Chai Nat

Chai Nat is small, flat, and deeply agricultural — this is the rice bowl of central Thailand, fed by the Chao Phraya River and the Chai Nat Dam, one of the country's major irrigation projects. The dam itself is a pleasant enough spot with a park and fish-feeding area, but the real draw is the Chai Nat Bird Park, one of Thailand's largest aviaries, with over 100 species in a landscaped setting.

Wat Phra Borommathat Worawihan in the town center houses an ancient Dvaravati-era stupa, one of the oldest religious structures in the region. The province is known for rattan and bamboo basket-weaving — workshops in the surrounding villages sell handcrafted goods for next to nothing. Chai Nat works best as a brief stop on a central Thailand road trip between Nakhon Sawan and Sing Buri, offering a glimpse of rural Thai life that hasn't been packaged for tourists.