The Best Day Trips from Bangkok

The best day trip from Bangkok is Ayutthaya: it is close, the train is quick and it offers something you cannot get in the city. Kanchanaburi, Khao Yai and Hua Hin are all possible in a day, but each is better with one night, because they take two and a half to three hours each way.

The options compared

Train times below come from the State Railway of Thailand timetable. Check them with the railway’s 1690 call centre before you travel, as the railway itself advises.

Ayutthaya: history in a morning

TAT says Ayutthaya was founded in 1350 and became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1991. Go for the Buddha head held in the roots of a Bodhi tree at Wat Maha That, the 35-metre central prang at Wat Chaiwatthanaram, and Wat Phra Sri Sanphet, once part of the royal palace grounds.

How to go. Use Krung Thep Aphiwat station rather than Hua Lamphong. The timetable shows train 7 leaving at 07:30 and arriving at 08:23, and several others taking about 65 minutes, while Hua Lamphong departures take at least 95 minutes.

In comfort. A private car with a driver gives you the most flexibility between sites. TAT’s route is Highway 1 via Pratu Nam Phra In, then Highways 32 and 309. Start early.

Floating markets: a morning or an evening

Damnoen Saduak is a morning trip and Amphawa is an evening one. See our guide to the floating markets near Bangkok to choose by day of the week. Both work best with a private car.

Kanchanaburi: the history of the Death Railway

Kanchanaburi is the trip with the most weight. Allied prisoners of war and Asian labourers were forced to build the railway here during the Second World War. TAT puts the town 135 km west of Bangkok, about three hours by train or bus.

Hellfire Pass is the place not to miss, and it is run by the Australian Government. Entry is free and the centre is open from 09:00 to 16:00. It closes on 1 January, 13 to 15 April, 5 December, 24 to 27 December, 31 December and for annual maintenance in the first three weeks of May, with exact dates varying each year. It is about 80 km from Kanchanaburi town, roughly one hour by car. The short walk takes 45 minutes to an hour, and the long walk is about three hours return.

By train. Train 257 leaves Thon Buri at 07:45, reaches Kanchanaburi at 10:30 and arrives at Nam Tok at 12:05. The stations on the line include Saphan Kwae Yai, at the River Kwai bridge. It is scenic, not fast, and service back is limited.

In comfort. Take a private car and stay a night, since Hellfire Pass adds about an hour each way. Erawan National Park, 65 km from Kanchanaburi, fits well on a second day.

Khao Yai: forest and wine country

Khao Yai suits people who want wildlife, vineyards and good hotels. It is part of a UNESCO World Heritage forest complex, and TAT mentions wild elephants, hornbills and gibbons, plus the vineyards of PB Valley on the way in.

How to go. The park’s own site gives about 205 km to headquarters via Pak Chong, and TAT says barely three hours from Bangkok. The site also lists trains to Pak Chong taking about 3 to 4.5 hours, but you then need local transport, so a car is much easier.

Entry. The park lists 400 baht for foreign adults and 200 baht for children at the Pak Chong and Noen Hom gates, plus a small vehicle fee, though the fee table is not entirely clear, so check at the gate. It is open from 06:00 to 18:00, and one ticket covers a single day. You can pay at the gate or through the QueQ app.

In comfort. Stay a night. The InterContinental Khao Yai Resort by designer Bill Bensley has suites in restored railway carriages around a lake.

Hua Hin: the beach option

Hua Hin is the closest of these to a beach holiday. The railway from Bangkok reached it in 1911, and the Railway Hotel followed in 1922, now the Centara Grand. TAT’s current list includes Hua Hin and Khao Takiab beaches, a dozen golf courses, the Chiva-Som wellness resort, seafood at the night markets and wine at Monsoon Valley Vineyard.

How to go. TAT puts the drive at about two and a half hours. By train, number 43 leaves Krung Thep Aphiwat at 07:30 and reaches Hua Hin at 10:36. The railway also runs special excursions on its Royal Blossom train, so check whether one falls on your dates.

In comfort. Take a private car, stay one or two nights and treat it as a break, not a day trip. The round trip takes at least five hours.

Bangkachao: the closest green escape

TAT calls Bangkachao the lung of Bangkok and a perfect one-day trip. It suits a slow day of food and gardens, and on a weekend it pairs with Bang Nam Phueng market.

How to choose

• One free day, first visit: Ayutthaya.
• You care about history and can stay a night: Kanchanaburi.
• You want nature and a resort: Khao Yai.
• You want the sea: Hua Hin.
• Travelling in May: Skip Hellfire Pass in the first three weeks unless you confirm it is open.

To fit a trip into your stay, see the Bangkok itinerary. Check the best time to visit Bangkok for rain by month, and where to stay in Bangkok if you want a base close to the train or expressway. For more ideas, see things to do in Bangkok.

Questions people ask

What is the best day trip from Bangkok?

Ayutthaya. It is 86 km north of the city, the fastest scheduled train takes under an hour from Krung Thep Aphiwat, and its temple ruins are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Can you do Kanchanaburi as a day trip from Bangkok?

Yes, but it is long. Trains and buses to the town take about three hours, and Hellfire Pass is another hour by car. Stay a night if you want to see both properly.

How long is the drive from Bangkok to Hua Hin?

About two and a half hours, according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand. The fastest scheduled train from Krung Thep Aphiwat takes just over three hours.

How far is Khao Yai from Bangkok?

About 205 km to the park headquarters by the Pak Chong route. The Tourism Authority of Thailand's newsroom puts the trip at barely three hours from Bangkok.