| Bangkok has many fabulous attractions which | | | | important in all of Thailand. As well as the main |
| make excellent day-trips. One of the most popular | | | | chedi, there are numerous bots, Buddha images |
| day-trips from Bangkok is the 110 km trip to the | | | | and other structures nearby. This area is mostly |
| picturesque Damnoen Saduak Floating Market, | | | | visited either on a day tour from Bangkok, or |
| which is in Ratchaburi province. | | | | sometimes on route to Kanchanaburi. |
| Bangkok is famous for its floating markets. You | | | | Kanchanaburi is home to the River Kwai and its |
| will find them at Ton Khem, and there are others | | | | infamous bridge. The building of the bridge in 1943 |
| at Hia Kui and Khun Phitak. | | | | was part of a wartime project to link existing |
| Organised tours to Damnoen Saduak will probably | | | | Thai and Burmese railway lines to create a direct |
| also include a visit the Rose Garden and the chedi | | | | route from Bangkok, Thailand to Rangoon, Burma |
| at Nakhon Pathom. | | | | (now Myanmar) in an effort to support the |
| The Rose garden is set in large landscaped tropical | | | | Japanese occupation of Burma. |
| gardens but is mostly visited for the 'cultural | | | | Over 100,000 conscripted laborers and 12,000 |
| show' that's put on there - Thai traditional dance, | | | | prisoners of war died during the whole project. |
| Buddhist ordination ceremony, muay thai (Thai | | | | To the northeast of Bangkok in Minburi are both |
| boxing), elephants at work, and takraw (a | | | | the Suwan Siam Water Park and the Safari World |
| common sport in Thailand). | | | | Park. Easy to combine in one day trip, the water |
| Also in the grounds is a luxury riverside resort, | | | | park is set in large landscaped gardens and has |
| thousands of rose bushes and hundreds of exotic | | | | surf, whirlpools, fountains, waterfalls, large water |
| birds. Close to Rose Garden are the Thai Human | | | | slides and flumes. |
| Imagery Museum and the Samphran Elephant | | | | Other family attractions here are children's |
| Park. | | | | playgrounds, colorful aviaries, an open zoo and |
| The human imagery museum is a Thai Madame | | | | botanical gardens. |
| Tussauds with images of famous monks and all | | | | With more than 150 acres, Safari World is the |
| the Chakri dynasty kings. | | | | largest wildlife park in Southeast Asia. There are |
| The Elephant park has a variety of elephant and | | | | almost a hundred different animal species, including |
| crocodile shows ( featuring these animals | | | | giraffes, zebras, elephants, lions and tigers. |
| wrestling, performing in various ways, including | | | | The marine section has trained dolphin shows and |
| tug-of-war). | | | | an aviary section with eagles, macaws and |
| Nakhon Pathom, around 60 km west of Bangkok, | | | | parrots. There are various shows available |
| is a town famous as the reputedly the oldest in | | | | (including dolphins, birds, seals and monkeys). |
| Thailand and the place where Buddhist missionaries | | | | This is best visited on a tour, as the wildlife |
| first entered Thailand from India. It is a typical | | | | section is for vehicles only. Though the park also |
| provincial Thai town with only the gold encrusted | | | | has coaches you can go through on, most taxi |
| Phra Pathom Chedi giving a clue as to its | | | | drivers can be persuaded to take you through it if |
| celebrated past. | | | | pay them a little more for it. The other sections |
| This is a massive 127m high, making it the word's | | | | can be visited on foot. |
| largest Buddhist monument, and the most | | | | |