Ayutthaya with kids - more than a touristy destination! #Thailand #Familytravel

An hour away from Bangkok, Ayutthaya is a favorite day-trip destination. The little town is packed with tourists and conceals its charms at first sight. As we wandered around in the city, we discovered that Ayutthaya has more to offer than crowded temple ruins.

The centrally-located, very helpful tourist information center edits a brochure titled "20 things to do in Ayutthaya". Here are my 5 things to do with kids - a rough, non-exhaustive list.

1) Spot the tuks-tuks! All have bright, vivid colors. Who will be the first to see a red one? A green or blue one?

2) Stroll through the large parks that host the ruins. Away from the crowd, enjoy a walk under shady trees, climb (where permitted) on remains of ancient times.

3) Admire Thailand's tallest Buddha and receive the blessing of a monk.

4) When the sun sets, eat baked fish in one of the large restaurants that offer a terrace on the river. Excellent service, great food and a wonderful view on the waters.

5) Then walk to a street stand to taste "roti sai mai', a local specialty. We were offered free samples of these sweet delicacies for our children, an expression of Thai's generosity and care for the younger ones.

Explore the Japanese or Portugueses settlements, visit the toy museum... Next time we bring our children to Ayutthaya, we'll extend our "things to do" list!