Central Thailand

Central Thailand can be divided into three regions:

• 🌍 Ayutthaya — ancient capital built from red brick
• 🌍 Bangkok — Thailand's largest city by far, a sprawling metropolis of wealth, squalor, culture, and sin
• 🌍 Hua Hin — Thailand's oldest beach resort, a royal destination since the 19th century
• 🌍 Kanchanaburi — the Bridge over the River Kwai, WWII museums and natural scenery
• 🌍 Lopburi — known for its Khmer temples and crab-eating macaques
• 🌍 Nakhon Pathom — Thailand's oldest city and site of the world's largest stupa
• 🌍 Nonthaburi — the second largest city of Thailand in the Bangkok Metropolitan Region
• 🌍 Phetchaburi — known for Khao Wang Mountain and access to national parks
• 🌍 Samut Songkhram — interesting village with the Mae Khlong Market and nearby floating markets

• Amphawa — lively floating market near Samut Songkhram
• Bang Pa-In — eccentric royal palace to the south of Ayutthaya
• Damnoen Saduak — picture-perfect floating market on tourist steroids
• Kaeng Krachan National Park — the fifteen-tiered Pala-u falls make a steep jungle trek
• Erawan National Park — the beautiful seven-tiered Erawan Falls
• Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park — visit the Phraya Nakhon Khiri cave or go bird-watching
• Ko Kret — rustic little pottery island to the north of Bangkok

There is a lot to see in the central region. Most visitors arrive in Bangkok, a true treasure house that literally has hundreds of sights. Prime sights are the Grand Palace, Wat Pho, Wat Arun and Jim Thompson's House, but it is just a small fragment of its historical and cultural heritage. The Bangkok Metropolitan Area is less inviting for foreigners, but there are some sights you can see. Samut Prakan has some interesting museums, or you could take a boat ride north to Nonthaburi, or even better, Ko Kret.

There are many day-trips you can undertake from Bangkok. The Summer Palace at Bang Pa-In makes for a nice stop on the way to Ayutthaya. Ayutthaya has been the capital of Siam for 400 years and its historical remains should not be missed. There are literally hundreds of structures spread over and around the island, so renting a bicycle or moped is recommended. A short train ride north brings you to Lop Buri, a smaller historical town known for its macaques. Many visitors take in Lop Buri before getting onto the sleeper train to Northern Thailand.

There are endless fields of shrimp farms and rice paddies West of Bangkok, and of course the floating markets. The most popular among foreign visitors is Damnoen Saduak, but the locals prefer to visit Amphawa or Tha Kha. Samut Songkhram makes a good base for getting to the floating markets. A scenic way to get here is with the Mae Khlong Railway, a slow and rustic train that requires a boat transfer at the fishing village of Samut Sakhon. Nakhon Pathom makes a nice half-day visit for the Phra Pathom Chedi, the world's tallest stupa.

Going west, the terrain becomes more hilly as you get into the River Kwai Valleys. Kanchanaburi is another popular stop on the tourist trail for the Bridge over the River Kwai and its World War II Museums. If you have a few days to spend in this area, some of the interesting attractions include the Erawan Falls and Hellfire Pass. A popular activity is to take a train ride over the bridge, just for the heck of it. You could even go all the way to Sangkhlaburi and Three Pagodas Pass, a bus ride of four hours to the border with Myanmar.

If you're heading for the south, the Northern Gulf Coast has a lot to offer visitors. There are the beach resorts of Hua Hin, Cha-am and Ban Krut. Phetchaburi has a charming old quarter, and is often visited as a day-trip from Bangkok, Hua Hin or Cha-am. Hua Hin is also home to the waterfalls of the Kaeng Krachan National Park and the natural scenery of the Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park. Finally, you could continue the way to the beaches and islands of Southern Thailand.

Thai food (street food)

• Chiang Mai
• Khao Yai National Park
• Pattaya
• Sukhothai