Kanchanaburi and Ayutthaya

The regions of Kanchanaburi and Ayutthaya can often be overlooked by visitors to Thailand but it is these two regions which offer a more cultural and authentic insight into understanding Thailand and its people. Enjoy memorable experiences be it sleeping on a floating villa or off the beaten track in a tented camp overlooking the River Kwai - your stay will be truly unique.

Visit the Hellfire Pass Museum which deals with the construction of the Thai-Burma Railway. A hiking trail leads visitors onto the original path of the railway and to Hellfire Pass itself, an opportunity to reflect and commemorate the Allied prisoners of war and Asian labourers who died there during World War Two.

Ayutthaya is often taken as a day trip from Bangkok, but ideally you need at least two days to admire it in all its glory. This UNESCO city which was founded in the fourteenth century was once a cosmopolitan hub full of merchants who came from all over the world to trade here. Sadly it was attacked and destroyed in 1767 by the Burmese army and what remain today are the ruins of this once dazzling city. Take in the remnants of the gilded temples and palaces at the Ayutthaya Historical Park comprised of four different temples.