Day trips from Bangkok: Ayutthaya, the floating markets and the River Kwai
Short answer: Bangkok itself is three or four days — the day trips are what fill out a longer stay. There are four kinds, and you pick by what your city days lacked: the ruins (Ayutthaya), the markets on the water and the tracks (the floating and railway markets), the war history (Kanchanaburi and the River Kwai), and the wild (Khao Yai). Each is best as its own day, and most run as an easy tour if you'd rather not work out the trains and boats.
The ruins: Ayutthaya
The classic. was the glittering capital of old Siam until it was sacked in the 18th century, and its brick temple ruins and leaning prang towers now sprawl across a river island a little over an hour north. The famous image — a stone Buddha head cradled in the roots of a fig tree at Wat Mahathat — is here. Go by train, minivan or a river cruise, and give it a full day; the heat is real, so start early.
The markets: on the water, and on the tracks
- — the postcard floating market, where vendors paddle boats piled with fruit and noodles through the canals. Touristy now, but a genuine spectacle; go at dawn before the crowds.
- — stalls set up on a live railway track, then fold their awnings back in seconds as the train rolls through, inches from the produce. Often paired with Damnoen Saduak.
- — the local weekend-evening floating market, quieter and more Thai, with a boat trip to watch the fireflies after dark.
The war history: Kanchanaburi
Two hours west, is where the Japanese built the "Death Railway" in the Second World War — the Bridge over the River Kwai, the war cemeteries and a sobering museum — set against the tiered turquoise pools of Erawan Falls. It's a long day; an early start or an overnight does it justice.
The wild: Khao Yai
Two to three hours north-east, is jungle and waterfalls with wild elephants, gibbons and hornbills — and, improbably, a small Thai wine country on its fringes. Big enough that it rewards an overnight, though a long day tour reaches the highlights.
The mistake to avoid
Trying to bolt two of these onto one day. Ayutthaya is north, the floating markets are south-west, Kanchanaburi is west — they pull in different directions, and stitching two together turns a great day into a coach-bound one. Give each its own day; save Kanchanaburi and Khao Yai for a trip with a night to spare.
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