A Day Out in the Green Lung

Just a hop, skip and a jump from my place, actually more of a motorbike, BTS ride, taxi and boat journey to be exact, is Bang Krachao, otherwise known as the green lung of Bangkok. It’s a conservation area located in Phra Pradaeng district, so close to the city but it seems like a world away. There are no commercial businesses so the air is clean, imagine that in Bangkok, and, together with its lung shape, you can see where the name came from.

It’s a great way to spend a day away from the pollution, noise and chaos of the city. There are orchards, gardens, and forests to explore and you can do that by hiring a bicycle, which is what my friend and I did.

We got to Bang Na pier and took the regular boat service across the river, all of about 4 baht.

We hired a bicycle, a steal at 80 baht per day, and started exploring. The first place we went to was Bang Nampueng floating market, not so much a floating market, like the more touristy Damnoen Saduak, this one is more like a riverside market, where you can try traditional Thai food, sweets and fruit. There are also stalls selling clothes, DVDs and other things that you would normally find at these sort of places. There are plenty of places to stop and enjoy the charming atmosphere too. It was nice wandering around, but it wasn’t the market I wanted to see.

We got back on our bikes and cycled all the way to the Bhumibol Bridge, which I had seen from afar, but I wanted to see it up close. The bridge is part of the Industrial Ring Road, 13 km long, connecting Bangkok with Samut Prakan. I love a good bridge and this one didn’t disappoint, even from below, where we were standing, the cable-stayed spans and the diamond-shaped towers loomed above us. The bridge is really quite striking.

Bridge-fetish satisfied, we cycled onwards thinking that if we continued in the direction we were going, we would eventually end up back in the middle of Bang Krachao. Wrong! We cycled another 5 km or so before realising we had no real clue where we were, so we thought it would be best if we turned round and went back in the direction we had come from. It was fun though, we found ourselves cycling down unknown roads and narrow lanes, stopping along the way to have lunch, take photographs and check the map. I think the people we passed thought we were mad, particularly when we passed them again in an attempt to look like we knew where we were going!

Eventually, we made it back and cycled to Sri Nakhon Khuankhan Botanical Gardens. It is really pretty, with tropical trees, flowers, a large pond and several walking and cycling paths. Many people go there to enjoy the nature and relaxed surroundings.

Once we got back to the pier, we clocked up how many kilometres we had cycled, a, not too shabby, 50 or so. We were so tired, what with the heat and the cycling around all day, but it was a fabulous day out and one to be repeated sometime soon.

Merry Christmas! I hope everyone has a fantastic time with your families and friends. Enjoy each other 🙂