The bus then takes a short trip to the main attraction, Ayudhaya. In its heyday, it was one of the richest cities in the world, and much marveled over by European visitors. After its destruction, however, what little remained was left in ruins, and the place quickly became overrun by the jungle. Now it's a big tourist site so it's been straightened out and the brush cleared off, (and a decent size city has sprung up nearby). There are dozens of ruined temples scattered all over the wide area, and some palace remains although they were usually built of wood so only the stone foundations survived. The temples are really beautiful and very evocative, and is the main reason why DIY is a good option. On the boat/bus tour, you're driven around to only a few of the main temples, then you've got a short time to wander around then onto the next, so you never really leave the main tourist circuit.