Excursions from Bangkok: the best day trips around Bangkok

Bangkok, the gateway to Thailand, is one of those destinations you visit first when you start discovering South East Asia! The city is really full of attractions and things to do, including temples, typical markets, museums and also modern buildings and rooftop bars. At the same time, its surroundings are also spectacular and definitely worth a visit! Here then are the best day trips around Bangkok!

1 - Ayutthaya

Ayutthaya is one of Thailand's major cities, located 80 km north of Bangkok. It can be reached from the Thai capital by taxi (average cost €40.00), bus and train, but the absolute best option is anorganised excursion with transport included!

Criss-crossed by no less than three rivers and a canal, Ayutthaya is a very ancient city rich in history. Its ruins date back to the time of the Kingdom of Siam and no less than five UNESCO World Heritage temples can be visited here. On a day trip, you should definitely not miss the Ayutthaya Historical Park, which was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1991. If you're also in town in the evening, you certainly can't miss the characteristic Bang Ian Night Market, which is ideal for sampling the amazing Thai street food.

• Distance: 80 km

• Getting there: accessible from Bangkok by taxi (1 h 10 min, average cost €40.00). Alternatively, organised excursions with transport included - get directions

• Hours: Ayutthaya Historical Park daily 9am-5pm / Bang Ian Night Market daily 4pm-10pm

• Ticket price: Ayutthaya Historical Park full price THB 100.00 (€2.70), concessions THB 50.00 (€1.35) / Bang Ian Night Market free / excursion from Bangkok from €46.80 per person

• Card, tickets and recommended tours: Ayutthaya: 1-day bus and boat tour from Bangkok Ayutthaya: 1-day tour from Bangkok with private driver

2 - Damnoen Saduak Floating Market

One of the best ways to get closer to the local culture is to discover the quaint markets. In and around Bangkok you can find numerous floating markets, one of the most famous being Damnoen Saduak! You can reach it by taxi, or join an organised tour from Bangkok with transport included.

The Damnoen Saduak floating market takes place every day on the Damnoen Saduak canal, which is criss-crossed by many rowing or motor boats with people on board intent on buying products from the stalls. Actually, this large market is in turn made up of three smaller markets: Ton Khem, Hia Kui, Khun Phithak. Nowadays, it is definitely one of the most popular tourist attractions around Bangkok and is always very crowded! That's why, if you have the chance, we recommend that you get there before 9:00 am to enjoy its atmosphere and authenticity to the fullest!

• Distance: 101 km

• How to get there: accessible from Bangkok by taxi via road 35 (1 h 30 min, average cost €20.00). Alternatively, organised excursion from Bangkok (duration 6 h) - Get directions

• Hours: daily 6am-12pm

• Ticket cost: free, boat tour cost to be negotiated, generally between THB 100.00 (€2.70) and THB 200.00 (€5.20) / excursion from Bangkok from €18.83 per person

• Recommended cards, tickets and tours : Damnoen Saduak Floating Market: 6-hour tour

3 - Amphawa Floating Market

Source: wikimedia commons. Almost 90 km from Bangkok is another spectacular market: an afternoon market open only on weekends, we are talking about the Amphawa floating market. Reachable by taxi, the best solution is still to take part in a guided tour with a cruise from Bangkok!

The Amphawa floating market is certainly less famous than the Damnoen Saduak market, less busy and less visited, which is why it guarantees a more authentic experience! It is located close to the Wat Amphawan Chetiyaram temple and the vendors sell mainly food and drinks, from traditional dishes to sweets. There are also a few handicraft stalls, ideal for buying a typical souvenir.

• Distance: 88 km

• Getting there: Accessible from Bangkok by taxi via road 35 (1 h 10 min, average cost €20.00). Alternatively, organised excursion from Bangkok - get directions

• Hours: Fri-Sun 14:00-20:00, Mon-Thu closed

• Ticket cost: free, boat tour cost to be negotiated, usually THB 80.00 (€2.10) / organised excursion from Bangkok from €40.83 per person

• Recommended cards, tickets and tours : Amphawa Floating Market: tour and cruise from Bangkok

4 - Maeklong Railway Market

Very often a visit to Damnoen Saduak and Amphawa markets is combined with a visit to another special market, the Maeklong Railway Market!

These combined excursions allow you to visit several attractions in one day, optimising time and travel.

Also called Talad Rom Hoop, the Maeklong Railway Market is certainly one of the most peculiar and unusual markets. In fact, as the name suggests, it is located in the Maeklong district and is partly on the railway track. The train passes by eight times a day (at 6:20, 8:30, 9:00, 11:10, 11:30, 14:30, 15:30 and 5:40) and, when in the distance you start to hear its uninterrupted whistles, that's when the vendors start to collect all their things to allow the train to pass. Once it has passed, everything is back in its place, as if nothing had happened!

• Distance: 81 km

• How to get there: accessible from Bangkok by taxi via Route 35 (1 h, average cost €20.00). Alternatively, organised excursion from Bangkok - Get directions

• Hours: daily 8am-7pm

• Ticket price: free / excursion to Damnoen Saduak and Maeklong markets from €26.90 per person

• Card, ticket and recommended tours: Damnoen Saduak and Maeklong Markets: tour from Bangkok Amphawa Market and Train Market: private weekend tour

5 - Khao Yai National Park

If you're tired of Bangkok's traffic and hustle and bustle, then we recommend taking a day out in a true natural oasis, Khao Yai National Park. Due to its size, we do not recommend reaching it by taxi. The best option is the organised tour from Bangkok with transport included, which also includes a guided trek through the jungle.

The park is indeed rich in waterfalls, mountains and vegetation, with numerous well-marked treks of varying difficulty. However, for safety reasons, it is recommended to rely on a local guide to accompany you on the trek. Khao Yai National Park, located north of Bangkok, covers about 1,850 square kilometres and is the second largest park in Thailand. It is home to numerous animals, many of which are endangered.

• Distance: 120 km

• Getting there: Accessible from Bangkok by car via Road 305 (1 h 50 min). Alternatively, organised jungle tour from Bangkok, transport included - get directions

• Hours: daily 7am-5pm

• Ticket price: free / organised tour from Bangkok from €142.55 per person

• Card, tickets and recommended tours: Khao Yai: jungle trek from Bangkok

6 - Kanchanaburi and Death Railway

If you are a history lover, especially of the World War II period, you definitely cannot miss a visit to Kanchanaburi and the Death Railway Museum. The best way to get there is always to take part in an organised tour from Bangkok, with transport included!

A tragic page of the Second World War was written here: the Thailand-Burma railway was built by prisoners of war in conditions that were inhuman and precarious, to say the least, so much so that this line was given the name Death Railway. Today, it is possible to visit the museum to learn all about the history behind this railway. Besides the museum, it is also possible to visit the Kanchanaburi War Cemetery. One of the most popular activities is a boat ride on the river, to pass under the famous River Kwai Bridge, where the train still passes today.

• Distance: 123 km

• Getting there: Accessible from Bangkok by taxi (1 h 50 min, average cost €25.00). Alternatively, organised tour from Bangkok - get directions

• Hours: Kanchanaburi always accessible / Death Railway Museum daily 9am-4pm

• Ticket prices: Kanchanaburi free / Death Railway Museum full price THB 150.00 (€3.90), concessions THB 70.00 (€1.80) / organised tour from Bangkok from €40.43 per person

• Card, tickets and recommended tours: Kanchanaburi: 1-day small group tour from Bangkok

Take the train that connects Thailand and Burma: if you are not particularly interested in visiting the museum, then you can consider boarding the train that also crosses the River Kwai Bridge as an alternative. A very special experience!

7 - Ancient Siam

Photo by Alexey Komarov. If your trip focuses only on Bangkok and its environs and, due to lack of time, you don't have time to visit the rest of Thailand, then you shouldn't miss out on Ancient Siam, a kind of Thailand in miniature! You can reach it from Bangkok by taxi or, better still, by taking advantage of the transfer service with an entrance ticket included!

Ancient Siam, or Ancient City, is a wonderful park of about 80 hectares, a real open-air museum with copies of the country's most famous monuments! It is a perfect attraction to visit even with the little ones. Here you can admire and walk among replicas of Ayutthaya temples, take a boat ride on the river and stroll among old traditional-style houses. Also included in the ticket is a bicycle rental, which will allow you to move freely around the entire park!

• Distance: 35 km

• How to get there: accessible from Bangkok by taxi (35 min, average cost €10.00). Alternatively, transfer with entrance fee from Bangkok - Get directions

• Hours: daily 9am-6pm

• Ticket price: full price THB 700.00 (€18.20), concessions THB 350.00 (€9.10)

• Recommended cards, tickets and tours: From Bangkok: entrance to Ancient Siam with transfer option

8 - Bang Krachao

Photo by User:Jr8825. Finally, if you want to spend half a day in nature, but don't have enough time to get to Khao Yai National Park, then we recommend the beautiful Bang Krachao. Located just 25 km from the centre of Bangkok, you can easily reach it by taxi.

Bang Krachao is a true oasis of relaxation and nature, a small island completely removed from the city traffic. Surrounded by the Chao Phraya river, it can only be reached by boat and the best way to discover it is by taking a guided bike tour with a local guide, who will take you on a discovery of its beauty! Throughout the island there are several cycle paths, leading to temples, special cafes, markets, food stalls along the canal and the beautiful botanical garden.

• Distance: 25 km

• How to get there: accessible from Bangkok by taxi (30 min, average cost €10.00) - get directions

• Hours: always accessible

• Ticket cost: free / Boat crossing + bike hire to be negotiated, average THB 80.00 (€2.10)

• Recommended cards, tickets and tours: Bangkok: 4-hour small group bike tour