First completed in 1350, Ayutthaya was once a powerhouse city of Southeast Asia and is the former capital of Siam. In the 15th through 17th centuries, the city was an important center for the arts, medicine and technology and became a major trading center for Europeans. Today, the old ruins are a World Heritage Site and have been pretty well preserved. I’m a history freak, so I was so excited to hop on a bike once again to explore the crumbling temples and palaces along with our guide. After a quick visit to the Historical Study Center (a great place to get your bearings), we were off.