Five Unique Bangkok Activities To Try

As the COVID-19 pandemic shrinks in the rear-view mirror and Bangkok starts to open up again, people are getting out to rediscover what the city has to offer. Many will want to see world-famous Bangkok attractions like the Grand Palace, visit a floating market such as Damnoen Saduak, or take in an action-packed Muay Thai fight. However, Bangkok offers many other activities that might not immediately come to mind, so we’ve decided to take a closer look at five of these unique, lesser known activities to brighten up your weekend in the city.

1. Wakeboarding

Wakeboarding is a water sport in which you are towed behind a motorboat and attempt to pull off jumps and other aerial maneuvers on the crest of a wave (or “wake”). Thailand’s hot weather makes it the ideal place to spend an afternoon cooling off doing flips and being dunked while learning the ropes of this adrenaline-packed sport. Luckily there are several wake parks dotted around the city, and they are used to dealing with everyone from complete beginners to experts looking to perfect the latest midair trick.

2. Eat Michelin-Quality Street Food

Until a few years ago, Michelin eateries worldwide tended to be formal, almost stuffy experiences. But when the famous restaurant guide starting publishing editions for Asian cities, it was forced to finally acknowledge the significance of street food to Asian food culture. The first Thai edition was released in 2018, and while only one street food stall has an actual star (Jay Fai and her famed crab omelette), there are dozens more with a Bib Gourmand (one level below a star), selling unforgettable dishes like Pad Thai and pork noodles, all for the price of a skytrain ticket.

3. Take a Canal Tour

Back when Bangkok played host to literary giants like Somerset Maugham, Joseph Conrad, and Graham Greene, it was often called the Venice of the East due to the multitude of canals that crisscrossed the city. Many of those waterways are now sadly gone, but enough still survive that a tour of the city on its famous canals remains very worthwhile. Several companies operate tours where you can sit in a longboat and while away the afternoon sipping cool drinks as Bangkok’s historic canals come to life just before the sun comes down. Memories don’t get more special than that.

4. Afternoon Tea

Afternoon tea began as a light meal in 19th century England and was composed mainly of dainty sandwiches and, of course, tea. Since then it has evolved into something a bit more lavish, with cakes, scones with jam and clotted cream, and even champagne. The best place to indulge in an afternoon tea is undoubtedly in a top hotel, something Bangkok has no shortage of. So if you’re looking for something special for an upcoming birthday party or baby shower, or maybe you simply want to make that catch up with an old friend a bit more memorable, consider afternoon tea in the City of Angels.

5. The Lungs of Bangkok

Look at a satellite map of Bangkok and you can’t miss the enormous green area on the south bank of the Chao Phraya river. Officially called Bang Krachao, and often referred to as the “Lungs of Bangkok”, it is a nature preserve with no large buildings and where the main modes of transport are bicycle and a slow boats that drift down palm-shaded tree tunnels. The area certainly feels like a rural getaway, but it also offers many cultural activities. There are learning centers, community enterprises, hip coffee shops, and floating markets. So if you want to get out of Bangkok for the weekend without having to travel very far, this could be just the ticket.

We hope inspiring in readers a willingness to check out some of the more unique—but no less world-class—attractions in this great city.