6 Days: Bangkok and Thailand Escapes
Six days keeps the full spine from days 1 through 5, Ayutthaya, the floating markets, Kanchanaburi, Ancient City, Pattaya, and adds a sixth day at Amphawa, the more local floating market that only runs Friday through Sunday. Plan this version around an actual weekend or the sixth day won’t work. Need fewer days? Back up to 2 through 5 . Want every day trip in the family? Go to 7 days .
Book these before you go
- Ayutthaya day tour: browse Viator
- Damnoen Saduak plus Maeklong combo: check GetYourGuide
- Kanchanaburi Death Railway tour: compare GetYourGuide
- An Amphawa evening market and firefly boat tour: search current listings on GetYourGuide
| Day | Focus | Distance / travel time |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Ayutthaya, the ruined former capital | ~80km, 1.5h |
| Day 2 | Damnoen Saduak floating market plus Maeklong Railway Market | 1.5-2h SW |
| Day 3 | Kanchanaburi, the Bridge on the River Kwai and the Death Railway | 2-3h W, a long day |
| Day 4 | Ancient City (Muang Boran), replica landmarks park | under 1h SE, a half day |
| Day 5 | Pattaya, beach resort and nightlife | ~147km, 1.5-2h SE |
| Day 6 | Amphawa floating market and firefly boats (weekends only) | 1.5-2h SW |
Day 1: Ayutthaya
- Third-class ordinary train, 15-20 THB, about 2 hours 10 minutes, cash only. The new BNEX commuter service starts August 1, 2026 from Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal, 30-50 THB during its opening promo, check railway.co.th
- Free park entry, 50 THB per temple or 220 THB combo pass for four-plus sites
- Wat Mahathat and Wat Chaiwatthanaram are the two essential stops
- Guided day tour around $30 with lunch, UNESCO listing here
Day 2: Floating Markets and the Railway Market
- Damnoen Saduak before 9am beats the crowds, no entrance fee, boat ride costs extra
- Maeklong Railway Market about 20 minutes on, awning-retracting act roughly eight times a day
- Combined tour on GetYourGuide , $25-53 for both
Day 3: Kanchanaburi and the Death Railway
- 2-3 hours west, or a DIY train for about 100 THB one-way
- The Bridge over the River Kwai, the Death Railway, and the Kanchanaburi War Cemetery
- Guided tours $70-210, book on Viator
Day 4: Ancient City (Muang Boran)
- Under an hour southeast, 800 THB foreign adult admission, open 9am-7pm, official ticket page here
- A rental bike or the on-site tram beats walking the 200-plus acres
Day 5: Pattaya
- 147km southeast, 1.5-2 hours by car, split identity between family resorts and nightlife
- The drive plus Pattaya’s own sprawl eats most of a day round trip
Day 6: Amphawa Floating Market
- Amphawa runs weekends only, Friday through Sunday, roughly 2pm-9pm, similar distance to Damnoen Saduak but a genuinely more local scene
- Seafood grilled canalside, plus the pick of the whole family for firefly-spotting boat rides after dark, better odds in the rainier months roughly May through October
- Search current Amphawa evening tours on GetYourGuide , most bundle the market and the firefly boat into one evening
Damnoen Saduak on day 2 and Amphawa on day 6, isn’t that repetitive? Not really, they’re different trips despite both being floating markets. Damnoen Saduak is a daily morning market built for efficient sightseeing, Amphawa is a weekend evening market built for lingering, eating canalside and riding out after dark for the fireflies. Doing both across a six-day trip shows the touristy version and the local version back to back.
A Few Things Worth Knowing
- Grab covers ride-hailing across all six days, Uber isn’t in Thailand
- Confirm your Amphawa day actually lands on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday when you build this itinerary, everything else on this list runs daily
- Check Thailand’s current visa-exemption rules for your nationality before booking, the policy is mid-change in 2026
Build day 6 around the calendar first, then fill the other five days around it, Amphawa is the only stop on this whole list that won’t wait for you if you get the day of the week wrong.