From bike tours to art museums and high tea, there is more to the Thai capital than malls and street food
Don’t get me wrong: We love Bangkok for its culture of shopping and eating, especially with its delicious cuisine and unbeatable prices. But the city offers so much more for the curious traveler open to venturing off the beaten path.
While some of the attractions on this list may be considered touristy (maybe even more touristy than most), one can say they have a bit more soul, with a heavier dose of discovery than the more well-trodden tourist spots.
Explore Bangkok’s art scene
The Bangkok art scene is flourishing, and the recently concluded Bangkok Biennale is one example of a peek into the vibrant art scene. While there are many new art spaces, from the National Museum Bangkok to smaller galleries, there is a wide range of contemporary art centers to visit.
Just outside the city center, on the way to the airport, the Museum of Contemporary Art, popularly known as MOCA, houses an expansive collection of contemporary art spread across five floors. While privately owned by business executive Boonchai Bencharongkul, the museum showcases a range of works, from ancient Southeast Asian masks to surprising bucolic British portraiture, artistic photography, and even an interactive Salvador Dalí sculpture.
For mall-goers, the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre (BACC) is just a stone’s throw from the famous Paragon Plaza, easily accessible via an impressive skywalk that connects the malls and surrounding areas. The BACC acts like a creative hub with rotating exhibitions, local craft shops, open libraries, and even music shops.
One more artistic tourist spot is the Jim Thompson House Museum, which showcases traditional Thai architecture in Jim Thompson’s original home. The guided tours provide a fascinating look into the history of the enigmatic American designer, who helped elevate Thailand’s textile industry in the 1950s.
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Cycle through Bangkok’s green lung
Take a break from the concrete jungle with a bicycle tour of Bang Krachao, often called Bangkok’s “Green Lung.” The artificial island is formed by a bend in the Chao Phraya River. Just 10 minutes away from the city via car on a clear day, as well as a quick boat ride across the river, the oasis is a breath of fresh air, filled with bamboo forests and a manmade lake.
While the elevated cycling paths can be a bit tricky, the bike routes are good for all ages. Guided tours start in the morning and end around noon at a comfortable pace. Weekend cyclists also enjoy the Bang Nam Pheung floating market with stalls along the river, where local vendors sell traditional Thai snacks and handicrafts.
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Experience traditional floating markets
While Damnoen Saduak is the most famous floating market, consider visiting lesser-known floating markets like Khlong Lat Mayom or Bang Nam Pheung for a more authentic experience.
These markets offer a glimpse into traditional Thai river life, with vendors paddling their boats filled with fresh produce, local delicacies, and handmade crafts.
Buy some new books
Above the luxury stores at the Central Embassy Mall is a bibliophile’s paradise called Hardcover: The Art Book Shop. This independent bookstore offers a selection of English-language books, as well as Southeast Asian literature and works by Thai authors.
Their selection focuses largely on art books, as well as collectible magazines and rare French tomes. The store frequently hosts literary events and author talks, making it a meeting point for book lovers, with many cafe options spread throughout.
Sit back with a cup of tea
At the Author’s Lounge in the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, you can step back in time. The Oriental, now the Mandarin Oriental, was the first luxury hotel in the former Kingdom of Siam, built in 1865.
For the experience, the high tea is somewhat reasonably priced at THB 1,950 (P 3,337.55). The Author’s Lounge keeps its old-world charm with white wicker furniture and hand-painted fabrics. All around are photographs of former guests, from kings and queens to literary giants like Joseph Conrad and Somerset Maugham.
The traditional afternoon tea service gives the option for Western, Thai, and vegan tea sets, with the Western tea options served in cases that resemble a book, and the Thai tea showcasing fine china.
While all the tea sets have scones, the Autumn Afternoon Tea set opens with Tahitian vanilla pear and salted caramel ice cream and is followed by a selection of savory bites from prawn and pumpkin cocktail to maple leaf-shaped ham and cheese. The pastries also include maple pecan cake, fig, and mulberry honeycomb, and an apple champagne tartlet, among others.
Meanwhile the Oriental Afternoon Tea set features fresh flavors such as a mango and passion fruit sorbet opener, followed by a jasmine flower dumpling filled with herbed fish and papaya salad, steamed rice with coconut milk, and pulled pork. The pastries offer interesting takes on Thai sweets, with mung bean marzipan, pandan and butterfly pea layer cake, and steamed coconut custard.
After a relaxing cup, guests can cross the river via the hotel’s free boat service. The experience is well worth it.