Bangkok tourist guide – day trips
There’s much more to Bangkok than high-rises, traffic and crowded tourist sights. And if you set aside time for a day trip or overnight excursion to one of the wonderful nearby attractions you will certainly leave with a much more rewarding impression. This tourist guide to day trips from Bangkok reveals some popular destinations such as Ayutthaya and the Floating Market, as well as some well kept secrets, such as the Ancient City and Koh Kret.
As a general guide, tourist Bangkok is found in the area of Rattanakosin Isle, which includes the Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew, Wat Po and Wat Arun. These get crowded and although none should be missed, you’ll find a much more peaceful and equally interesting choice of cultural sites outside of this sprawling metropolis.
As a tourist in Bangkok you can arrange a guide or join a tour through your hotel concierge or one of the many tour agents located in the tourist areas, such as Sukhumvit road or Khao San road. Some of these tours leave early and can be several hours away.
Tourist guide to Bangkok day trips
The Floating Market: is a favourite among foreign visitors who experience this delightful working market as their longtail boats guide tourist shoppers among all the wares. Located an hour’s drive southwest of Bangkok, it is colourful, chaotic, impressionable, and full of smells and unusual foods. You’ll need to get up early to get there in good time. More on the Floating Market.
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The Ancient City: is a highly underrated step back in time which should be in every Bangkok tourist guide book. This lovely open air ‘museum’ full of lakes and gardens reproduces in amazing authentic detail many of Thailand’s most important historic sites and buildings, including some that are no longer standing. It’s shaped like the Kingdom and allows you to see much of Thailand in one day. On your way there ask to be taken past the intriguing three-headed elephant in Samut Prakarn. More on the Ancient City. 296/1 Sukhumvit Road, Bangpoo, Samut Prakan 10280, Fax: 02 323 9253, muangboran@ancientcity.com, Open: Daily 09.00 to 18.00, Admission Fee: Foreign Adults 300 Baht, Children 150 Baht, Thai Adults 150 Baht, Children 75 Baht
Koh Kret: takes you back to a quieter era in the Bangkok area and is a small island on the Chao Phraya river about an hour’s drive north of the city in Nonthaburi. It is the site of a Mon settlement dating back to the 6th century and now offers a nice escape and cultural experience with its pottery shops, kilns, and natural environment. Getting there isn’t easy. Apart from a Saturday cruise with Chao Phraya River Express leaving from Tha Maharat Pier at 9am (near Grand Palace), you might have to get a guide or join a tourist tour.
Ayutthaya and Bang Pa In: lies at the heart of Siamese history and is an essential visit on any serious itinerary of Thailand or Bangkok tourist guide. The ruins of this important 17th century city – the largest of its era in Southeast Asia – are scattered about the modern town with the bulk located on an ‘island’ formed between an ox bow and canals of the Chao Phraya river, about 100kms north of Bangkok. Taking an over-night cruise up-river is a comfortable and enchanting way to witness the grand historic chedis and temples. By car you also visit the Bang Pa In summer palace built by King Rama V, incorporating all sorts of unusual European and Asian styles. More on Ayutthaya.
Lop Buri: dates back much further than Ayutthaya and is especially interesting for its distinctive Khmer influenced architecture. The ruins here are smaller than Ayutthaya and have barely survived the 10 centuries since the Dvaravarti period when the area was settled by the long extinct Lavo culture. Lop Buri can be easily reached by hire car or tour. More on Lop Buri.
Pattaya: is the nearest decent seaside city and it has a reputation for its hedonistic nightlife, soaked in sex. It’s a high-rise and package tourist place, with some acceptable beaches, close enough to Bangkok for an overnight visit. Some people think it’s great fun and many live there, others prefer to head to the better seaside resorts further south. More on Pattaya.
Kanchanaburi: has a special place in twentieth century history as a result of the famous Bridge over the River Kwai whose construction cost thousands of lives in WWII under Japanese occupation. Many come to pay tribute at the moving war museum and graveyard, others relax on the river boats and explore the lush area. More on Kanchanaburi. Get some local 'insider' tips on our 1stop Unseen Thailand forum.
Updated and correct: November 2008
Recommended Tours
Touring ancient Ayutthaya by bike (1 day)
Bangkok Countryside (1 day)
Cycling on Koh Kret Island in Bangkok (1 day)
Biking at the famous Floating Market (1 day)
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