is surrounded by a square mandala building.

The remains of an ordination hall and several pagodas in its surrounding indicating that also Wat Si Chum was a very important site.

Wat Phra Pai Luang

Wat Phra Pai Luang is one of the oldest temples of Sukhothai and originally built by the Khmers, which can be identified through various elements in design and material. It is located in the North Zone and was probably for the Khmer from very high importance, similar as Wat Mahathat later for the Thais.

Ramkhamheang National Museum

Before exploring the sites, stop here for information and maps and a detailed model of the area. The museum is located near the park entrance.

Open: Daily, from 09:00-16:00. Entrance fee: 150 Baht per person.

Loi Krathong Festival

Loi Krathong is widely known as “Floating Basket Festival”, an event which takes place every November on the full moon. Small baskets (Krathongs) are beautifully decorated with banana leafs, flowers, candles and incense sticks, among other offerings. Krathongs are then launched on rivers, ponds or canals in order to pay respect to the water spirits.

Though it is now celebrated throughout Thailand, it is said to have its origins in Sukhothai.

Ayutthaya is a very popular destination for tourists and Thais alike, located just one hour’s drive (80km) from Bangkok, hence making it a perfect day trip from the capital.

After taking over from Sukhothai as the pre-eminent kingdom, Ayutthaya was the second capital of Siam, for about 400 years, from about 1350. After nearly 200 years of tension and several failed attempts by the Burmese army to invade the kingdom, the Ayutthaya dynasty eventually came to an end in 1767, defeated in an invasion led by King Hsinbyushin of Burma.

It is said that the gold of Burma’s famous Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon is originally from Ayutthaya. King Hsinbyushin was also responsible for raising Shwedagon to its current height.

In 1956, the Department of Fine Arts officially started with restoration work, covering an area of 2.8 km², known as the ‘Historic City of Ayutthaya’. The Historic City became eventually a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1991.

The word Ayutthaya derives from the Sanskrit word ‘Ayodhya’, literally meaning “The city that cannot be fought and won over war”.

The different sites of Ayutthaya can be visited daily from 08:30 to 16:30. Please note that each site charges a separate admission. Bicycles can be rented from around the Historic City for as low as 40 Baht, a good option to get around and explore.

Don’t miss the highlights below:

Wat Mahathat

Wat Mahathat houses one of Thailand’s most photographed objects: a sandstone Buddha head tangled in a bundle of tree roots. There are different theories of how a Buddha head ended up in a tree; some say that a thief stole it from the main temple and looked for a place to hide; others say that during the Burmese invasion in 1767 many Buddha images got destroyed and the tree grew around the Buddha head when the city was abandoned. Entrance fee: 50 Baht per person.

Wat Phanan Choeng

Wat Phanan Choeng has been built in 1324, 26 years prior to the founding of Ayutthaya. It is famous for its massive 19m high Buddha statue, which is said to have shed tears when the Burmese conquered Ayutthaya.

The legend says that a “Thai king named Phra Chao Sai Namphung requesting the emperor of China’s daughter to be his wife. When she arrived, the king was not there and she was heart-broken. She waited for a long time but the king still did not come. She eventually killed herself by holding her breath”[1 ]. Being very sad, the king built the temple in memory of her.

A section of Chinese statues can be also found there. Entrance fee: 20 Baht per person.

Wat Phra Si Sanphet

Wat Phra Si Sanphet was the temple of the royal family; hence there was no designated living area for monks. The temple was considered as the largest one in Ayutthaya, with several stupas and Buddha statues covered in gold. The gold was eventually melted down by the Burmese during their invasion in 1767.

Entrance fee: 50 Baht per person.

Wat Yai Chai Mongkol

A spectacular white reclining Buddha and a huge chedi (Thai for stupa) depicting the pride and glory days of Ayutthaya. Further, a line of beautifully clad Buddha statues can be found next to the stupa. The monastery was built by King U-Thong, the first king of Ayutthaya.

Entrance fee: 20 baht per person.

Source:

[1]: www.ayutthaya-history.com

When was the last time you came across a city which was entirely considered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site? That’s right, the beautiful blend of well-preserved French colonial style buildings with Lao traditional architecture in Luang Prabang makes it one of Indochina’s most beautiful cities and an  official heritage site since 1995.

Luang Prabang is located in the highlands of northern Laos at the confluence of the Nam Khan River and the infamous Mekong. A legend says that “Buddha smiled and rested here during his travels, prophesying that it would one day be the site of a rich and powerful city [1 ].

The city became very influential due to its strategic location near the Silk-Road and the Mekong. It was the capital of Laos under a few different reigns, most notable under the kingdom of Lane Xang until 1560 and from 1707 under the independent kingdom of Luang Prabang.

After a turbulent 20^th century it opened its doors to tourists in 1989 and quickly became a popular spot for people who love charming and historical cities, combined with the hospitality of Laotians and the picturesque surrounding.

Aside from the before mentioned architectural highlights of French colonial buildings, Luang Prabang has plenty of more sights to offer, natural, religious and historical:

Wat Xieng Thong:

Wat Xieng Thong is different from most Buddhist temples around Southeast Asia. Not in terms of size, but more in terms of simplicity and beauty: the combination of materials such as wood, decent gold sculptures and glass mosaics are set in perfect harmony; one highlight is the ‘Tree of Life’ mosaic on its backside, as well as the pink walls of the ordination hall of the monastery with its dozens of colourful images of Buddha and Laotians

Entrance fee:  20.000 Kip. Open:  Daily, 08:00-17:30.  Address: Khem Khong

Wat Souvannakhili (also known as Wat Khili):

The temple is currently more like a hidden gem, as tourists are not frequently visiting it. Yet. If you are looking for the perfect example of typical Lao architecture with low slung roofs, paired with French influence, look no further!

Wat Phu Si / Phu Si Hill:

The Phu Si Hill has a few similarities with Doi Sutthep in Chiang Mai: Despite that it’s also a hill, it houses a few Buddhist shrines as well as Wat Tham Phu Si, a Buddhist temple overlooking Luang Prabang from a fantastic angle.

Entrance fee: 20.000 Kip. Open: Daily, 08:00-17:00

Kuang Si Waterfall:

Just about 45 minutes outside of the town, the waterfall is one of the highlights which should not been missed out while visiting Luang Prabang. Immerse into the picturesque surrounding and climb up the waterfall’s tiers. And if you should get tired while climbing – just dive into it and take a refreshing swim!

Entrance fee: 30.000 Kip. Open: Daily, 08:00-17:30

Luang Prabang Museum:

The Luang Prabang National Museum was built in 1904 as Royal Palace for King Sisavangvong. The beautifully restored rooms depict the lush lifestyle of the king and his family: take a look into the garage and you will even see the last collection of his cars. It further exhibits weapons, paintings, religious objects and a number of historical artifacts from the end of the 19^th century / beginning of the 20^th century.

Entrance fee: 30.000 Kip. Open:  Daily (except Tuesday) 08:00-11:30 and 13:30-16:00    Address: Sisavangvong Road

Handicraft Night Market:

Once you step out from the Royal Palace Museum, stroll relaxed down the road and you will reach the Night Market in no time. Hundreds of vendors offering an extensive yet fascinating variety of handicrafts produced by locals: starting from garments over ceramics to paintings, shoes and even coffee and tea. Tipp: Don’t miss out to try a delicious Lao Coffee!

Open: Daily, 17:00-22:00. Address: Sisavangvong Road

Notes:
[1]: UNESCO – http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/479