Festival & Events Travel Guide

Picture choosen by : Mrs.Sarah Ferry The Green Secret of Bangkok Standing in any of the tall skyscrapers of the Silom-Sathorn Area, the observer notices an area of bangkok across the river that is all coconut palm forest. There is a noticeable absence of multi-storied buildings as you find elsewhere in Bangkok. This is Bang Krachao.
Bang Krachao is located in an area where the river makes a ‘u' shape after flowing through the center of Bangkok. The area boasts lots of wooden houses, coconut groves and fruit orchards reminiscent of what Bangkok must have looked like in the days before concrete.
It can be difficult to find out how to get to bang Krachao. It seems that Bangkok wants to keep this green oasis a secret. Even the fact that a large section of this area has been set aside as green area, called the Suan Klang Central Park or Si Nakhon Keun Kan Park, is a fact not known to many. Access by car can be tedious as there are not many roads into the area and these are only accessed by crossing Bangkok's notoriously congested bridges over the Chao Phraya. The area is easily accessed by ferry from the near the Port of Klong Toey.
On the weekend residents hold a open fresh floating market in Ban Nam Pueng.The orchard owners offer their fruits and other products for sale along the banks of the river. At the market, you can find a wide range of handicrafts, as well as noodle dishes and local deserts. There are plenty of easy going and inexpensive eateries. Getting around Bang Krachao, can be done by a combination of foot, rented boat or bicycle. It's a perfect environment for cyclists as there is very little traffic, while different birds provide a beautiful, natural soundtrack along the way. Villagers have recently decided to open up their residences to visitors with a homestay program. The program allows visitors to spend a bit more time in the area, and they also get the use of a bike to further explore Bang Krachao's temples and markets as well as the area's large park - Suan Si Nakhon Khuen Khan. Visitors can feed the fish, jog along the park's trails or even rent a kayak. If you just want to relax, it's a great place to “people watch”, and many local families also visit the park, sitting under the trees for shade or maybe to have a picnic. Other possibilities for those experiencing homestay in Bang Krachao include a visit by bike to Ban Thoop Hom, where you can see incense sticks being made. The architecture of the old chapel and ordination hall at Wat Bang Nam Phueng Nok are also well worth checking out, while it is also worth considering a visit to the nearby night market.