# What are the best day trips from Bangkok? > The best day trips from Bangkok: Ayutthaya (about 1h by train), Maeklong railway market and Amphawa, Damnoen Saduak, Ko Kret, Kanchanaburi and Lop Buri. - Source: https://clevertourists.com/resources/day-trips-from-bangkok - Authors: Evan & Clara, Clever Tourists (first-hand, from years of travel across 20 countries) - Published: 2026-09-12 **Ayutthaya is the best day trip from Bangkok, followed by the Maeklong railway market with Amphawa, and Kanchanaburi if you can give it a night.** Ayutthaya, the old Siamese capital, is about an hour north by train; Maeklong, where the train runs through a market, is about 1.5 to 2 hours south-west; Kanchanaburi and the Death Railway are 2 to 3 hours west. We spent 10 days in Bangkok over two stays, 6 at the start of our Thailand trip (7 to 13 December 2022) and 4 at the end (17 to 21 January 2023), and went north from Bangkok to Ayutthaya for 3 nights and Lop Buri for 1. The day trips below are ranked by how much they give you for the time on the road. ## The quick ranking • **Ayutthaya:** about 1 hour by train. Temple ruins of the old capital. Full day. • **Maeklong railway market and Amphawa:** 1.5 to 2 hours. A market on the tracks and a canal-side evening market (Friday to Sunday). Full day. • **Bang Krachao:** under an hour, inside the city limits. Cycling in Bangkok's green lung. Half a day. • **Ko Kret:** about an hour. A river island of Mon potters. Half a day, weekends best. • **Damnoen Saduak floating market:** about 2 hours. Famous but very touristy. Morning only. • **Kanchanaburi:** 2 to 3 hours. The bridge on the River Kwai and war cemeteries. Better overnight. • **Lop Buri:** about 2.5 to 3 hours by train. Khmer temples and monkeys. Better on the way north. Bangkok itself needs 3 days before you add these; our [3 days in Bangkok](https://clevertourists.com/resources/bangkok-itinerary-3-days) itinerary uses Ayutthaya as day 4. ## 1. Ayutthaya: the old capital Ayutthaya was the capital of Siam for four centuries until the Burmese sacked it in 1767. Its UNESCO-listed historical park sits on an island ringed by rivers: **Wat Mahathat**, with the Buddha head wrapped in tree roots, the three chedis of **Wat Phra Si Sanphet**, and **Wat Chaiwatthanaram** on the riverbank, best at sunset. **Getting there:** trains on the Northern Line take about an hour from **Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal**, and since August 2026 State Railway of Thailand has also run an air-conditioned commuter service on the route. Some cheaper ordinary trains are reported to leave from the old Hua Lamphong station, so check which station your train uses. A short ferry crosses from Ayutthaya station to the island. **How long:** a full day. **Suits:** everyone. **Tip:** the ruins are spread out and the midday sun is fierce. Rent a bicycle, or hire a tuk-tuk by the hour, and visit the main temples early and late. We stayed **3 nights in Ayutthaya** on our way north, which is what lets you see the ruins outside the heat of the day. Our [Thailand temple dress code guide](https://clevertourists.com/resources/temple-dress-code-thailand) covers what to wear. ## 2. Maeklong railway market and Amphawa At **Maeklong**, in Samut Songkhram province, a working railway line runs straight through a fresh market. When a train approaches, the vendors fold back their awnings and pull their produce off the tracks, and the train passes inches from the stalls; it happens about **eight times a day**. About 10 minutes away, **Amphawa floating market** is a canal-side market that opens from **Friday to Sunday**, busiest in the late afternoon and evening, with boats grilling seafood on the water. **Getting there:** buses and minivans from Bangkok's Southern Bus Terminal take roughly 1.5 to 2 hours. The scenic way is by train: from Wongwian Yai to Mahachai, a ferry across the river, then the train from Ban Laem to Maeklong. Check the State Railway timetable, because the trains through the market are what you come to see. **How long:** a full day, ending at Amphawa. **Suits:** photographers and food lovers. **Tip:** go on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday so you can finish at Amphawa, and time your arrival at Maeklong for a train passing. ## 3. Bang Krachao: Bangkok's green lung Bang Krachao is a loop of the Chao Phraya River just south of the city center that was protected from development, so it is still mostly orchards, mangroves and raised paths. People cross by small boat from Khlong Toei, rent a bicycle near the pier and ride the elevated concrete paths to **Sri Nakhon Khuean Khan Park**, with a stop at the small weekend floating market at **Bang Nam Phueng**. **How long:** half a day. **Suits:** cyclists and anyone who needs a break from traffic. **Tip:** the elevated paths are narrow and have no railings in places, so it is not ideal for nervous riders or small children. ## 4. Ko Kret: the potters' island Ko Kret is a small island in the Chao Phraya in Nonthaburi, home to a Mon community known for **unglazed red clay pottery** carved with intricate patterns. A path runs all the way around the island, about 1.5 to 2 hours on foot, past roughly 20 workshops, a pottery museum and food stalls. **Getting there:** the MRT Pink Line to Yaek Pak Kret, then a short taxi ride to the pier behind Wat Sanam Nuea, and a ferry across for a few baht. On weekdays, Chao Phraya Express 'green flag' boats run to Pak Kret. **How long:** half a day. **Suits:** families, and anyone who wants Bangkok's river life without the crowds of the old town. **Tip:** go at the weekend, when the island's market is on; on weekdays many stalls are closed. ## 5. Damnoen Saduak floating market Damnoen Saduak, about 100 km south-west of Bangkok, is the floating market in the photographs: women in hats selling fruit and noodles from wooden boats on a canal. Today it is largely a tourist market, with souvenir stalls lining the banks. **Getting there:** about 2 hours by road; tours leave Bangkok very early, and buses run from the Southern Bus Terminal. **How long:** a morning. The market is at its best from about **8:00 to 10:00**. **Suits:** first-timers who want the classic picture. **Tip:** boat rides offered at the drop-off point can be quoted at 1,000 baht or more; agree the price and duration before you get in. Many tours combine it with Maeklong, which is close by. ## 6. Kanchanaburi: better as an overnight Kanchanaburi is the site of the **bridge on the River Kwai**, part of the Death Railway built by Allied prisoners of war and conscripted Asian laborers during the Second World War. The **Kanchanaburi War Cemetery** is opposite the railway station, and **Erawan Falls**, a series of turquoise pools in a national park, is a further 90 minutes or so by bus. **Getting there:** buses from the Southern Bus Terminal take about 2 hours; trains from **Thonburi Station** leave at about 07:45 and 13:45 and take around 2.5 to 3 hours, and they are the ones that cross the bridge. **How long:** it can be done in one long day, but with Erawan Falls it needs a night. **Suits:** history readers and anyone wanting nature. **Tip:** if you only have a day, skip Erawan and focus on the bridge, the cemetery and the museum. ## 7. Lop Buri: on the way north Lop Buri is a small city further up the Northern Line, known for **Phra Prang Sam Yot**, a Khmer-style temple of three linked towers, and for the long-tailed macaques that live around it. Fewer monkeys roam the old town now than a few years ago, after the authorities relocated many of them. It is possible as a long day from Bangkok, but it makes far more sense as a stop on the way north. That is how we did it: **1 night in Lop Buri** after Ayutthaya, then on to Sukhothai. See our [6-week Thailand itinerary](https://clevertourists.com/resources/thailand-itinerary-our-6-week-route-bangkok-north-to-the-andaman) and [how many days in Sukhothai](https://clevertourists.com/resources/how-many-days-in-sukhothai) for the rest of that corridor. ## Getting around and where to stay For the markets and Kanchanaburi, buses leave from the **Southern Bus Terminal** in Thonburi, west of the river; for Ayutthaya and Lop Buri, trains leave from **Krung Thep Aphiwat**, in the north. Grab is the easiest way to reach both; our [Bangkok taxi guide](https://clevertourists.com/resources/thailand-grab-vs-bolt-bangkok-taxi-scams-guide) covers fares and scams. Stay near a BTS or MRT station so early departures are simple; see [where to stay in Bangkok](https://clevertourists.com/resources/where-to-stay-in-bangkok). For more on the city itself, our [Bangkok guide](https://clevertourists.com/guides/bangkok) covers the temples and canals, and our [2-week Thailand itinerary](https://clevertourists.com/resources/thailand-itinerary-2-weeks) shows how to fit Ayutthaya into a trip north. ## Frequently asked questions ### What is the best day trip from Bangkok? Ayutthaya. Trains from Krung Thep Aphiwat take about an hour, and the UNESCO-listed ruins of the old capital fill a full day. Rent a bicycle and visit the main temples early and late. ### How many times a day does the train pass through Maeklong market? About eight times a day. Check the State Railway of Thailand timetable before you go, and pair it with Amphawa floating market, which opens Friday to Sunday. ### Is Damnoen Saduak floating market worth it? Only if you want the classic picture. It is about 2 hours from Bangkok, best from 8:00 to 10:00, and largely a tourist market now. Agree boat prices before you get in. ### Can you do Kanchanaburi as a day trip from Bangkok? Yes, for the bridge on the River Kwai and the war cemetery: buses take about 2 hours. With Erawan Falls it is better as an overnight. ### Should you stay in Ayutthaya or day-trip it? A day trip works, but we stayed 3 nights there on our way north, which lets you see the ruins early and late, outside the midday heat.