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The Best Places to Cycle in Bangkok

For people who have been to, or even heard about the Thai capital city before, the idea of cycling in Bangkok is probably not the first thing that comes to mind.

Sitting in rush hour congestion, blocked from all angles, the heat, humidity and polluted air choking away any vital signs — it is hard to imagine that cycling in the city could be anywhere close to pleasant, let alone safe. Bangkok does have high levels of accidents and even deaths on its roads and highways.

However, exploring Bangkok by bicycle is an exciting way to experience Thailand’s capital if you are able to find the right spots and avoid the hazardous ones.

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Cycling in Bangkok is one way to see parts of the city that you’d never see from the skytrain or a taxi!

The majority of Bangkok’s visitors don’t realize that more than 90% of the city is made up of small back and side streets, set amidst residential areas.These areas are usually intertwined with lanes and pathways that are actually perfect for cycling, enabling a change of perspective in terms of a Bangkok with tree-lined canals, remote gardens and village-like communities.

It might come as a surprise to some, but cycling in Bangkok is an enjoyable way of exploring the old backstreet routes of the city.

And while we definitely do not recommend that anyone simply get on a bike and attempt to start riding through the city like they might do back home, biking through Bangkok definitely opens up more dimensions to the city.

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If you are keen to start exploring on a bicycle, there is always the option of joining a guided cycle tour – and this is probably the best bet, especially for first timers – or for anyone but seasoned, hardcore cyclists of the world who like challenges and risks.

Routes on these tours are carefully researched and planned to avoid congestion and traffic, and the guides are all trained with safety and enjoyment as their primary considerations.

If you would rather do it your own way, possibly following some of the routes suggested here, then please check out a few safety tips first. Even seasoned cyclists often come a cropper when attempting to navigate local driving techniques like the ones in Bangkok.

It is common sense to head out prepared if you would like to cycle on your own and explore Bangkok, and with the right preparation and some planning, cycling in Bangkok is an enjoyable and rewarding way to see the sights of the city.

Top Tips for Safety

Wear bright colours to make sure you are seen, and wear a helmet (of course). When riding on the road, always signal when you turn (and always double check what is behind you).

If you need to turn right at a busy intersection, stay on the left until the red light, hen move to the right lane when the traffic has stopped moving. This cuts out the need to go across several lanes of moving traffic, and also get lined up for the next green light.

Riding in the (few) bike lanes in Bangkok can be somewhat dicey due to motorcycles (of course), food vendors, parked cars and other such obstacles. It’s actually easier and safer to ride with the traffic as there is a (kind of) flow to it.

If you happen to get caught behind a bus coming to a stop, let the passengers finish getting on and off first before passing, or you could find yourself mangled up among them.

When riding past or alongside parked cars, be alert to someone opening a door! This is a VERY COMMON form of accident in Thailand, as people commonly open doors without looking in mirrors or checking first!

If you look hard enough, you will discover a few areas and routes that are not just traffic and concrete, and the urban areas in particular regions of the city offer great routes for cyclists. So whether it is weaving through backstreets alongside the river, or trailing concrete paths with skyscrapers in the background, there are some reasonable places for cycling in Bangkok.

Here are some of the best places to e in .

1. Happy and Healthy Bike Lane

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Originally called the ‘Sky Lane Thailand’, ‘Happy and Healthy Bike Lane’ is a newer, revamped version of a purpose-built bike trail situated in close proximity to Suvarnabhumi International Airport.

This track is unique in that cyclists are able to see planes taking off and landing as they make their way around the huge circuit. There are two lanes on the track – with the blue lane being for the pros and the purple lane for those who want a slightly more leisurely ride.

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The lanes stretch almost 25km, and there’s a starting point for people to meet and cycle together.

Bike Rental: à¸¿400/4 hours with ฿1,000 deposit

Happy and Healthy Bike Lane (Sky Lane Thailand)
Location: Nong Prue, Bang Phli, Samut Prakan, 10540
Opening Hours: 6AM-8PM, Daily
Nearest Train Station: Airport Rail Link Suvarnabhumi

2. Peppermint Bike Park

Peppermint Bike Park has something for you everyone, and is a great place to take kids if 25 km seems like too long of a haul. There are 2 bike trails here: The Adventure Track and the Mint Track.

The Adventure Track is the place for those cyclists looking for something exciting, and they can challenge themselves with  like steep hills and sharp turns. 

The Mint Track might be more suitable for younger or novice cyclists. This track is much smoother, and the blue-coloured bike trail is suitable for families with young children who want to cycle together.

Location: 127, Yothin Pattana Soi 3, Khlong Chan, Bang Kapi, Bangkok, 10240 
Opening Hours: Tue-Fri: 11AM-8PM, Sat-Sun: 7AM-9PM (Closed on Mondays)
Entry Fee: 200 baht
Telephone: +66 90 980 1368

3. Thonburi

For most people, the prospect of sharing roads with cars and multitudes of crazed Bangkok motorcyclists is what puts them off cycling here. 

And while this may indeed be the scenario in most parts of the city, in Thonburi, the old capital across the Chaophraya River, that’s really not the case. This is because most of the charming little alleys are too small to fit anything much bigger than a motorbike anyway, so here is a different vibe entirely that is perfect to experience by bicycle..

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Thonburi is much less explored than other areas of Bangkok, and this means it is easier to encounter the more subdued, village-like streets that were originally made for cycling. 

You might need to negotiate one road on the way that is quite a bit bigger than all the others, but setting off from the narrow alleyways of Kudeejeen’s old Portuguese neighbourhood is a good start point when cycling in this area.

You might then make your way across to the quiet road that intersects Wongwian Yai and Talat Phlu railway stations, and from there on see the benefits of cycling in Thonburi.

4. The Old Town

The old town of Bangkok is full of historic, cultural, and astonishing landmarks that feature on many a tour. The Bangkok old town region is known as Rattanakosin Island, and has featured as the royal centre of the city since the time when King Rama 1 relocated the capital.

This region of the city is home to famous landmarks like Loha Prasat, Wat Suthat, The Giant Swing, and The City Pillar Shrine.

Again it may depend on the actual road you are cycling on around the Old Town area, but generally it is much easier to negotiate than other, more traffic-congested regions of the city.

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This is a section of the city that provides an introduction to Thailand’s bustling capital from a cultural and historical angle, and of course it won’t be that difficult to encounter a variety of restaurants and food vendors along the way.

You can cycle in the vicinity of the Grand Palace, the Golden Mount, Wat Pho, Chinatown, Chao Phraya River, and Bangkok’s biggest Flower Market, to name but a few of the attractions situated within the vicinity of the Old Town of Bangkok.

 5. Bang Kachao

Even though it is not strictly what might be considered as Bangkok, Bang Kachao is commonly referred to as ‘Bangkok’s Green Lung’.

This area is a green, almost island-like oasis that might facilitate a feeling of being far away from a city. One thing is for sure – heading to Bang Kachao and finding a bicycle is a great way to escape the central, polluted, smog-ridden areas of the city.

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In fact just six miles away from what might be considered downtown Bangkok, Bang Kachao is a lush expanse rife with papaya groves and coconut trees that grow on either side of some of the best cycling paths to be found anywhere near the city.

Tourists are thankfully few and far between, and the cycling paths take riders on a trek through small villages with traditional-style wooden homes on stilts. One small point for consideration is that the paths don’t have any guardrails, but they are more than big enough to cycle on.

6. The Train Park (Suan Rot Fai)

Any potential cyclists near the Chatuchak district of Bangkok who have long given up hope of riding safely on any road in the city should head for the ‘Rot Fai’ Park.

This green and pleasant expanse right next to Chatuchak Park (BTS Chatuchak) has one of the longest cycling paths in any park in Bangkok, at 3 km.

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The track winds its way around large areas of greenery, with the big city skyline just over yonder. Tennis, basketball and volleyball courts can also be found here, and it is possible to rent bicycles very cheaply here – just don’t expect a top-of-the-range racing model.