While Bangkok might not be famous for its green spaces, there are still plenty of parks where kids can bike and scooter. Here are 7 of our favourite locations.
Situated in the hectic heart of Asoke, the relatively compact Benjakitti Park ranks as one of the top spots in the city to go biking with the kids. Open for cycling from 6am to 9am and 4pm to 7pm, the park has an artificial lake at its centre surrounded by a 2-kilometre track. Vibrant floral displays dot the tree-lined trail, making it all feel wonderfully removed from the sprawl of the city. You can use your own bikes and scooters, or hire bikes on the premises for 40 baht an hour. Entrance is free.
Rama 9 Park (Suan Luang Ror Kao)
In the northeastern part of the city, Rama 9 Park is officially Bangkok’s largest green space. It features landscaped grounds, luscious gardens and a large lake, beside which is the futuristic-looking Ratchamangkhala Pavilion. It’s a popular spot for runners and cyclists, and less crowded than the city’s more well known parks, making it a blissfully tranquil space for riding bikes and scooters with the kids. There are also lots of zones to explore either on wheels or by foot – including a lotus pond, small hedge maze and special themed gardens. Bring your own riding equipment. Admission is 10 baht per adult (free for kids), and 30 baht for parking per car.
Lumpini Park is Bangkok’s most celebrated park – and it’s easy to see why. The large space is centrally located, filled with old-growth trees, lovely landscaping, shaded walkways and plenty of areas for recreational activities, including boats for hire on the lake in the centre. Cycling is permitted from 10am to 3pm on a counter-clockwise riding path over mostly flat terrain. Bring your own bikes and scooters (or rollerblades/skates), and watch out for the monitor lizards! Entrance is free.
Wachirabenchatat Park (Suan Rot Fai)
Originally a golf course used exclusively by employees of the State Railway, Suan Rot Fai is now a public park and arguably one of Bangkok’s most beautiful green spaces. The 3 kilometre cycling trail, shaded by a canopy of trees and surrounded by fields, is a painted track on a broad asphalt surface; it is ridden in the clockwise direction. You can rent out bicycles, including those with baby seats for 20 to 30 baht, depending on the model. There’s also a butterfly park and a simulated urban setting, with street signals and traffic lights, for kids to practice riding their bikes. Suan Rot Fai is open from 5am to 9pm. Admission is free.
Meaning ‘Buddha’s Sphere’, Phutthamonthon is a vast 4-square kilometre park in Nakorn Pathom province west of Bangkok. Its most prominent feature is a 15.87-metre tall Buddha statue, and it is a place of religious importance (modest dress is recommended). Open to all, this peaceful park features expansive tree-lined biking and walking trails. There are bikes for hire or you can bring your own. It is more suitable for mountain biking, given the rugged, but mostly flat, terrain. The park is known as a training ground for serious cyclists but families are welcome to explore the interconnected trails at their leisure. Phutthamonthon is open from 9am to 6pm; admission is free.
An impressive, privately owned park, Ancient City features 116 of Thailand’s most famous monuments and architectural attractions, often in miniature form. The grounds correspond roughly to the shape of Thailand, with each of the monuments positioned at their correct places geographically. And the best way to see the country’s most important structures is by bicycle! You can rent single or three-speed bikes, some with kids’ seats, but they are rather dated. It’s recommended that you bring your own and pay a nominal fee to cycle round the Kingdom. Open daily from 8am to 5pm, Ancient City charges an admission fee of 350 baht per adult and 175 baht per child (half price from 4pm to 7pm). For expats, bring proof of residency to qualify for this rate.
Opened in May 2015, this bike park is the brainchild of Khun Suwanna Eiampikul, the Sales & Marketing Director of Bertram Chemical (makers of Peppermint Field inhalers and balm) and a cycling advocate. It serves as a place where Bangkok’s urban cycling community could ride safely while developing necessary skills. Price is 200 baht for annual membership; members pay 100 baht from 7am – 5:30pm and 150 baht from 6pm – 10pm (non-members pay 150 baht for day biking and 200 baht for night biking).
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