Bangkok's parks at a glance
| Park | Where | Entry | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lumphini | Centre, Pathumwan | Free | Walking, jogging, monitor lizards |
| Benjakitti | Sukhumvit, Khlong Toei | Free | Skywalks, views of the towers |
| Chulalongkorn Centenary | Siam, Pathumwan | Free | Sponge park, urban break |
| Chatuchak, Queen Sirikit, Rot Fai | North | Free | Cycling, picnics |
| Suan Luang Rama IX | East, Prawet | A few baht, sometimes free | Botanical garden, lake |
| Santichaiprakan | Old town | Free | Sunset over the river |
| Bang Krachao | South bank of the river | Free (boat and bike hire paid) | Cycling, nature |
Prices can change: check each page.
Lumphini: the big park in the centre
Lumphini Park is the benchmark: about 57 hectares of lawns, tall trees and ponds in the heart of the city, created on land donated by King Rama VI in 1925. Entry is free, from 4:30am to 10pm. Joggers, tai chi practitioners, families and office workers on a break mix here, among the monitor lizards that live around the lake. Come at dawn or at the end of the day: at noon it is hot and the shade is uneven. A pedestrian footbridge of about 1.3 km links it to Benjakitti Park.
Benjakitti: the urban forest and its skywalks
Benjakitti Park, a few minutes from Sukhumvit, covers about 72 hectares on the site of a former tobacco factory. A first park around a lake dates from 2004; the forest park, some forty hectares of wetlands crossed by elevated walkways, opened in 2022. It is the place to walk above the marshes with skyscrapers as a backdrop, especially late in the afternoon. Combine it with Lumphini by the footbridge for half a day of greenery in the city centre.
Chulalongkorn Centenary and Siam: a break between two shopping centres
Chulalongkorn University Centenary Park is a sponge park: designed to hold rainwater, it offers lawns and a pond a few BTS stops from the shopping galleries. If you are in Siam, it is the simplest way to find grass again without crossing the city. For the rest of the day, see our guide to Siam and Pathumwan.
Chatuchak, Queen Sirikit and Rot Fai: the northern parks
In the north, three parks next to Chatuchak market form a large complex: Chatuchak Park, Queen Sirikit Park and Wachirabenchathat Park, known as Rot Fai. Entry is free. The latter is known for bike hire, a few dozen baht according to several sources (from 20 to 60 baht), and for its lawns where families picnic. Details on the northern parks page; Chatuchak market is next door, for a full day.
Suan Luang Rama IX: the giant botanical garden
In the east, Suan Luang Rama IX Park is Bangkok's largest public park: about 80 hectares created in 1987, with a lake, pavilions, cycle paths, pedal boats and a 150-rai botanical garden that brings together orchids, ferns, lotus and medicinal plants. Entry costs a few baht from 9am to 5pm, according to the sources consulted. A Yellow Line metro station carries its name: it is easy to reach, but far from the centre; plan half a day.
Santichaiprakan and the old town: the river at sunset
At the end of Phra Athit Road, Santichaiprakan Park and Phra Sumen Fort form one of the few public accesses to the Chao Phraya in the old town: a 1.2-hectare lawn open to the river, laid out in 1999, and a fort dating from 1783. At the end of the day, locals come to exercise and watch the boats go by. Our guide to Banglamphu makes it the end point of a walk.
The hanging garden above the river
For a green stroll at treetop height, the Chao Phraya Sky Park is a hanging garden above the river. The page gives hours and access; for the panorama over the river, see also our page on the Chao Phraya river.
Bang Krachao: the green peninsula
Just across from Khlong Toei port, Bang Krachao is a 16 km² peninsula enclosed by a loop of the Chao Phraya: orchards, coconut groves, mangroves, stilt villages and a public park with a bird-watching tower. You explore it by bike along narrow raised paths after a short boat crossing; the Bang Nam Phueng floating market takes place there at weekends. It is the simplest green escape from the centre: see our guide to cycling in Bangkok to organise it.
Practical tips
- When to go: at opening time or late in the afternoon. The best season is the cool dry season, from November to February (see the best time to visit Bangkok).
- Gear: water, hat, sunscreen and mosquito repellent, especially near ponds and marshes.
- Monitor lizards: those at Lumphini and Benjakitti are harmless if left alone. Do not feed them and do not approach them.
- Safety: some parks are poorly lit in the evening. Once night falls, stay on the main paths (see scams and safety in Bangkok).
- With children: lawns and ponds work well; our guide Bangkok with children has more ideas.
Going further
To combine parks and urban walks, read our selection of walks in Bangkok. And if you would rather see the city from above, the viewpoints of Bangkok go well with a green break.
