Getting your bearings around the park
Lumphini Park is surrounded by major avenues. To the south and west, Rama IV Road separates it from Silom and Sathorn. To the east, Witthayu Road (Wireless Road) runs past the embassies. To the north, Ratchadamri Road heads towards the Ratchaprasong intersection and the shopping malls.
Four stations serve the park:
- MRT Lumphini (blue line): entrance on Rama IV Road and Witthayu Road, the closest to the lake.
- MRT Si Lom (blue line) and BTS Sala Daeng (Silom line): the interchange on the Silom side, near the main entrance at the corner of Rama IV and Ratchadamri.
- BTS Ratchadamri (Silom line): the north side, on Ratchadamri Road.
If in doubt, get off at Sala Daeng or Si Lom, enter by the main entrance, then leave by Witthayu Road or the Lumphini station.
In the park: a well-spent hour and a half
Entry is free; the details (lake, pedal boats, monitor lizards, jogging track, tai chi) are on the park page. On a first visit, walk around the lake without trying to see everything: with photo stops, allow one to one and a half hours. The best time is early morning, when the cool air and the exercise groups give the park its atmosphere. Every day at 6 pm the national anthem is broadcast: everyone stops, so do the same.
Water monitor lizards live around the lake and roam freely: do not touch or feed them. Bring water, a hat and mosquito repellent, especially in the evening.
5 minutes away: the snake farm
Across Rama IV Road, the Bangkok snake farm belongs to the Thai Red Cross institute: a small museum, a reptile garden and venom-collection demonstrations. It closes early (mid-afternoon on weekdays, around 1 pm on weekends): check the opening hours and demonstration times on the page before you go.
10 to 15 minutes away: Erawan Shrine
Walking north along Ratchadamri Road, the Erawan Shrine stands at the Ratchaprasong intersection. It is about a quarter of an hour on foot; the Skywalk above the intersection shields you from the sun and traffic. The shrine is open every day, until late evening.
Silom and Sathorn: offices, food stalls and views
South of Rama IV Road, the towers of Silom and Sathorn house banks, hotels and shopping arcades. At lunchtime the nearby streets fill with office workers eating at street stalls; in the evening, rooftop bars take over (see our guide to rooftop bars). To understand this business district and choose where to stay, read our guide to Silom and Sathorn. For an overview of the city, the terrace of the Mahanakhon Skywalk is a few BTS stops away.
A half-day walking route
- 6:30 to 8:00 am: walk around the lake at Lumphini Park, tai chi and monitor lizards.
- 8:00 to 9:00 am: breakfast at a Silom street stall.
- 9:30 am: snake farm, a 5-minute walk from the park's main entrance (on a weekday, to see a demonstration).
- 11:00 am: walk to Erawan Shrine, then an air-conditioned break in a nearby shopping mall.
- Late afternoon: back to the park for sunset, or a Silom rooftop.
Other ideas in the same area
An elevated pedestrian bridge links Lumphini Park to the newer Benjakitti Park, with its urban forest and boardwalks. To rent a bike, see our guide to cycling in Bangkok; for more green spaces, our selection of Bangkok's parks and gardens. For getting around, see also transport in Bangkok.
Practical tips
- Walk in the morning or late afternoon: between 11 am and 3 pm the heat makes walking hard, especially from March to May.
- Use the footbridges and pedestrian crossings, and cross only at the lights.
- For the best season, see our guide to the best time to visit Bangkok.
