World-class street food, rich culture, the heat and a sprawling metropolis all spring to mind for a newcomer to Bangkok. Many don’t realise the green spaces the city has to offer, which are all easily accessible even if living in the thick of it.
These public spaces are much loved by Bangkokians who descend typically early morning and late afternoon to get their outdoor fix and often a chosen destination for exercise.
Nowhere is this more apparent than Lumphini Park, which is considered Bangkok’s prize park. Walkers, joggers and keen cycling enthusiasts frequent the circuit around the park, and in the early evening pop-up aerobic workouts spring up to throngs of music for participants to embrace in a high spirited communal workout.
There is also plenty of space to sit under the shade of a tree, pedalos to explore its lakes and plenty of monitor lizards to spot. Those wanting to live near what is dubbed as Bangkok’s version of New York’s Central Park should opt to live in nearby Silom, Sathon, Rama IV and the Lumphini area itself which includes Ratchadamri, Langsuan and Wireless Roads.
North of the city centre is Chatuchak Park positioned next to Bangkok’s famous Chatuchak Weekend Market. The Chatuchak area itself has become an increasingly popular place to live thanks to an overspill of neighbouring hipster Ari and Saphan Khwai, not to mention the extension of the mass transit lines in this direction.
However, the other appeal is its more laid back persona that is home to independent shops, restaurants and businesses not to mention that housing budgets typically go further here.
Chatuchak Park and neighbouring Queen Sikrit Park that is perfectly manicured with flowers and shrubbery, provide a perfect escape from city life. There is a butterfly park to discover and somewhere to hire bikes to whizz around the park and over its bridges. These are also both popular picnic destinations.
Throbbing Sukhumvit continues to retain its status as the most sought after locale to live in thanks to its wealth of conveniences from shops, restaurants, schools, hospitals, infrastructure and entertainment. However, Sukhumvit is not all about urban life thanks to Benjakiti Park just south of Asoke and Benjasiri Park next to Phrom Phong BTS station.
Benjakiti Park is marked by its vast lake framed by towering skyscrapers. This park is so expansive that those living around Nana, Asoke and even Rama IV have easy access to it for those wanting to clock up some laps around the lake or just enjoy the pretty greenery.
Benjasiri is probably your more typical park set up also around a lake. Just like Lumphini, there is regular group exercise, is popular amongst runners and a good children’s play area.
The last, and newest, park to Bangkok is Chulalongkorn University Centenary Park closeby to Chula University but also accessible from Siam and Silom. Its clever design stores about one million gallons of rainwater during the wet season giving it a dual purpose other to be enjoyed by its visitors. There is also an amphitheatre, playground and lawn.
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