Craft of pottery on Koh Kret Island, Day Trips from Bangkok
Best Day Trips from Bangkok: 6 Insider’s Tips by Local Experts
The list of great things to do in Thailand’s capital is endless, but you’ll be missing out if you don’t take any day trips from Bangkok. Thailand is home to charming floating markets and ruins of the glorious ancient capital, but everybody already knows that. For an even more local experience, here are the best day trips from Bangkok curated by Thai locals.
1. See Thailand’s fields of gold
Sunflower field in Saraburi, Day Trips from Bangkok
In Thailand, sunflowers bloom in the cold season. That means you can stroll through the fields with less sweltering heat! There are numerous sunflower fields in Saraburi and Lopburi. If you visit Thailand around December and January, join the locals as they have fun in a lovely weather.
2. Explore beyond Damnoen Saduak Floating Market and Amphawa Floating Market
Temple in the Tree near Amphawa Floating Market in Samut Songkhram, Day Trips from Bangkok
Amphawa Floating Market and Damnoen Saduak Floating Market are the most popular floating markets in Thailand. While both are great, the number of tourists can be staggering. Instead of staying only in the market areas, combine your trip with local experiences. Row a boat to a coconut farm and make coconut palm sugar. Enjoy the mangrove scenery and catch razor clams at Don Hoi Lot. Become a salt farmer and cook with locals for a day. Visit local temples around Amphawa (Wat Bang Kung or Temple in the Tree is a sight to behold). Watch in awe as a train chugs straight through Maeklong Railway Market or Umbrella Market. The list goes on!
3. Witness Ayutthaya in its full glory at Bang Pa-In Palace and local villages
Making cotton candy with locals in Ayutthaya, Day trips from Bangkok
The ruins of Ayutthaya palaces and temples make for fascinating sights and have been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site. To see Ayutthaya in its full glory though, combine your Ayutthaya Historical Park visit with Bang Pa-In Palace. The summer palace has been restored to its former glory and also expanded by Thailand’s later kings. Close to Bang Pa-In Palace is Wat Niwet Thammaprawat, a gorgeous temple that fuses Buddhist and Christian art and architecture together. You can also learn how to make Ayutthaya’s signature Roti Sai Mai or cotton candy crepe at a local village.
4. World War II history amid greenery in Kanchanaburi
Wat Tham Sua (Tiger Cave Temple) against the green backdrop in Kanchanaburi, Day Trips from Bangkok
Now a peaceful place blessed with lush forests and waterfalls, Kanchanaburi was once the site of a brutal war crime. It’s home to many World War II relics such as the Kanchanaburi War Cemetery, the Bridge on the River Kwai and the Death Railway, the latter two constructed by almost 200,000 Allied prisoners of war (POWs) and civilian laborers. Also, did you know you can enjoy an ethical elephant experience and visit a magnificent temple with rice field views in Kanchanaburi? It’s a perfect destination for both nature and history lovers.
5. Go back to nature at Khao Yai National Park
Wildlife spotting in Khao Yai National Park, Day Trips from Bangkok
Thailand’s first national park and third largest park is where you can refresh and recharge yourself. Stroll through the forest, see majestic waterfalls and spot an abundance of wildlife at Khao Yai National Park.
6. Live a slow life off the beaten path
Mango picking with local uncle near Mahasawat Canal, Day Trips from Bangkok
There are a lot of great destinations in Thailand for lovers of slow life, but some of the more popular ones might have gotten too crowded. Two authentic slow life experiences that are closest to Bangkok: a cycling trip around the green oasis Bang Krachao and a day in the pottery island of Koh Kret. Also nearby is Mahasawat Canal, where you can enjoy a pleasure boat trip and visit local lotus farms and orchid farms.
Then there is the riverside province Chachoengsao with rows of century-old wooden houses and loads of traditional Thai food and desserts at Ban Mai Market. If you want to meet Thai farmers’ trusty companions and learn about the traditional way of life, visit the Buffalo Village. Photharam is another interesting destination with its quaint yet hip market and shophouses and Nang Yai shadow puppet show.
Now you see that the best day trips from Bangkok aren’t limited to Amphawa Floating Market, Damnoen Saduak Floating Market and Ayutthaya. Go out there and explore everything. With local friends from Thailand’s largest marketplace of 1-day trips, TakeMeTour, to show you around and share local stories, you can definitely maximize your Bangkok stay and experience more without hassles. From Bangkok to Chiang Mai and Phuket to many more hidden gems in Thailand, hundreds of unique trips by Local Experts await.
Recommended Reading: What to Do in Bangkok: 5 Insider’s Tips. And also What to Do in Chiang Mai: 5 Insider’s Tips
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