The capital of Thailand today is Bangkok, but for nearly half a century it was Ayutthaya. Today, Ayutthaya is a popular tourist destination for local Thais as well as foreigners visiting to the country on holiday. Thai people are very proud of their roots, specifically the fact that the country has never been colonized. However, Ayutthaya was once taken over by the Burmese and remained under Burmese control for a number of years before being over thrown and borderlines redrawn to make Thailand the country that it is today. The country of Thailand stretches a large amount of space room the north bordering Burma and Laos all the way to the south bordering Malaysia.
Ayutthaya was inundated onto the UNSECO world heritage list thanks to its numerous ancient relics that remain standing to this day. Many of the relics are ancient remains from temples that still dominate the landscape even today. If you want to get a real feel for a how special the royal family is to the Thai people, then be sure to visit the Bang Pa-in Summer Palace. The royal family has number of place grounds and royal villages located throughout the country. Mainly they are located in key industrious cities such as Thailand's capital of the north, Chiang Mai.
The Bang Pa-In Summer Palace is extremely beautiful and not to be missed. Traditional Thai architecture has been used to design a floating pagoda lined with a freshly painted white fence. When the grounds are closed to visitors, one might imagine the family having a lazy afternoon lunch under the shade beneath the elaborate structure whilst pondering the health of the nation as they stare into the gentle ripples of the waves.
The summer palace dates all the way back to the times of King Naresuan who is one of the country's most beloved figures. A three part epic movie came about the life of the King not more than five years ago and it was rejoiced all over the country. In school, the children learn from a very young age the respect and explores the dream like tales that make up the lives of ancient royal ancestors.
In Thai, the word ‘bang' means prince and as such the palaces name actually means ‘the prince is in'. Something that the summer palace is famous for, as are all of the royal palaces in Thailand, are the stunning gardens. The royal family has gone to great lengths to preserve and uphold the natural environment and its importance to the people of this country. Flower festivals are extremely popular here and if you dare to venture out in one, the be prepared to wait in crowds, bumping into the occasional umbrella. As you might have seen at some of the temples in Thailand, elaborate and colorful carvings exist here, some to help ward off bad spirits.
The Royal Palace is quite easy to get to, but if you are without your own vehicle there are a number of transportation options available. You can rent a car for the day for a low cost of only 1000 baht. This should include insurance, though you may have to pay a deductible if you do have any problems with other drivers on the road. If you are uninterested in getting behind the wheel, then try hiring a taxi for a day or simply take the local red bus, or ‘songtao' as they are better known. Once you get to the palace, you may have to pay a small fee which will get you a tour of all the outdoor grounds and you will be able to see some rooms from inside the main structure. Be prepared to remove your shoes and always remember to speak politely about the royal family in public. There is a vast number of Ayutthaya hotels located nearby that can help you plan your journey.
About the AuthorLek Boonlert is an editor and content reviewer at DirectRooms and is responsible for all Ayutthaya Hotels content.
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