The latest shopping mall to open in the suburbs of Bangkok is the MEGA Bangna. Reported to have 800 shops and 8,000 parking spaces, they claim to be the biggest low-rise shopping mall in South East Asia. The anchor stores include: Robinson, Big C Extra, HomePro, Mega Cineplex and IKEA. Mega Cineplex includes 15 digital cinemas, 24 bowling lanes, 28 karaoke rooms & 1,000 sq.m ice skate rink. I am not sure if it is the largest mall in SEA, but it is certainly the biggest one in Samut Prakan. And as Suvarnabhumi Airport is about 15 minutes away, it is certainly the most convenient for transit passengers.

Location: Samut Prakan
GPS Coordinates: 13.647426, 100.680256

Asiatique the Riverfront is the largest riverfront shopping venue in Asia. Located on Charoen Krung Road, the shopping venue has a 300-meter stretch facing the Chao Phraya River, with a total of 80,000 square meters of usable space. It is built under the Life Museum concept, taking visitors back to the past, while decorations combine the hints of modern living. The design of Asiatique was influenced by the architectural style during the reign of His Majesty King Rama V, indicating the rise of the era in the past. Charoen Krung was the main trading venue in that period.

More information: ASIATIQUE The Riverfront is the new Suan Lum Night Bazaar

Location: Bangkok
GPS Coordinates: 13.704059697653, 100.50287320503

Our first stop was to Sian Chang Market (A). I had never visited this one before. I found it in a Thai guidebook and thought that I would check it out. Unfortunately, many of the shops are empty and so it is not really worth a look. It is next to the Pang Chang Elephant Camp (B), which is in turn next to Ayothaya Floating Market (C). I guess Sian Chang is not successful as it is so close to the floating market. Elephant rides at Pang Chang in Ayutthaya are expensive: 2 hours 2,500B, 1 hour 1,300B, 30 mins 700B + free picture. You can also have your picture taken with a chained tiger for 100 Baht if you so wish. In my opinion, Ayothaya Floating Market is the only place here worth visiting. A large range of food and hand-crafted souvenirs can be bought here. I visit often. Another new place for me was the Million Toy Museum (D) which is to the Northwest of the old city. A private collector here has brought together countless thousands of toys from Thailand and around the world. Some date back 150 years. A good place to re-live your childhood.

To the North of the city is the Elephant Kraal Pavilion (E). This dates back to the period when Ayutthaya used to be the capital of Thailand. However, it was extensively renovated in 1988 so it is doubtful much of what you see is original. Elephants used to be herded here where they used to be inspected by kings. There are no regular events here but they sometimes put on a show on special occasions. Next door is the Elephant Homestay (F). If you love elephants and you want to get to know them, then this is a unique opportunity to get close with the elephants with a three-day homestay programme. When you arrive, you are given one of the elephants to look after. This involves cleaning up after them, feeding them and washing them in the nearby river. You can also go on elephant rides. More information and prices on their website.

One of the places that I have often visited in Ayutthaya is the Reclining Buddha at Wat Lokayasutha (G). During the floods towards the end of 2011, this Buddha image was under nearly 3 meters of water. I remember seeing an iconic picture of a fisherman on a boat in front of the reclining Buddha. Ask anyone about what food souvenirs you should buy in Ayutthaya and they will most likely tell you to visit Roti Sai Mai Road (H).  This is actually U-Thong road but it is famous for all the roti shops. It is kind of a candy floss wrapped in a think pancake. If you like to eat freshwater shrimp, then I am told that the best place to eat is at Rim Nam Restaurant (I) on the main highway just to the north of the city. Our last stop was at another new market for me. This was Kong Khong Market, which is to the south of the city in Bang Pa-in District. It is open Friday to Sunday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. It is a good market but I don’t think it is worth a special trip.

GPS Coordinates:

A – Sian Chang Market @14.36102,100.59285
B – Pang Chang @14.360677011506,100.59301093254
C – Ayothaya Floating Market @14.358730701036,100.59332569577
D – Million Toy Museum @14.360373,100.552834
E – Elephant Kraal @14.376788439663,100.56908769312
F – Elephant Homestay @14.378711108645,100.56977433862
G – Reclining Buddha @14.355425209351,100.55247576323
H – Roti Sai Mai Road @14.343986,100.562729
I – Rim Nam Restaurant @14.370748,100.612602
J – Kong Khong Market @14.283825,100.576256

Sanam Luang (สนามหลวง) is an open field and public square in front of Wat Phra Kaew and the Grand Palace, Bangkok, Thailand. Since the time of King Rama I, it was the place for royal ceremonies and functions. The Fine Arts Department has listed Sanam Luang as a historical site in 1977.

A relatively new floating market near Bangkok is Bang Nampheung Floating Market in Samut Prakan Province. It is built along a canal that flows into the Chao Phraya River. It is a good place to buy food and local handicraft. You can also rent out boats to go for a paddle on the canal. It is a weekend market that closes by mid-afternoon. Best to go early to avoid the crowds.

How To Get There: If you are not driving, there are two ways to go by boat. Take Skytrain to BTS Bang Na and then walk back towards the intersection. Turn left here and you will find songtaews to take you to the end of the road where there is a pier at Wat Bang Na Nok. Four Baht to cross and then a 10 Baht motorcycle ride to the market. If it is easier for you to get to the pier at Khlong Toei, then cross here for five Baht and then a 50 Baht motorcycle ride to the market.

It is not that easy to reach Bangkok Tree House (A). You certainly cannot just hail a taxi. That is because it is in the middle of a jungle that is only accessible by raised paths. Ideal for walking and cycling, but certainly not big enough for cars. The area around the Tree House is often called the Green Lungs of Bangkok. If you study a satellite image, you will see that all of this area is indeed green, which is in stark contrast to the concrete of Bangkok on the other side of the river. I parked my car at nearby Wat Bang Nampheung Nok. From this temple it is only a 300 meter walk to the tree house. If you don’t have your own transport, you can catch a river ferry from Wat Bang Na Nok to this temple. The green hotel has only recently been finished, and so it is more green in the way it is run, then the way it looks. But, within a few months, most of those bamboo poles will be covered in green plants. Some of which you can eat if you feel so inclined. Visit their Facebook and website for more information.

The eco-friendly Tree House is a great place to come and relax. It was very tempting just to stay there all day and enjoy the nature or watch the rice barges pass by in front of me. But, if you are feeling a bit energetic, you can also borrow one of their bicycles to go off exploring. Nearby is the popular Bang Nampheung Floating Market (B). It is open only at the weekend from early morning until about mid-afternoon. If you are a foodie then you have a real treat in store. They have such a wide selection of meals and snacks that I could easily have eaten here all day. There are also locally made handicraft at the market. Next, you could set off exploring the area on raised pathways (C). There are many of these which you won’t find on any map. Some are dead ends but most connect small communities. I was cycling around for most of the day and I hardly rode on the main road. To the south of here is the Mon Cultural Museum (D). It is beneath the mega bridges which are called Bhumipol 1 and Bhumipol 2. The museum tells the story and culture of the local Mon people. There is also a display on the building of the bridges. The museum is open Friday to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. It is free to enter and the displays are in English and Thai.

To the north of this area is Bang Kachao sub-district. Here you will find Si Nakhon Khuen Khan Park (E). From the Treehouse it only took me about 35 minutes to ride here along the elevated pathways (see map of my route). This is like an oasis within an area that is already very green. Popular with birdwatchers and kids who want to play on rented boats. Quite a few of the bicycle tour companies in Bangkok bring their foreign guests through this park. The park is open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Nearby is the Siamese Fighting Fish Gallery (F). It is only open at the weekend from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. It is free to look at the fish and walk around the grounds. But don’t go expecting to actually see a fight! Near here there is a pier (G) which brings people across the river from Khlong Toei. Boat costs 5 Baht. At the pier on this side you can rent bicycles for 50 Baht for one hour or 100 Baht for all day. Make sure that you check the tyres and brakes before you rent.

GPS Coordinates:

A Bangkok Tree House @13.680496,100.584839
B Bang Nam Pheung Floating Market @13.680458,100.575859
C Elevated Pathways @13.679431,100.580939
D Mon Cultural Museum @13.665666,100.537117
E Si Nakhon Khuen Khan Park @13.697104,100.564674
F Siamese Fighting Fish Gallery @13.699908,100.562561
G Pier @13.704140957019,100.56278833862

I started at the largest of the parks which is called Lumpini Park (A). It is close to the Silom business district. There is easy access here by MRT but you can only take your bike on the subway if it’s foldable. As you can see from these pictures, they have a bicycle route marked out around the park. You must keep to this. Be careful of joggers and people not looking where they are going like this little kid. You can only cycle in this park from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Exit the park in the North-East corner and then turn left. A short distance away there are steps that take you up to an elevated bike track (B) that goes across the city. Unlike normal pedestrian bridges, the steps here had a smooth track to run your bike up and down. But, you should walk and not ride as they are very steep. There were three of these major bridges. One of them went over the expressway. The last stretch is along a very smelly canal.

When I came out, I turned right and then left and went through a small community and out onto the main road. Here I turned right and a short distance away was the side gate for Benjakitti Park (C). I entered through the North-East corner. This one is not as big but for much of the route around the large lake, there is a dedicated cycle track that is only for bicycles. However, on the Western side you need to look out for pedestrians. In this park you can also rent bicycles. If you want peace and quiet then spend longer here. Again, this park has easy access by MRT.

View larger map

This is the live map that people were following during my trip this morning. I had already done several laps before I turned on the tracking device. The ride time (one lap of each park) was 19 minutes and 55 seconds. Average speed was 19.71 km/h. Total distance was 6.55 km

After all the cycling during the morning I was really hungry and decided to go and check out the Firehouse on Sukhumwit 11. There has been quite a bit of buzz on social media about their burgers. As I didn’t have any breakfast (and won’t have any dinner tonight) I had two meals. First the Breakfast Burger and then the Fish and Chips. Both were excellent though I preferred the latter. The burger was a bit too juicy which was making a mess. Very difficult to eat. I had to resort to eating with a knife and fork. But, still good.

GPS Coordinates:

Lumpini Park A – 13.730818,100.541586
Shortcut Bicycle Track B – 13.733872,100.552851
Benjakitti Park C – 13.729599134785,100.55765726718
Firehouse Pub & Restaurant D – 13.745020632388,100.55626234722

Our first stop was to Wat Saman Rattanaram (A) where you can see a giant Reclining Ganesha. This is said to be the biggest in Thailand if not the world. It is 16 meters high and 22 meters long. Ganesha is a Hindu deity and has an elephant head and four arms. Images of Ganesha are widely seen across India and Nepal. There are thirty two popular iconographic forms of Ganesha and all of them can be seen around the base of this Reclining Ganesha. At the same temple there is also a floating market which has plenty of stalls selling a variety of food. You can also join boat tours. There is enough to do at this temple to spend a morning. So take your time.

You cannot visit Chachoengsao without stopping by at Wat Sothorn Waramram Woraviharn (B). This is alongside the Bang Pakong River and houses the highly revered Luang Pho Sathorn Buddha image. The temple dates back to the Ayutthaya period, but the building of main interest now is the recently finished wihan. This is believed to be the biggest of its kind in Thailand. It is very unlike any Thai temple that I have seen as it has many Western influences. We drove back to Bangkok along the road to Latkrabang. On the border between Chachoengsao and Samut Prakan there is an old riverside market called Khlong Suan 100 Year Market (C). We were there at about 3 p.m. It was still open but best to go in the morning as it looked like some stalls were getting ready to close. As well as plenty of food to buy and eat, you can join boat tours to a local temple at the weekend.

GPS Coordinates:

Wat Samanratanaram A – 13.701759,101.141167
Wat Sothon Wararam Worawihan B – 13.67328,101.067277
Klong Suan Riverside Market C – 13.661948453347888,100.95641076564789

The bicycle tour started under the Memorial Bridge (A). There are bicycles here that you can borrow for free seven days a week. Just show your passport. A short distance away is Santa Cruz Church (B). This catholic church dates back to 1769. A bit further we passed this old wooden house (C) full of character. Although it looks like it is in relatively good condition, it does seem deserted as the shutters are all closed. This whole stretch of waterfront (D) has this really good cycle path.

A short distance from the church is Kian An Keng (E) which is a Chinese Shrine. Within this old community you will find people of all religions. There are also mosques. Like at Ton Son Mosque (F) where they have a graveyard containing bodies of people that fought in the wars with King Taksin. Nearby is Wat Hongrattanaram (G) which was built during the Ayutthaya period. There is also a shrine here for King Taksin. Back towards the river is Wat Kalayanamit (H) which has a massive seated Buddha as well as the what is believed to be the largest bronze bell in Thailand.

Another Chinese shrine in the area is Kuan Yu Shrine (I) which has a history dating back more than 270 years. Nearby is the Princess Mother Memorial Park (J). This is dedicated to the mother of the present King of Thailand. She was born in this area and in the park you will find a small museum dedicated to her life. The last two temples that I visited were Wat Phitchaya Yatikaram Worawihan (K) and Wat Prayurawongsawas (L).

GPS Coordinates:

Memorial Bridge (A – 13.738408312462,100.49729174603)
Santa Cruz Church (B – 13.739217858942,100.49395472884)
Oold wooden house (C – 13.739858801812,100.49352021098)
Waterfront Path (D – 13.740134979906,100.49318225264)
Kian An Keng (E – 13.740218639883,100.49272107606)
Ton Son Mosque (F – 13.740041647262,100.4886437877)
Wat Hongrattanaram (G – 13.738869190378,100.48805906613)
Wat Kalayanamit (H – 13.739943,100.491509)
Kuan Yu Shrine (I – 13.737449109647,100.50013461839)
Princess Mother Memorial Park (J – 13.736584088011,100.49947479497)
Wat Phitchaya Yatikaram Worawihan (K – 13.732759,100.497123)
Wat Prayurawongsawas (L – 13.737230236394,100.49575981349)

One of the latest major tourist attractions to open in Thailand is the “Dragon Descendants Museum” in Suphanburi Province. Like the Erawan Museum in Samut Prakan that is shaped like a three-headed elephant, this museum is also a “Wonder of Thailand”. One of those rare places where perhaps the building itself is more interesting and beautiful than the artifacts it holds within. In the case of this museum, the building is in the shape of a giant dragon. It dominates the landscape as you drive towards the city pillar shrine. The brightly coloured dragon, which is made of fiberglass, is 135 meters long and 35 meters high. It is 18 meters wide.

Location: Suphanburi
GPS Coordinates: 14.478429, 100.111638