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With buzzing cities, 156 national parks, epic islands, and long, beach-fringed coastlines, Thailand offers everything you need for an incredible experience. It's also a legendary street food destination, with mind-blowing — and often inexpensive — food options waiting around every corner. Work off your meals with trekking, kayaking, white-water rafting and hiking, or just flop on some of the world's most beautiful beaches. Whatever you choose to do, Thailand will deliver.
That's why we've compiled five itineraries that take you to different parts of the country, including the lush north, Phuket and the islands, the mighty Mekong and more. Starting as one-week itineraries, add time at various stops to build the Thai holiday of your dreams.
Allow at least 7 days
Distance: 483km (300 miles)
Explore buzzing Bangkok and then head west to historic Kanchanaburi, famous for its WWII sites, and nearby Erawan National Park, which is packed with waterfalls and wildlife. From there, travel through central Thailand’s rice fields to the ancient temples of Ayuthaya, before ending your tour at Khao Yai National Park.
Hit the major sites in Bangkok, including iconic Wat Arun, and superb Wat Phra Kaew and the Grand Palace, before dinner in Chinatown and a cocktail with a view at a rooftop bar. If it’s the weekend, Chatuchak Weekend Market is an essential shopping stop, but make sure you fit in a massage to relax you for the journey ahead.
Next stop: Get a train (2½ hours) or a minivan from Bangkok to Kanchanaburi.
Kanchanaburi is the site of the infamous Thailand–Burma Death Railway and the bridge immortalized in the 1957-movie The Bridge On the River Kwai. Spend a few hours touring the museums and moving war cemetery here. There’s also the option of a rafting excursion on Mae Nam Kwae before you retire to your riverside resort.
Next stop: Drive from Kanchanaburi to Erawan National Park (1 hour).
Just 0.5km (0.3 miles) past the park headquarters in Erawan National Park is the spectacular, seven-tiered Nam Tok Erawan, where you can swim in crystal-clear water. It’s easy to reach the first three tiers; after that it’s a steep 2km (1.2-mile) climb to the higher ones. The park is home to masses of wildlife and you’ll see monkeys around the falls. Head back to Kanchanaburi for the night.
Next stop: Drive northeast from Kanchanaburi through lime-green ricefields to Ayuthaya (4 hours).
Ayuthaya is the capital of ancient Siam and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Hire a bicycle to tour the dozens of atmospheric ruined temples, stopping for a riverside lunch of delicious boat noodles or grilled river prawns, both local specialties. For a different perspective on Ayuthaya, take a boat tour along the river
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