Road Tripping From Bangkok

Every year millions of tourists flock to the Kingdom of Thailand, eager to see the Grand Palace, snorkel in the Andaman Sea, or maybe expand their culinary horizons. Well, whether or not they're aware of it, most of these people end up covering the same well-worn tourist trail: Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket, Ko Samui, and Ko Phi Phi. Which isn't to say that these places aren't worth visiting, it's just that there's so much more to this country that you'll never really see from the window seat of a puddle jumper. I made more than a few overland journeys during the months I spent in Thailand, but one of my favorite trips was a drive south from the capital along the Gulf coast to Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park. Over the course of a long weekend, I learned a bit more about the region's history, tried a ton of incredible food at the Amphawa floating market (pla meuk yang anyone?), and documented my stops with a smattering of photographs.