The best day trips from Bangkok

Bangkok is an excellent base: within one to three hours by road you reach a former royal capital, water markets, a famous bridge, an island of potters or a national park. But not all excursions are equal, and some need a very early start. This guide ranks the main day trips by distance, explains what you see, how to get there and which ones to combine. Distances and times are approximate and depend on traffic; confirm train or bus timetables before you leave.

The excursions at a glance

The three chedis of Wat Phra Si Sanphet in Ayutthaya

Excursion	Approximate distance and time	Theme	Who it suits
Ayutthaya	about 80 km, 1 h 30	Ruins and temples of a former capital	Most travellers, a first excursion
Bang Pa-In Palace	about 60 km, 1 h	Royal summer palace	To add to Ayutthaya
Koh Kret	about 20 km, 1 h	Island of potters, cycling	An easy half-day
Nakhon Pathom	about 55 km, 1 h	Large stupa, temple	A half-day
Ancient City	about 35 km, 1 h	Open-air museum	A half-day by bike
Maeklong Railway Market	about 80 km, 1 h 30	Market on a railway track	To combine with a floating market
Damnoen Saduak Floating Market	about 100 km, 2 h	Water market	Early risers
Amphawa Floating Market	about 80 km, 1 h 30 to 2 h	Evening market, fireflies	A weekend
Kanchanaburi	about 130 km, 2 h 30 to 3 h	Bridge on the River Kwai, history, nature	A full day or a night
Lopburi	about 150 km, 2 h 30 to 3 h	Khmer temples, monkeys	History lovers
Khao Yai National Park	about 200 km, 3 h	Nature, waterfalls, wildlife	A day, better with a night
Wat Saman Rattanaram	about 80 km, 1 h 30	Giant Ganesha	The curious, a half-day

Indicative distances and times, from central Bangkok and by car; train or minivan sometimes take longer.

The cultural must-sees

Ayutthaya

Ayutthaya is the classic excursion: the former capital of the kingdom, a UNESCO site, with brick temples and stone Buddhas. You go by train, minivan or with a driver; allow a full day for the main sites. On the way out or back, Bang Pa-In Palace adds a contrast, with pavilions in Thai, Chinese and European styles.

Kanchanaburi

Kanchanaburi and the Bridge over the River Kwai combine memories of the Second World War, nature and a train ride on the line known as the "Death Railway". It is the longest of the major excursions: the day is very full, and a night on the spot is preferable.

Lopburi and Nakhon Pathom

Lopburi is a town of Khmer temples and free-roaming macaques, further north; Nakhon Pathom, closer, is famous for its huge stupa, Phra Pathom Chedi. Both take half a day to a day.

Markets and life on the water

Floating markets are the most requested excursions after Ayutthaya. For the detailed choice, see our guide to the floating markets near Bangkok.

Damnoen Saduak: the most famous, to see early.
Amphawa: the weekend market in the late afternoon, with fireflies in the evening.
Maeklong: the market whose stalls fold back when the train passes.
Koh Kret: the island of the Mon potters, to explore by bike, only an hour from the city.

Nature and the unusual

For nature, Khao Yai National Park offers waterfalls, forest and chances of spotting wildlife; it is done in a day with a driver or an organised tour, better with a night on the spot. Closer, Bang Krachao, the green lung beside the river, can be visited by bike in half a day without leaving Bangkok. For a curiosity, Wat Saman Rattanaram, known for its giant reclining Ganesha, is east of Bangkok.

How to choose for your situation

First excursion, a single day: Ayutthaya, with Bang Pa-In if time allows.
Only half a day: Koh Kret, Nakhon Pathom or Ancient City.
A market and a train: Maeklong and Damnoen Saduak, the same morning.
A weekend: Amphawa, with a night on the spot.
History: Ayutthaya, Kanchanaburi, Lopburi.
With children: Ancient City, Koh Kret, or Khao Yai; see also Bangkok with children.
It is raining: choose covered sites; see our guide to Bangkok on a rainy day.

Getting there: train, minivan, organised tour

The train suits Ayutthaya, Lopburi and Kanchanaburi: slow, inexpensive, scenic, but with timetables to check at the station or with the SRT (tel. 1690). The minivan serves the markets (Damnoen Saduak, Amphawa) from the bus terminals, often in two to three hours. A car with driver is the most flexible way to combine two sites in a day, and is reasonable for a group. An organised tour suits poorly served sites such as Khao Yai; compare programmes and refuse forced stops at shops. For bus terminals and transport apps, see our guide to getting around Bangkok.

Practical advice

Leave early: midday heat makes ruins and markets tiring, and roads clog in the late afternoon. Take water, a hat, sun cream and clothes covering shoulders and knees for temples. Keep cash in small notes. For the season, see the best time to visit Bangkok; to prepare for traps, our advice on scams to avoid. To combine several outings with city visits, see Bangkok in 3 days; for a seaside escape, our guide to Hua Hin from Bangkok or Pattaya from Bangkok.