Bangkok Day Tours: 10Best Day Tour Reviews

It is amazing to think that one can find such clear water just off the coast of Pattaya and so near to Bangkok, but here it is. Ko Larn is a small isle, reached by a short ferry or speed boat ride from the pier in Pattaya. It gets very crowded during the day with day trippers from Pattaya, but if you choose to spend the night here, you will have it mostly to yourself, a million miles from the raucous nightlife across the bay.

There are several nice white sand beaches on Ko Larn, the biggest of which is Tawaen on the east side, a short motorcycle taxi ride from the port town of Naban. Samae Beach on the west side is also very inviting and less crowded.Parasailing, banana boat rides, jet skis, and all the other water sport activities are available here, and there are plenty of places to eat and sleep should you be tempted to extend your stay.

Grasshopper Adventures is a small company specializing in bicycle, photography, and unicycle tours (talk about unique!). They have adventures throughout all of SE Asia, but here in Bangkok, they specialize in local jaunts featuring trips such as historic Bangkok, floating Bangkok, or wheeling around Chinatown. They even do a night ride free of the crowds, as well as a trip from the city out to the Gulf of Thailand, exploring the canals, small fishing villages, salt pans and mangrove swamps along the way. A great way to see some of the real Thailand.

Looking for an easy escape from Bangkok and to see one of the most colorful spectacles in the kingdom? The sunflower fields of Saraburi are just a short hop away from the capital, yet are a miles away escape, with the huge sunflower fields coming into their own in December and January, and beckoning flower lovers, photographers, and those looking for a fantastic local good time.

Saraburi may be a small and rather nondescript neighbor to Bangkok but it has been put on the tourist map in the last years due to its amazing sunflower fields which blossom between November and January, and have become a huge tourist draw for Bangkok weekenders looking for an escape to nature. The large sunflower fields, which are privately owned, have been opened up to tourism on a mass scale, as Bangkok residents spend hours immersed in them, taking photos, having picnics, and just feeling utterly romantic. Small farmer style markets have sprung up at most of the sites, offering products like sunflower seeds and oil, natural juices, and other locally grown products. Going hand in hand with the sunflower fields are adjoining bee farms, which offer fresh jars of honey as well.

Ko Kret is an island in the Chao Phraya River at the northern end of Bangkok. Originally settled by Mons, it is famed for its earthenware ceramics and for the traditional Thai sweet, khao cher, rice served with fragrant water and side dishes which is rare to find elsewhere in the capital. The island feels more like a southern paradise than part of Bangkok, as it is composed of small traffic free lanes, dilapidated homes, and a rustic feel. The island is only 7 kilometers around, so it’s perfect for walking or renting a bicycle, and the morning can be spent visiting pottery shops, the several Mon (Burmese) monasteries, eating seafood or sweets, and taking in some quiet gardens, a great escape from hectic Bangkok.

This is probably the most realistic and insightful look at Bangkok you will get on any tour. Amazing Bangkok Cyclists have been around for 20 years and know the city inside out. They offer bicycle and walking tours of the green areas, klongs, slums, and hidden spots of the real Bangkok that most visitors never even come close to seeing. The guides are extremely knowledgeable, experienced, and funny, and good equipment and briefings ensure that safety is highly paid attention to, no easy feat amidst Bangkok’s infamous traffic. Well recommended.

While it really merits a longer stay, Khao Yai National Park, Thailand’s first national park and model for all its other parks, can be done as a long day trip as well. You’ll need a rental car to do it justice, as it takes almost three hours to drive into the park from Bangkok, and there isn’t any good public transport once inside the park, but self-drives are an excellent way to go, as the long road that snakes through the park has good photo viewpoints, not to mention it is the best way to possibly spot herds of wild elephants. Other major animals you’ll most likely see include hornbills, gibbons, macaques, and if you are there in the rainy season, plenty of leeches! In addition to hiking trails and wildlife, there are several beautiful waterfalls, including Haew Sewat, a double falls that was made famous by the movie The Beach. There are also tour companies along the main road into the park that have expert birders and other wildlife guides offering day trips.

Flight of the Gibbon, which had its first operation become wildly popular amongst travelers in Laos, now has expanded to include a spot in the jungles of Chonburi, an hour’s drive from Bangkok. Billed as Thailand’s premiere zipline canopy tour, this adventure takes you deep into the jungles around the Chompoo Wildlife Sanctuary, where you travel above the forest floor from platform to platform via a series of ziplines suspended high in the air. Trained Sky Ranger guides ensure safety and leave you to soar amongst the treetops, with chances of spotting wild boar, macaques, barking deer, and hornbills. An exhilarating adrenaline-filled time is assured.

Khao Sam Roi Yod is one of the better day trips a family can make from Bangkok. The National Park has something for everyone, from some nice beaches to excellent hiking, sea views, and a magical royal throne located inside of a mountainside cave. Additionally, the park is home to hundreds of migratory birds which call in here during the winter season.

Besides the quiet beaches, the excellent hiking and views, and the over 300 species of birds, many of them migrating from Siberia and Europe, the most astounding sight here is the Phraya Nakhorn Cave and its eerie royal thronel pavilion with a four gabled roof sitting in the middle of it, Getting to the cave involves a 20 minute climb up over a mountain, from where one descends into a huge cavern. In the early morning, light filters in from the openings and creates a dramatic and surreal effect on the surroundings.

Spice Roads is a leading bicycle touring company that takes riders of all abilities and shows them the best of Thailand, both cultural and physical, from the vantage point of two wheels. Their trips combine exercise with cultural endeavours, getting to know the locals, and taking in some great scenery, with trips around Bangkok heading to floating markets, quiet canals, off road through coconut plantations, and out to places like Rayong along the coast, or out to historic Kanchanaburi. Other nearby destinations include wineries around Khao Yai National Park, the open green space and hidden canal paths of Bang Krachao, and visits to the ancient capital of Ayutthaya. The organization provides trained professional guides, tailor fit state of the art bicycles, sag wagons and support, and for those who get a taste of what bicycle touring is all about, they also run trips throughout the rest of the country and even around Asia and other hot tourist spots in the world.

Founded in 1350, Thailand’s former capital was the head of the Ayutthaya Kingdom, which was one of the most prosperous empires of all time. Today, the collection of the ruins of some 400 plus temples set on an island surrounded by the Chao Phraya, Pa Sak and Lopburi rivers is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the bus or train journey from Bangkok should not deter any visitor from making this a must on their Bangkok bucket list.

Known in full as Phra Nakhon Sri Ayutthaya, the empire that existed here was one of the biggest in Southeast Asia, and was a major center of commerce. Laid out on a grid and surrounded by moats and canals, Ayutthaya had a highly advanced water management system, and was one of the main trading posts between India and China/Japan.

While most of the ancient kingdom is in ruins, many of the temples and prang Khmer towers have been painstakingly restored and the location is gorgeous, set away from the modern city on its own island. It is especially lovely during the rainy season in September, when the reddish-brown temples stand in stark contrast to the lush green surroundings.