🔄 Updated 21 Jun 2026
If you're touring Ayutthaya and Wat Mahathat and Wat Phra Si Sanphet feel a bit too crowded, Wat Lokayasutharam is the place we'd tell you to stop by. There are no walls and no roof here — just one huge brick-and-plaster reclining Buddha lying in an open field, draped in an orange robe with its face turned to the west. It's a simple sight, but it sticks with you. And because it sits just behind the old Royal Palace, most people walk straight past, so for much of the day you can have the reclining Buddha almost to yourself.
Why come to this temple
What sets this temple apart from the others in Ayutthaya is that the reclining Buddha sits out in the open, with no hall built around it — so you can photograph the whole figure with nothing in the way. The Buddha is 42 metres long and about 8 metres tall, in the lion-pose reclining attitude, its head resting on its right hand atop a lotus. Scholars believe it likely dates to the early Ayutthaya period. It collapsed when the city fell in 1767, and the Fine Arts Department restored the figure in 1956. What remains around it — the prang base, the hall foundations, and the boundary stones — helps you picture just how large this temple once was.
- Largest open-air reclining Buddha on the old city island — 42 metres long, with a clear shot of the whole figure
- Free entry — no admission charge for Thais or foreigners, just a donation box if you wish
- Few crowds — much quieter than the famous temples next door, good for a breather mid-temple-hop
- Easy to combine — close to Wat Phra Si Sanphet and Wihan Phra Mongkhon Bophit
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Opening hours, entry fee, and dress code
The temple is open roughly 08:00–17:00 daily and there's no entry fee — it's an open field with no clear gate closing it off. The best times to visit are morning or late afternoon, since midday sun is harsh and there's no shade at all. On dress: even though it's an open field, this is still a sacred site, so dress modestly, cover your shoulders and knees, and take off your shoes if you step up onto the base near the Buddha.
Best time to go
Visit in the morning around 08:00–09:30 or in the late afternoon around 16:00–17:00. The low-angle light is lovely, it gives the Buddha's face more depth in photos, and the heat is far more bearable. Skip midday — the open field has nowhere to hide from the sun.
How to get there and where to park
The temple sits on U Thong Road in Pratu Chai sub-district, behind the old Royal Palace and Wat Phra Si Sanphet, within Ayutthaya Historical Park. If you're driving or on a motorbike, you can park along the road in front of the temple — there's room. If you've rented a bicycle or scooter to tour the old city island, this temple is on the same loop as the famous ones and is an easy ride on from them. And if you've hired a tuk-tuk for the day, just tell the driver to stop here — it's already a regular stop on many of the old-town cycling tours.
- Private car / motorbike — park along U Thong Road in front of the temple, free
- Bicycle / scooter — rent in town for 50–250 THB a day; just a few minutes' ride on from Wat Phra Si Sanphet
- Tuk-tuk for the day — ask to include it on the temple route; a full-day charter runs about 700–1,000 THB, depending on how you bargain
What to see nearby
The nice thing about Wat Lokayasutharam is that it sits in the cluster of temples at the centre of the old city island, so there are several spots within easy walking or cycling distance — enough for a relaxed half-day route.
Wat Phra Si Sanphet
Three Sri Lankan-style chedis in a row, set in the grounds of the former Royal Palace. Very close — just a few minutes' ride away.
Wihan Phra Mongkhon Bophit
A large bronze Buddha in a hall, right next to Wat Phra Si Sanphet, with food and souvenir stalls out front.
Wat Worachettharam
A quiet ruined temple nearby with even fewer people — good if you like a calm atmosphere and photographing chedi ruins.
Straight talk
This temple goes quickly — you'll see everything in about 20–30 minutes, since the main draw is just the one reclining Buddha. If you were hoping for sprawling ruins like Wat Mahathat, it may feel a bit thin. Treat it as a short stop along your temple route and it fits in perfectly.
Plan a full Ayutthaya trip — temples and food
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