Cycling Central Thailand

Day 1: Bangkok - Samut Songkran - Kanchanaburi

Starting in Bangkok we drive south to start our bicycle exploration of the Mae Klong Delta area at Damnoen Nam Saduak floating market, the biggest and most colourful in Thailand and a must for any visitor. Purchase just about anything from the vast array of “shops” on the river. We then embark on a long-tail boat and cruise through a maze of canals cutting through local villages and various plantations. Arriving at a riverside temple, you can visit the temple before we start riding through coconut and aloe vera plantations as well as fruit orchards. Riding quiet back roads we stop to visit temples, including a few quirky ones, and appreciate the countryside. Depending on the season, you will see lychee, pomelo, guava and coconuts ripe for picking. We lunch at a riverside restaurant and continue cycling for 13 km on picturesque trails through lush vegetation. We then transfer 1.5 hours to Kanchanaburi for our first overnight stop.

Day 2: Kanchanabur

After a leisurely breakfast we visit the local sites – the war museum and cemetery and the famous Bridge Over the River Kwai. We then board the local train for a stunning ride on the Death Railway. After lunch at Kraset caves we start biking along some great trails, passing by some teak plantations and small Thai villages, on our way to Wat Prasat Muang Sing. This historical site covering some 74 hectares is believed to have been used by the Khmer empire as a trading point along the Kwai Noi River. We ride around the park and visit the museum before packing up the bikes and driving the short way to our riverside hotel.

Day 3: Kanchanaburi - Ayutthaya

After breakfast at the hotel we have a chance to further explore this very scenic province. We will ride from the hotel and head off on quiet country trails. We pass small communities and finish our ride by crossing over a wooden suspension bridge, on our way to Sai Yok Noi Waterfall. We have time for a swim in the waterfall before having lunch. In the afternoon we drive via Suphanburi to the former capital city of Siam, Ayutthaya, which is located approximately 80 kilometers to the north of Bangkok. The ancient city of Ayutthaya is known as the "Venice of the East" and is situated on the banks of the Chao Phraya River. Dinner is on your own tonight but the guide will be happy to give you some recommendations.

Day 4: Ayutthaya - Bang Pa In - Bangkok

Today we offer an optional early-morning (6 am!) tour to visit the local temple and make merit by donating food to the monks, a traditional practice for Thai Buddhists which can also be a meaningful experience for non Buddhists. We then return to the hotel for breakfast. Our tour today gives us a glimpse into the glory of the Ayutthaya Empire (1350-1767A.D.) by visiting the many remains of temples. The first visit of the day is by van to Wat Yai Chai Mongkol. This welltended temple was founded by King U-Thong in 1357 as a center for monks returning from study in Sri Lanka. We then transfer a short way to Wat Phra Mahathat to photograph the famous Buddha head entwined in tree roots before we ride our bikes to Wat Phra Sri Sanphet, the old palace, and Wat Chai Wattanaram. We leave the temples behind and head into the countryside on small back roads that follow the Chao Phraya river to Bang-Pa In, the former summer palace of King Chulalongkorn. Here we have lunch and visit the palace before heading back to Bangkok.