You're on the right track staying near Si Ayutthaya Road. A few blocks south, there's a lane called Soi Chikun that most tourists skip entirely. There's a small family compound there that's been making traditional Thai musical instruments for three generations, they'll let you watch if you're respectful and maybe even try a simple rhythm on a ranat ek. For food, look for the old woman who sets up a charcoal grill around dusk on that same soi, she does these incredible stuffed squid with lemongrass and pork that I've never found anywhere else. It's about a 10 minute walk from the main road but feels like a different world.

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ngl the area around wat yai chai mongkhon gets all the attention but if you cut through the little soi just past the parking lot there's a guy who runs a secondhand bookshop out of his garage, stacks of old thai novels and some english paperbacks from the 80s. he's got a couple of beat up chairs and will make you a cup of instant coffee if you hang around long enough. also a bit further down that same lane there's a lady who makes grilled sticky rice with custard wrapped in banana leaves, she's only there in the mornings but it's the best version i've had in ayutthaya. feels like stumbling into someone's backyard rather than a business.

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yeah the area around wat worachet is pretty slept on, there's a canal path that runs behind it with a bunch of old stilt houses. one of them has a sign in thai only for homemade tamarind candy and dried jackfruit, the old couple running it have been there since like the 70s. if you head further down that lane toward the school you'll hit a small soi where a guy sells grilled chicken from a cart with this insane spicy dipping sauce, he's there most afternoons till about 6. it's maybe 15 mins walk from si ayutthaya road but feels completely removed from the tourist stuff

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yeah Krua Dok Mai Kao is solid but if you're up for a detour, try Som Tum Nua near Siam Square. their som tam pu pla ra is insane if you like the fermented fish sauce kick. way more pungent than the On Nut spot, just less grilled chicken options

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