Thailand forum

On the subject of your OW course, you may find it cheaper to do the whole course on Ko Tao and certainly the diving will be better. Also, you shouldn't fly until a min of 24 hours (ideally longer) after your last dive. so check you flight times vs your last dive.

Sukhothai is a much better place than Ayutthay; the ruins are more and better preserved. A full day would do it to see the main park, but there are other ruins further afield. (We spent several days there).

If you are at a lose end on the last few days around Bangkok try and fit in Kanchanburi (bridge on the river Kwai) it's less then two hours by bus and minibus' run from there directly to BKK airport so you don't need to return to the city. If you prefer the bar scene then Pattaya is also a short hop from Bangkok.

Have fun!

srk

I also support the thrust offered by Mike re: Sukhothai & Kanchanaburi .

The Sukhothai area includes options other than ruins (though that's the central reason people go tere), so 2 days may be better.

As for Kanchanaburi / Pattaya...

Pattaya is now largely a rund own seaside location, and unless you want girly bars and all that that image conjures up, I suggest you think in other directions.

For mine, Kanchanaburi is a most important site for westerners to understand one aspect of the brutality of war. But, the waterfalls are great. And, you can combine the trip there by visiting the early morning floating market (along the way).

If you go, please try and visit Hellfire Pass. It's really an eye-opener. Also, go read:

http://www.travelfish.org/feature/121

Cheers

srko
I wouldn't write Bangkok off too quickly. I go there often since I live in Thailand and the city has everything and then some.