THAILAND

Officially, the renowned Damnoen Saduak Floating Market – located about 90 minutes from Bangkok and often paired with the Train Market – belongs to the province of Ratchaburi, which borders Myanmar. This province boasts many other treasures, including the Wat Khanon Nang Yai Museum, home to the UNESCO-recognized ancient Thai art of grand shadow puppetry. The museum features impressive cowhide puppets, some reaching up to 2 meters tall.

Another cultural hallmark of Ratchaburi is the iconic ‘Dragon Jars’. These beautifully glazed vessels exemplify a seamless blend of Chinese ancestral wisdom and Thai local artistry, passed down through generations. Travelers can join workshops, visit museums and explore art galleries to gain deeper insights into this enduring craft.

We usually include a visit to Phra Prang Wat Mahathat, which is believed to have been built as a Buddhist Temple in the 10th-11th century and transformed later by following the Khmer model and eventually Ayutthaya’s style.

The province is home to various beautiful natural sites, such as Khao Bin Cave, which extends 300 metres from the entrance and is divided into eight rooms featuring impressive stalactite and stalagmite formations.

Hin Khao Ngu Park, formerly a limestone quarry that has since been flooded with water, is popular among Thai locals and worth a visit, especially when combined with Bat Caves, which is just twenty minutes away. The bats fly every day between 5:30pm and 6:00pm.

Last but not least, we strongly recommend visiting the Oh Poi market, located by a stream that perfectly blends natural & cultural atmospheres. Visitors can experience the simple lifestyle of the Karen people, taste local foods and shop for handmade products from the community. Do not miss the unique ‘Raft Almsgiving’ on Saturday and Sunday mornings.

The market is a model of sustainable practices; food is wrapped in banana leaves (and plastic is banned at the entrance of the market), locals compost food waste and organize recycling workshops.

Guests can stay two nights in Ratchaburi and easily combine it with Nakhon Pathom, Kanchanaburi, Amphawa, Petchaburi and Hua Hin in a 10-day fascinating overland program.