Ancient sites in Thailand off the beaten path.
What are some less-touristed ancient sites in Thailand, for travelers seeking beautiful places with fewer crowds? Answer
Options include Chiang Saen, an ancient walled city on the Mekong River; Phanom Dong Rak, a Surin district home to Khmer temple ruins; and Sukhothai, a historical park preserving an early Thai state capital. This page includes 10 options. Click here to see which are close enough to be day trips from major cities like Bangkok.
Chiang Saen
Ancient walled city on the Mekong River in northern Thailand's Chiang Rai province, Chiang Saen was founded in the 14th century as a Lanna Kingdom stronghold…
Si Satchanalai
Si Satchanalai, in the northern part of Thailand's Sukhothai province, is home to a historical park and a national park, with the wider region recognised as…
Sukhothai
Sukhothai Historical Park preserves the ruins of a city that served as capital of one of the earliest major Thai states, flourishing through the 13th and 14t…
Uthumphon Phisai
Ancient sandstone and brick temple ruins in warm golden light share the landscape with an ornately decorated Thai shrine, making this Sisaket district town a…
Phanom Dong Rak
This district in Surin province, northeastern Thailand, is home to the Ta Mueang Historical Park, a cluster of Khmer temple ruins that includes Ta Mueang, Ta…
Lopburi
Lopburi is a historic Thai town northeast of Bangkok, known for its concentration of ancient monuments and ruins spread across a compact centre.
Nakhon Si Thammarat
One of Thailand's most ancient cities, Nakhon Si Thammarat served as the administrative centre of the south for much of its history and was once the Kingdom…
Kamphaeng Phet
This central Thailand town on the Ping River whose historical park — containing ruins of 14th- to 16th-century temples, city fortifications, and Buddha statu…
Non Din Daeng
A district in Buriram province, northeastern Thailand, Non Din Daeng draws visitors to the Lam Nang Rong reservoir, the Nong Hong castle ruins, and the Dong…
Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya
The ruins of the Ayutthaya Historical Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, spread across this island town at the confluence of the Chao Phraya and Pa Sak rive…
Ancient sites in Thailand: quick answers
Which ancient sites in Thailand can you visit on a day trip from Bangkok?
Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya and Lopburi are among 2 ancient sites on our day trips from Bangkok.
Which are the highest-rated?
6 are rated gold, including Chiang Saen, Kamphaeng Phet, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya and Nakhon Si Thammarat.
Which can you reach by train?
3 of the 10 have a railway station within a 10-minute drive, including Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, Nakhon Si Thammarat and Lopburi.