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Bangkok is a polluted, lively stone city with few trees and a climate that treats waterways and parks badly. However, it’s always worth exploring the river (Chao Phraya) there, which is easy, and it’s also worth escaping the traffic pollution and general hustle and bustle in a few better-than-normal parks.

It is noteworthy that Dusit Park, which has traditionally housed a zoo and palace, has been closed since 2018.

Chao Phraya

A wide, long and significant river, called the Chao Phraya, or “River of Kings,” flows through Bangkok . The river begins in northern Thailand and runs 372 kilometers to the Gulf of Siam. In the case of Bangkok, the river is wide and impressive, and almost always in unnecessarily hot Bangkok, its shores are a little cooler and are best explored from the rides of various river boats.

Normal ships are cheap and fast rides that can move well between the Chinese district and the core, for example, while also making it easy to visit Wat Arun. Wat Arun can also be reached by boats crossing the river, which run continuously, but such a ride only takes a couple of minutes.

Normal cruise ships are nice, but they always have an immortal number of people, the seating is hard to get and it’s not good to take pictures of them along the way. So those who spend many days in Bangkok should consider using tourist boats called Chao Phraya Tourist Boat. They also run on canals and move from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. If you want to travel all day, it costs 200 baht, but if you just want to travel some distance, it costs 60 baht. It’s good to take pictures of the ships, they’re almost never crowded and they tour all the important places along the river. You can leave them at any time, go around for the time you want and then get on board again. For a large group it is also possible to rent an entire boat for themselves in charter style. You can read about people’s experiences of tourist boats on TripAdvisor.

You can’t walk along the river banks very well, but in some places you get little view of it without getting on a boat or ship. One great place is the white one near Khao San Road Sumen Fortress(Phra Sumen) of the connected park. It is a nice place even during the dry winter season, there is greenery and a completely different atmosphere than the lively streets surrounding it. Here, as in other parks, the noteworthy thing is that drinking or smoking alcohol is prohibited under the threat of a large fine. From the park you can walk some distance along the riverbank towards Phra Athit Pier, and in between there are a few terrace restaurants where you can enjoy the atmosphere of the river.

Lumphini Park

If you like only one park in Bangkok, there is Lumphini Park the best place to visit. It is a large park on a busy road, with an artificial lake and trees like a light year away from the surrounding blocks. It is easy to reach by metro (station: Si Lom or Lumphini) or BTS train (station: Sala Daeng) and is very open, from 4.30 am until 9.30 pm.

Lumphini takes its name from the birthplace of the Buddha in Nepal (Lumbini), but the park is not a sacred place and there is no Buddhist temple area there. There you can rent a pedal boat or a rowing boat, take part in free or chi classes before seven in the morning and take part in aerobics exercises in the techno’s heartbeat at dusk.

You can get to the park from the station called “Lumphini” when you are at the back of it, but if you come there to the station called “Si Lom” you can see the statue of Rama IV in the square in front of it. Sala Daeng Station is a short walk from the park.

Rommaninat Park

On the outskirts of Banglamphu, between Sam Yot Subway Station and the “big swing”, Rommaninat is a park that is easy to visit. If it’s not quite startlingly hot, you can walk from the Chinatown or along Khao San Road in 20-30 minutes, and it’s located in some of the city’s most diverse and pleasant neighborhoods.

The park has a peaceful atmosphere and is well maintained, but its specialty is that it is the city’s “fitness park”. Both in the mornings and early evenings there it is jogged and especially exercised on its numerous, free devices. There is also a charge gym, which is suitable even for real bodybuilders This is a great place to visit for those who want to freshen up in the relatively fresh air during a busy city break in Bangkok.

Benchasiri Park

If the accommodation is in Sukhumvit or is otherwise visiting there, there is one oasis in this polluted and always insanely lively area called Benchasiri Park [ on the map ]. It is located next to Phrom Phong BTS Air Train Station and is a long walk from the corner of Makkasan Road with Sukhumvit Subway Station. It is somewhat smaller than Lumphini, but in its views and versatility it is much like Bangkok’s most famous park.

The park has an artificial lake, lots of space, rarely crowded and the best atmosphere in the mornings and early evenings. There is a children’s playground, a skating rink and something else that kids and young people love, although Sukhumvit is by no means a good place to stay for families.

The park often has all kinds of performances and events that are nice to watch there. However, its biggest attraction is the swimming pool, but it is only open to members. To become a member, you must bring a passport, two passport photos and 50 baht for the membership fee. Swimming pools lasting two hours or an hour and a half can be taken for 15 baht and are available from 10:30 until 20:00. You can’t go for too big swim pants on your feet, but the safest thing is to bring old-fashioned small swim pants or speedos.