When walking the buzzing and boiling hot concrete jungle of Bangkok it’s very likely that you’ll be wishing yourself to somewhere green and calm. Though Thailand’s capital is becoming increasingly short on green spaces there are still gardens and parks in the city where you can escape the noise and unforgiving sun. Below we guide you to our favourite green spots in Bangkok.
All places are delicately sourced from our Bangkok city guide – download it for free to your iPhone.
M.R. Kukrit’s Home
M.R. Kukrit’s Home – a place of relaxation
M.R. Kukrit’s Home is a rare and treasured oasis right in the middle of Sathorn, Bangkok’s equivalent to Wall Street. The stunning collection of five teak buildings, all built in the traditional old-age Thai style, are surrounded by a tranquil pond and a luscious green garden – perfect for a quick escape from Bangkok’s hectic traffic and oppressive midday heat.
As well as being a place of quiet relaxation, the five houses within the complex are open to the public, and feature an array of artefacts and exhibits that offer a glimpse into the fascinating life of the late M.R. Kukrit, an influential writer, poet and artist in Thailand.
Where: Soi Prapinit
Tel: +66 2 287 2937
Nearest station: Chong Nonsi BTS
Lumphini Park
Lumphini Park is probably the most loved park in Bangkok
Setting foot onto Bangkok’s Lumphini Park is like stepping into a different world. Bangkok’s hot, smoggy concrete jungle is replaced by lush lawns, a calm lake, families picnicking, runners running, bikers biking, and smiles all around. Sure, the stuffy Bangkok air is still noticeable – it is, after all, perched on the edge of one of Bangkok’s busiest business districts, towered over by high-rise complexes galore – but Lumphini feels clean and green.
The park is busiest when the sun is at its lowest points, in the early morning and evening hours. Lanes for bikers line the perimeter, while patches of outdoor workout gyms provide free exercise.
Where: Lumphini Park
Nearest station: Lumpini MRT
Benjasiri Park
Picnicking and cooling down in Benjasiri Park
Right in the middle of Sukhumvit lies this small oasis. Green grass surrounds the central lake, and big leafy trees offer welcome shade and respite from Bangkok’s unforgiving sun. Despite the constant buzz of activity from exercise groups performing strenuous workouts in the patios or jogging around the paths, Benjasiri Park inexplicably manages to maintain a sort of pervasive calm.
Among individuals sweating it out on the outdoor gym machines, not to mention the circus performers practicing their skills in the gathering dusk, you’re free to eschew physical exertion – and instead recline on a bench with a book.
Where: Benjasiri Park
Nearest station: Phrom Pong BTS
Benjakiti Park
Benjakiti Park is a good place to relax in Bangkok
Just steps from one of Bangkok’s busiest public transport intersections sprawls the vast green expanse of Benjakiti Park. Due to its sheer size, there is a sense of gravity and calm that sets on the enormous boating lake. There is an order to Benjakiti, a welcome relief from the chaos of the buzzing city whose skyscrapers peer over into the glassy waters.
Even the path is separated so that those on foot and those on wheels can enjoy a peaceful tour through the park.
Where: Benjakiti Park
Nearest station: Queen Sirkit Convention Centre MRT
Bang Kra Chao
Bang Kra Chao – Bangkok’s lungs
For a breath of fresh air, take a trip to Bang Kra Chao, a vast expanse of forest, mangroves and orchards where the honking of tuk tuks is replaced by the twittering of birds. You’ll find lots of organised cycling tours taking you from within the city to Bang Kra Chao, and if you’re feeling like a local, you can also go alone by public transportation.
Just a short boat ride across the Chao Phraya river from Klongtoei Port, and you find yourself in Bang Kra Chao – Bangkok’s lungs. Get there on the weekend, and there’s a floating market on the river.
Where: Bang Kra Chao
Nearest station: Klongtoei MRT
Chatuchak Park
Chatuchak Park is one of the most popular parks in Bangkok
This oasis of tropical trees, quaint water features, and open lawns is probably Bangkok’s second favourite park, just behind the beloved Lumphini Park in downtown Sathorn. Most Thais dislike the heat and midday sun, so arrive in Chatuchak Park before dusk, and you’ll have the park almost all to yourself.
After dark, the fitness freaks, families and food vendors all make Chatuchak Park a much livelier – and busier – place to be. And on the weekend, flagging shoppers who slump out of the nearby Chatuchak Market fill the benches for a quick breather.
Where: Chatuchak Park
Nearest station: Mo Chit BTS
Jim Thompson House
Jim Thompson House is a green and artsy place in the heart of Bangkok
Right in the centre of Bangkok you can enter the world of the charismatic and mysterious Jim Thompson – the Silk King. Discover how he revived the dying art of silk making in a country whose customs he knew nothing about, and how he suddenly disappeared in Malaysia.
Charming, chatty guides will take you around the world-famous Jim Thompson House, whose beautiful, interconnected traditional teak Thai buildings – built in the style of ancient Ayutthaya – are a work of art in themselves. Standing on half an acre of land and surrounded by dense, lush green foliage, a visit to the house is like going back in time. You half-expect the dashing American to stroll through the trees in the beautiful and calm garden .
Where: 6 Soi Kasemsan 2, Rama 1 Road
Tel: +66 2 216 7368
Nearest station: National Stadium BTS
