Lumpini Park a True Tropical Oasis
Need to escape all that relentless smog and fumes of Bangkok's inner city streets then Lumpini Park could well be the perfect place to pause for a moment of real rest and relaxation. Tranquil with much tropical greenery, the park could possibly be compared to that of Central Park in New York or Hyde Park in London. Locals here call it the lung of the city and with good reason too. Apart from not having to ingest the traffic pollution and noise, it's just so much easier to breath. I am not exactly sure why this is, but I'm told that the park also has the spelling Lumphini. An extra character has been added to the word. There is however no cause for alarm as at the end of the day, it matters not to all of you who love coming here to relax, dance, play, pray or whatever else might float your boat.
Thai Residents Practicing Kick Boxing
This lovely park is named after the Buddha's birthplace in Nepal and is the city's principal greenbelt. It's a true tropical oasis sprawled around a few boating lakes, lots of outdoor cafes and an open-air exercise area where local Chinese residents come to practice the rhythmic movements of Tai Chi Chuan early in the morning. The park is an excellent place to just sit back and relax while watching the whole wide world go by. You can observe Thai families strolling around in their very best attire. You can watch elderly Chinese folk playing chess. You can watch as young Thai men play impromptu games of
takraw
or even better still, why not grab yourself a paddle-boat and take a romantic boat ride on one of the lakes.
Chinese Residents Practicing Tai Chi
Lumpini ParkGetting ThereThe easiest ways to get to the park is by train. Either take the BTS SkyTrain to the Saladaeng Station or the underground directly to Lumpini Park Station.If using the underground you'll exit right beside the park. You may want to get off at Silom Station and then walk the rest of the way. It's entirely up to you. Remember you're going to the park to relax so there's really no need to rush. The alternative would be to go by taxi in which case I needn't give directions. However if you are using your own transport, that's a completely different story. Can be a little scary for foreigners though, especially if it's your first visit here. To get to the park, just follow the road all the way past the notorious Patpong red-light district (Yes! that means no stopping unless absolutely necessary) to the end of Silom Road where you'll come across a huge and extremely busy intersection. You'll see the park just across that intersection to the northeast. There are a number of entry points to the park but the main entrance is at the Silom Road intersection where the road meets with the corner of Rama IV Road between Ratchadamri Road and Witthayu Road. See map below for directions.
Directions to the Park
Return from Lumpini Park to the Bangkok City Page
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