5 Peaceful Spots in Busy Bangkok
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As a huge city with six million residents, Bangkok, Thailand is vibrant and frenetic seemingly 24 hours a day. If you're feeling overwhelmed and need a place to chill out, TPG International Contributor Lori Zaino suggests some quiet spots within the city that are perfect for soothing your jet lag or simply recharging after a day of sightseeing. (All photos are by the author, unless otherwise specified).
Bangkok can be an overwhelming city. It's large and hectic, and I don't blame anyone for wanting to find a spot to get a little peace and quiet. Even the temples, which in many other cities are quiet places for reflection, are touristy and often crowded in Bangkok. So here are five peaceful places in Bangkok that are sure to make anyone fall in love this bustling city!
1. Lumpini Park
Named after the Buddha's birthplace in Nepal, this 142-acre park in the center of Bangkok provides a haven of shade, peace and quiet — and no smoking. Dating back to the 1920s, the sprawling green space has plenty of trees, lakes and flowers, perfect for a peaceful midday stroll.
If you're up for a unique fitness experience, you can pay 50 THB (just over $1) to work out in the vintage outdoor gym.
You'll also find a lake where you can rent small paddle boats for 30 THB (just under $1) per hour. I highly recommend a paddle around the lake for great views of the park that is rimmed by the Bangkok skyline. Look out for the giant monitor lizards that swim or lazily lounge near the water's edge. These huge reptiles aren't particularly aggressive, but you should still avoid getting too close. Also keep an eye out for fish, beetles and giant turtles.
When you get hungry, there are street food vendors just outside the park entrance, and you can sit at the park's picnic tables to chow down on your Pad Thai and enjoy some people-watching. If you're lucky, you'll spot a Tai Chi or fencing class in progress.
Lumpini Park
Address: Rama IV Road, Pathumwan
Hours: 430am-9pm (bicycling only permitted between 10am-3pm)
MRT: Silom, Lumphini, Skytrain: Saladaeng
Asiatique is Bangkok's newest open-air shopping mall and quite possibly the most upscale night market in the city. Opened in 2012, its riverfront complex features more than 40 restaurants, lots of shopping and entertainment and activities — including Sky Asiatique, Bangkok's Ferris wheel.
Once you've shopped the busy, buzzing market to your heart's content, head over to the Sky Asiatique for a tranquil trip up to the clouds. Each gondola offers soft music and breathtaking, 360-degree views of Bangkok and the Chao Praya River. If you want to raise the romance factor, spring for a private gondola. Or, if the wheel isn't too crowded and you and your partner look happy and in love, you just might get your own gondola for free.
Sky Asiatique
Address: 2194 Charoenkrung Road, Wat Prayakrai District, Bangkok Laem
Hours: 5pm-12am
Price: 300 THB ($8) for adults, 200 THB ($5.50) for children and seniors, and 1000 THB ($27) for a private gondola for two
Skytrain: Stephan Taskin — then can catch the free boat (running every 30 minutes between 5pm-11pm) down the river to the market
Formerly known as the Bangkok Rose Gardens and set an hour's drive from the city center, this 70-acre riverside spot prides itself on being more of a community than a tourist attraction. The garden dates back to the 1960s, started by a family that grew roses to sell at Bangkok's Pak Khlong Talat flower market. As word of these beautiful gardens spread, area people began visiting to see it for themselves.
Today, the property consists of a 4-star hotel, spa, six antique Thai houses overlooking a lake, a weekend farmer's market, a 10-acre farm, the Thai Village Cultural Center and, of course, plenty of roses. This serene landscape is a special treat for nature lovers, as there are some 100-year-old-plus trees on the property and several different endemic species of flowers, plants, trees and herbs.
Sampran Riverside Gardens
Address: Pet Kasem Road, Sam Phran, Nakhonpathom
Hours: 8am-6pm, daily
Price: Self-guided garden visits are free, or you can book various tours of the farm and the Thai Cultural Center
4. VIP Blue Ribbon Bangkok Airways Cinema at Siam Paragon
Feel like kicking back and watching a movie on a humid and rainy Bangkok afternoon? How about one complete with a massage, reclining bed/seat, a glass of wine and a VIP lounge?
Start off by enjoying the comfy velvet seating in the Bangkok Airways Blue Ribbon Lounge. Here, you can peruse an iPad and pick out a drink (wine, beer or non-alcoholic) and your choice of snack (anything from ice cream to cake to popcorn). Then, enjoy a 15-minute massage, ensuring that you're sufficiently relaxed enough to enter one of the individual screening rooms to enjoy your movie.
Anyone who loves the seats in the pointy end of the plane will love this theater's wide, cushy leather seats, each of which is trimmed in lacquered wood and comes with a pillow and blanket. Be sure to use that blanket, by the way, and bring a jacket or scarf, as well — the AC here can be really cold.
VIP Blue Ribbon Bangkok Airways Cinema
Opening Hours: 10:30am-12 midnight
Price: 1000-1250 THB (about $28-$30)
Skytrain: Siam
5. The Jim Thompson House & Museum
An American entrepreneur who settled in Bangkok in the 1950s, Jim Thompson's successful Thai silk company funded his construction of an elegant, graceful complex of houses that's now known as the Jim Thompson House & Museum. He lived here until 1969, when he took a trip to Malaysia with friends and mysteriously disappeared.
These days, the home's six traditional Thai houses, surrounded by jungle foliage, koi ponds and flowers, are open to the public. The property's traditional Thai teakwood buildings feature ornate carvings and arched ceilings, and house an extensive collection of art and antiques. Rest your mind and body in any one of the garden pavilions, and enjoy the sensation of being very far from home.
Jim Thompson House & Museum
Address: 6 Soi Kasemsan 2, Rama 1 Road, Bangkok
Hours: Open 9am-6pm, daily
Price: 150 THB ($4) adults, 100 ($3) THB for ages 22 and under (with ID)
Skytrain: National Stadium
Still stressed? Visit one of Bangkok's Infinity Spa for a rejuvenating Thai massage or kick back with a cocktail at one of the city's famous rooftop bars, such as under-the-radar Cloud 47
Helpful Hint: Credit cards such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card and Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card don’t charge foreign transaction fees, making them ideal to use on overseas vacations. To see more cards without these fees, check out Top Credit Cards With No Foreign Transaction Fees.
For more on Bangkok, check out these posts:
Destination of the Week: Bangkok
TPG's own trip to Bangkok back in 2012
Hotel reviews of the W Bangkok, the Royal Orchid Sheraton and the Mandarin Oriental Bangkok
5 Reasons Why I Love Bangkok Airways
12 Tips For Your First Trip To Southeast Asia
Have you got the perfect chill-out spot in Bangkok? Please share it!
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- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
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Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.