Ancient City (Muang Boran)

Located about thirty-three kilometers (about twenty miles) east of Bangkok, this large outdoor museum was envisioned and built by Lek Viriyaphant, an eccentric Thai millionaire who dreamed of bringing the country’s most significant structures back to life (the old capital of Ayutthaya was practically destroyed in the Burmese invasion of 1767). In this 200-acre park, he oversaw the building of more than 100 structures—some restored old buildings, some new replicas. It has a touch of Disneyland (the grounds, for instance, are roughly the same shape as the old Kingdom of Siam), but the life-size replicas, in particular, are impressive. Few tourists make it out here, so it’s a lovely retreat away from the city’s bustle. You can even rent bicycles to explore the grounds. From central Bangkok, it’s a thirty-minute taxi ride.