We all Need Green in our Lives

Just like a craving for a good wine, occasionally we have a yearning to escape the crazy city scene and just go ‘bush’ or just go green for a day.

So the challenge is where in a city of over 9.5 million people do you go to ‘get away from it all’ and seek peace and serenity without having to spend hours travelling to escape the city limits.

We cover two such places in this blog.  Places we didn’t even know existed until Scotty (aka the walking Wikitravel) spent some hours researching places to visit within Bangkok.  We have found that the hours of research certainly pays off as it gives you an idea of where to go and where NOT to go.

Koh Kret 

It’s Bangkok’s easiest green getaway, Koh Kret is an artificial island, the result of a canal being dug nearly 300 years ago to shorten a bend in the Chao Phraya River.  The island is also one of Thailand’s oldest settlements on Mon people, who were a dominant tribe of central Thailand between the 6th and 10th centuries AD.  Today, Koh Kret is best known for its rural atmosphere, distinctive pottery, food and its busy weekend market.

How Did we Get There?

This of course will depend where your start point is in Bangkok.  For us, we used GrabTaxi through the Google Apps Map which made it a lot easier for the driver as this comes up on his GPS.

You will need to get yourself to Wat Sanam Nuea and the pier where the ferry leaves is directly behind the temple.

The ferry leaves every 5 minutes and will cost you a very reasonable 2THB which is payable on the island side.  First tip – I would recommend that you plan your trip earlier in the day, rather than later as that ferry certainly started to fill up by mid to late morning.  We crossed over around 9,30am, in time for the opening of most stalls in the marketplace.  The market only operates in the weekend so if you are keen to see the markets then a weekend trip is a must.

Getting Around

A main trail runs around the perimeter of the island.  It starts off narrow, winding its way through the houses and shops by the pier and through the markets.  It soon opens up into a 3 metre wide path that runs by some farms and local restaurants.

You can either walk the trail or rent a bicycle for 40THB for the day.  We opted to walk as we wanted to slowly meander through the market stalls and as these walkways were quite narrow, a bicycle would have been a hindrance, especially as it got busier during the day.

My Garmin tracker showed that we walked a total of 18kms that day – yes that cold Chang Beer did go down without touching the sides!

Another way to get around is by local motorcycle taxi.  There are no cars on the island and the trail is well-maintained which makes for safe cycling or motorcycling.

The interactive map below shows the track we took around the island.  You can click on the points of interest to view photos and information.  Scroll out to see where the island sits within Bangkok.

 

What to See

Koh Kret is famous for its terricota pottery and many shops have been in operation for over a century.  These pottery shops are well worth a visit to see the potters at their craft, shaping cups, pots and bowls on the pottery wheel.  Go in either direction to find both abandoned kilns and working pottery shops on the island’s east and north coasts.

There are also a number of local temples to visit on the island, the biggest is Wat Poramai Yikawat.  This Buddhist temple has a Mon-style marble Buddha statue and a museum with religious objects and exhibits on local pottery.  The temple’s most famous landmark is the 200 year old leaning stupa that juts out from the island’s northeastern corner.  Just as the Leaning Tower of Pisa is synonymous with Italy, so to is the leaning stupa of Koh Kret.

What to Eat

Other than the traditional Mon food, Koh Kret is also know for its kanom (sweets) and sweet snacks and visitors to the island tend to leave clutching bagfuls of both.  The abundance of sweet food is due to the fact that sugar palms grow well in the soil off the riverbank therefore supplying the locals with plenty of supplies for the raw materials.

We stopped off at a stall selling some of these sweet delights.  We were amazed at the detailed work gone into creating these little mouthfuls of bliss.  They were all individually made and were so perfect that Scotty thought that they were soaps, rather than edible delights.  Now I can spot anything digestible meters away and I wasn’t holding back in choosing some delectable nibbles for us to try. 

We also tasted the delicious deep-fried edible flowers and leaves in a super-delicate batter, like tempura.

When to go

Get to the island early.  We crossed the river at around 9.30am and it steadily got busier from then.  By the time we were sitting having a cold beer at around 2pm, the boats coming across were packed and the markets were heaving.

If you specifically want to do the markets then a weekend visit is a must.  Do remember though that this is a popular destination for the locals so of course this is when they make the trip over as well.  We thought that the markets were worth a wander through and different to the stalls that you see at the myriad of markets in the main city.  It makes putting up with the weekend crowds worth it.

In hindsight, it would have been a good idea to rent a bicycle to maybe investigate more of the pathways around the wetlands.  However, we do enjoy walking and we had time on our hands so the 18 km wander around the island was most enjoyable.  We were fortunate that it was slightly overcast so we didn’t have the hot sun beating down, however, as is always the case in Bangkok, you fight with the humidity regardless of clouds or sun.

Bang Kachao (Green Lung)

Bang Kachao  (or sometimes spelt Krachao) is often referred to as the Green Lung of Bangkok.  It is an escape from Bangkok within Bangkok.  It is an artificial island formed by a bend in the Chao Phraya River (Bangkok’s busiest and biggest river).  The island covers 16 square km’s and has been traditionally agricultural with only a small amount of people living here.

How we got there

Once again this will depend on where in Bangkok you start from.  For us we took the MRT to Khlong Toei.  From there we needed to get to the Khlong Toei Pier behind the temple (not to be confused with the Khlong Toei Port which is where a taxi may take you) which is about 3km.  We were still in the morning peak hour traffic knarl up so getting a GrabTaxi was proving a challenge.

Now being of an age where taking risks just isn’t cool, we always swore that we would not ride scooters in the main cities of Asia – but as with everything, there is always an exception.  Standing there whilst Scotty swore and cursed at his phone each time a GrabTaxi cancelled our request, I eyed up a few of the motorcycle-taxis at a stand close by.  None of the riders looked like trained killers and they had all lived long enough to reach middle age.

I sauntered down to them and used sign language and broken Thai to explain where we needed to go.  Bartered them down in price and explained that Scotty and I would need to have a scooter each – we’re not Thai size which means a family of 6 can ride one scooter.

The deal was done and he motioned another rider to come forward.  He looked like he was fresh out of high school and was as wide as tissue paper.  We figured that it would better for me to go with him and Scotty got the more robust, older, experienced rider.

And with that we were off, side by side down the heaving roadways of Bangkok, holding on as they weaved their way between moving cars and trucks and at time ignoring red lights but judging distances and speeds of oncoming vehicles with an expert eye.  This I’m sure is how they have managed to live past puberty.

We made it to the pier and after I thanked them for not killing us, they were off for their next fare.

Now for our next challenge of the day.  The boat, or should I say dug out canoe, leaves the pier on demand.  There is a rather persistent lady trying to hire you a bicycle for use on the island but our research recommended to wait until you get to the island and there is a very good rental company right by the arrival point.

The boat cost us 20THB for two of us and the bike rental was 200THB for two bikes.  Scotty got a mountain bike but I opted for a nana bike so I could have a basket for my day pack.  They were comfy and in reasonable order. I didn’t miss having gears as there are certainly no hill climbs to worry about.  We also got a free bottle of water and map.

What to See

See interactive map below of the tracks we took, cycling around the island.  Click on the links to view information and more photos.

Armed with our map, we set off on our trusty steeds to cycle around the island.

Bang Kachao is required to remain undeveloped commercially in an effort to preserve the nature and culture of the district.  Unlike Koh Kret, there are cars that share the roadways along with scooters and motorcycle taxis so you do need to pay attention to your surroundings.  This also includes the narrow elevated walkways.  You will need to be prepared to dismount to move over for oncoming scooters and other cyclists. 

As soon as you get on your bicycle you feel like you’re totally removed from the chaos of central Bangkok.  Lush green trees line both sides of the road and you can immediately feel relaxed surrounded by nature.

Part way around the island we came across Sri Nakhon Khuan Khan Park.  They have well formed cycling and walking paths around a lovely lake and various stop offs for bird and monitor lizard watching.  It is well kept but there are many areas of untouched natural trees making it a haven for the birds and other wildlife.

The favourite part of our day was detouring off the main arterial roads and exploring the narrow elevated walkways which wind their way around the small communities, linking one area with another.

Many parts of the district is subject to flooding and most of the area is marshland so the walkways are built about 2 metres off the ground.  In order for the people who live here have their homes built on stilts to combat the frequent rise in water levels.

You do need a good sense of balance as those narrow walkways are fairly unforgiving and I certainly didn’t fancy ending up falling off the edge and ending up in the drink, or worse, thick mud amongst the undergrowth.

It’s impossible to get lost in the area but it is good to know that goggle maps do not pick up all the walkways, where as maps.me does.  This is a very handy app to have on your phone as no mobile data is required to use it.  You just need to make sure you download the particular country you are in whilst on Wi-Fi.  Using the app ensured that we didn’t miss out any part of the island and we had covered all the places we wanted to see.

When to Go

On Saturday and Sundays, the district is home to floating markets.  The market is a local Bangkok tourist attraction and big crowds show up to walk around with their families.

Now we have visited floating markets before so we weighed up the pros and cons of visiting on a week day to avoid the crowds or go in the weekend to see the floating markets.

The first choice for us was for a week day visit.  We appreciated the fact the many of the narrow walkways were deserted and only occasionally had to dismount to make way for an oncoming scooter or local on a bicycle (usually carrying a wide load of goods).  We could only imagine how many times you would need to give way to oncoming pedestrians, scooters and bicycles come the weekend.

Food and Refreshments

Our research found that shops were few and far between and water may be in short supply when needed.  We did get our free bottles of water plus we took an additional bottle with us.  However, we did not find the lack of shops an issue at all.  We were always passing the little shops set up along the way, dotted amongst the local communities.

Lunch stop was at an amazing family run restaurant called Look Jan and had one of the best Pad Thai, washed down with a Chang beer of course.  Prices were very reasonable and cheaper than you would get in the middle of the city.

Overview

It was a very enjoyable day and I would certainly recommend anyone to visit this district.  You don’t need have a high level of fitness as it is all flat going so don’t think that you’re in for a marathon.

A good sense of balance is required and I would be a little hesitant to recommend the trip for a family with younger children – especially if you are cycling the narrow elevated walkways.  A good road sense would also be recommended on both the walkways and roadways as both can be narrow at times.

Pick the time of day to avoid both crowds and the extreme heat of the day.

Make sure you have downloaded maps.me app on your mobile so that you can follow the winding walkways and so you don’t miss out on any part of the island.

Click on the link below to our YouTube channel to watch a video on the highlights of our trips.