At the centre of this piece is a pitch-black moment in what was already one of the darkest periods in modern history. However, surrounding it is stunning beauty, great joy, and a country of genuine freedom – Thailand is the only Southeast Asian country never to have been colonised by a Western power, in part because Britain and France agreed in 1896 to make the Chao Phraya valley a buffer state.
Amongst biking, hiking, kayaking, and, most relevantly, railing across Thailand, there will be a moment to reflect – it’s what’s brought me here, after all. The Narrow Road to the Deep North won the 2014 Booker Prize, and has now been turned into a miniseries for the BBC. It tells the story of an Australian doctor haunted by his experiences as a Japanese prisoner of war during the construction of the Burma Railway. Myanmar – formerly Burma – is inaccessible currently due to a lengthy civil war (and, since the writing of this piece, was the site of a devastating earthquake in March 2025), but the ‘Death Railway’ crossed into Thailand too.
Beautiful panoramic sunset view of the skyline of Bangkok, Bang Rak and Sathon district, Thailand, along the Chao Phraya riverGetty Images
This is going to be a physically demanding trip. G Adventures ranks ‘Hike, Bike, and Kayak’ as a three on the difficulty scale – ‘Average’, apparently, which sounds okay until you realise that two steps away, at five, you’re trekking to Everest’s base camp. Therefore, I am bookending my adventure with some indulgence. I shake off my sleepless flight in the splendour of Sofitel Bangkok Sukhumvit, tucked into a neighbourhood crammed with mega-malls, overpasses, neon signs, bargain tailors, frenetic traffic, and street food. My luxurious 17th-floor room gives striking views over the cityscape with its lazy, heavy sunset, and access to Club Millésime, a members-only lounge on the 31st floor offering a la carte breakfast, afternoon tea, and a cocktail hour, enhancing my stay. This is all very sophisticated and a million miles away from the jungles, homestays and sleeper trains I will find myself in over the next fortnight.
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