Nakhon Nayok

Nakhon Nayok is Bangkok's weekend adventure playground — close enough for a day trip, green enough to feel like an escape. Khao Yai National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site, technically straddles the border with Nakhon Ratchasima, but the Nakhon Nayok side offers some of the park's most accessible trails and the famous Haew Narok and Haew Suwat waterfalls (the latter featured in "The Beach"). Wild elephants, gibbons, and hornbills are regularly spotted.

Outside the national park, the province is a hub for outdoor activities: white-water rafting on the Nakhon Nayok River, paintball, ATV courses, and reservoir kayaking at Khun Dan Prakan Chon Dam — the longest compacted concrete dam in the world. Sarika Waterfall, a nine-tiered cascade near the town, is a popular local swimming spot. Wang Takrai Park is a quieter botanical garden with water features and picnic areas. The whole province runs on weekend tourism from Bangkok, so midweek visits are noticeably quieter.