Places to Explore

• Ayutthaya

  Ayutthaya and its environs represent an important historical journey that traces Thailand's cultural developments from Buddhist art and architecture to modern government and language. Ayutthaya gets the... (more)

• Bang Pa-In

  This village, a popular stopping point between Bangkok and Ayutthaya, has a few architectural sights of note, a Thai palace, a European-style temple, and a Chinese pagoda. These buildings are set around... (more)

• Lopburi

  One of Thailand's oldest cities, Lopburi has been inhabited since the 4th century. After the 6th century, its influence grew under the Dvaravati rulers, who dominated Northern Thailand until the Khmers... (more)

• Mae Sot

  At Mae Sot, which borders Myanmar to its west, you can find an interesting mix of local Thais, a dominant Burmese workforce, and the Karen refugees who live an ambiguous life in their 10,000-strong community... (more)

• Phitsanulok

  For a brief span in the 14th century, after the decline of Sukhothai and before the rise of Ayutthaya, Phitsanulok was the kingdom's capital. Farther back in history, Phitsanulok was a Khmer outpost called... (more)

• Si Satchanalai

  Si Satchanalai, a sister city to Sukhothai, was governed by a son of Sukhothai's reigning monarch. Despite its secondary position, the city grew to impressive proportions, and no less than 200 of its temples... (more)

• Sukhothai

  Sukhothai, which means "the dawn of happiness," holds a unique place in Thailand's history. Until the 13th century most of Thailand consisted of many small vassal states under the thumb of the Khmer Empire... (more)

• Umphang

  Umphang is Tak Province's largest district. It's landlocked in the Tano Thongchai mountain range, with the high mountains making up 97% of the area; there's only one access road to it from Mae Sot. Dense... (more)