Tour
Total tour distance: 15 miles
Daily tour distance: 15 miles
Difficulty: 20 / 100
Description
Just across the Chao Phraya River, a short hop from busy Sukhumvit, is an extraordinary place known to the locals as Bang Kra Jao. This amazing wilderness in Bangkok can only be reached by boat as no bridges span this part of the river, and incredibly it has been left untouched by developers.
Crossing the river is like taking a journey back in time. You will find a peaceful place with lush vegetation, a maze of waterways, small villages, temples and real tropical jungle. If it wasn't for Bangkok's skyline, you would never believe you were so close to the city. And, there is no traffic!
What do we see?
We ride through the local communities, temples and schools. We continue on to a delightful floating market (open weekends only) and have a snack break at a river pier across from Thailand's naval academy. Next we visit a fascinating temple, built in the Ayutthaya period, that is more than 250 years old. It has a unique roof made of teak wood and windows and shutters are painted in ancient Mon-style, and the grand Buddha image was brought to the site by the Mons. We then cycle on to the relaxing Sri Narkon park and feed the fish in the pavilion that was built for Princess Sirinthorn's visit.
What is the riding like?
The ride starts on Sukhumvit Road and there is a short section in the city before we cross the river. We then ride along very minor roads, pathways, through alleys, temples, gardens and tropical jungle. There are no hills. Some of the canal paths are elevated and quite narrow and we advise caution on these sections. If you are terrified of heights or otherwise unstable while riding a bike you might want to reconsider before booking this tour. Otherwise, it is a nice and easy ride!
Of course, water, soft drinks and snacks are all included all day and SpiceRoads supplies a city bike and helmet.
Meeting Point
We meet outside Flow House in A-Square between Sukhumvit Soi 24 and 26. If taking the BTS you need to get off at Phromphong, use exit 4 and walk straight to Sukhumvit Soi 26. Here you can take a motorcycle taxi or a regular taxi to A-Square. We don't recommend walking from the BTS as it is 1.5 kilometre to Flow House. For a meeting point map - click here.