Central plains and the wild West

The regions flanking Bangkok get day-tripped and shortchanged. Given nights instead of hours, the old capitals and the western river country turn into some of Thailand's best travelling.

Ayutthaya, given its due

• The former capital's ruin-field deserves a night, not a day-tour: dawn and dusk light on the prangs with the coach crowds gone;
• Bicycle is the correct vehicle — the historical park's scale suits pedals, and the island town has river-facing guesthouses and a proper night market;
• The famous Buddha head in the banyan roots (Wat Mahathat) earns its photo; Wat Chaiwatthanaram at sunset earns the trip.

Kanchanaburi and the River Kwai country

• The wartime story — the Death Railway, the bridge, the immaculate cemeteries and the excellent museums — is moving and worth telling properly; ride the surviving railway section along the river;
• Beyond the history: Erawan's seven-tier turquoise falls, river-raft hotels, and Sai Yok's jungle stretch — the West is Thailand's empty-green quarter;
• Further out, Sangkhlaburi's wooden bridge and Mon culture reward the extra hours.

The supporting cast

• Lopburi: Khmer prangs with a famous monkey problem — chaotic, memorable, half a day;
• Floating markets: choose deliberately — Amphawa's evening firefly-and-seafood version (weekends) over the coach-park morning circuits, or Tha Kha's small authenticity;
• Phetchaburi: palace hill, cave shrines and dessert traditions, en route south;
• Sukhothai (technically lower North, spiritually this circuit): the serene first-capital ruins — many addicts' favourite historical park in the country.