[Neju#2] ++ Cycling Routes, enjoy natural scenery along Bang Ka Chao. Breathe in oxygen at the lungs of Bangkok ++

Hello to all my tourist friends

If begins with the words,"Lungs of Bangkok", I believe that many people have heard of it, however, still don't know where the place is?.

Cycle of life for city people, work in the office from Monday to Friday and have a weekend hideaway, to charge the battery and re-start to work again on Monday. This vicious cycle is passive by society. As the nature is rare to find in the urban concrete jungle, therefore, city people search nearby area for natural places to serve them.

In this review I will take you to a place where this cycling is called "Lungs of Bangkok". The place is located close to Bangkok. One day travel is fine, to charge the battery of life. Breathe in the fresh oxygen to the lungs and then be able to start fresh in the next day. With this place.....Bang Ka Chao.

"Bicycle in Bang Ka Chao, Oxygenation to the lungs"

Ps. For those who need more information, you can contact me at http://www.facebook.com/Nejuphoto

In 2006, The Time Asia Magazine (The Best of Asia Issue) has honored Bang Ka Chao as the best urban oasis in Asia.

Bang Ka Chao is the district in Samutprakarn Province. It is an green attraction place near Bangkok.

This area is known as pig stomach because it was shaped like a pig stomach.

Why called the lungs of Bangkok? because the landscape have lots of trees. A completely natural life combine with a breeze from the sea that will reach this place before the breeze hit Bangkok. This principle is similar to the function of the lungs. Thus, this place is the natural air freshener for Bangkok. So this is why this place is called the "lungs of Bangkok".

The beginning of this journey start with a friend of mine, he has been bicycling around this place for several times, so he invites me and other friends to join him bicycling and breathing the fresh air in the relaxing day. I drove my own car and went straight to park my car at the parking lots of Bang Nam Pheung market, which is an outdoor parking spot and the parking fee is free of charge. As for the bicycle, If you take your own bicycle, you could start biking from here or could rent a bicycle form here.

This place is popular for cycling around which is nearest to Bangkok.

Bang Nam Phueng Floating Market is a market close to Bangkok. Located in Prapadaeng district, Samutprakarn Province.

The charm of the market is a way of life of local people along the canal, most of them are Thai-Mon descents.

It also offers local products and famous food of the community. Moreover, there are many food shops in the area.

Bang Nam Phueng Floating Market open every Saturday-Sunday from 8.00am-4.00pm.

The inside zone have just opened and will mainly focus on appliances stuff and clothing.

The outside zone is located by several food shops. There are small tables along with paved mats to have a seat for eating.

Before we begin cycling, we will visit and have some meal here.

After the meal, you could walk along the market street to digest or walk until the end of the market path, you will find Bang Nam Phueng temple, located in the inner most area of the market.

Me an my friends, we rent the bicycle at this temple. Rental rate for each bicycle is 30baht per hour, 80 baht for the whole day. There are many kind of bicycle but most of them do not have gear. However, the most outstanding of this bicycle rental shop is the red color Japanese postman bicycle with Thai and Thai King's College flags on the bicycle handlebar.

Ready? Well, let's start our biking. Oh! as for the map, you can request it from the bicycle rental shop. Or you could see from the picture in the first comment, the route for cycling trip in Bang Ka Chao area.

This photo is taken when we return the bicycle because before we took off we forgot to take any of the pictures ><. You could ride along the way behind the temple as the street is not crowded and overall the atmosphere is very pleasant.

Spinning out from Phet Hueng 28 alley, outside is the main road. Please be aware when biking.

After awesome diner, we stop at the first spot "Coffee in the House" shop, located on Phet Hueng29 alley.

This shop is recommended by my friend who regularly bike on this route. Their tea and coffee are blended with coconut.

The atmosphere in the shop is nice and simple decorated. They also have a parking spot for bicycles in front of the shop.

Our friend recommended coffee blended with coconut and green tea blended with coconut menus. the drinks is really great and the coconut pulp is also tasty. Coffee with coconut smoothie costs 55 baht per glass and green tea with coconut costs 50 baht per glass, or if you don't like coconut, they also provide others menu to choose from.

After we finish both diner and dessert, and take a full charge already. now is time to go exploring the places around.

Cycling through Phet Hueng33 alley, there will be Srinakorn Kuean Khan park sign and you could follow the route.

There are signs indicate the distance along the sights so you could bike along.

Our first attraction that we would show you is the Thailand fighting fish museum.

Open on Saturday-Sunday and Public Holidays from 10.00am-05.00pm.

No entrance fees and the parking area for bicycles available just outside.

The idea of creating this museum is not only to have this place for learning about the fighting fish, but also is the place of the cooperation and solidarity of this community people by learning together as well.

Start from knowing nothing to build the learning and sharing of knowledge, contribute to learn together within the community to achieve sustainable development.

Here they have variety of fish species and they will teach how to take care of each species, also tell the source of each species.

Important prohibition "Do not tap the aquarium"!!

A fighting fish clinic is to present and advise the evolution of the fighting fish from the newly born fish to fully grown.

This place not only having just the exhibition building for the fighting fish, but there are also many more other fish species. the other fish species exhibition building is set in the back zone.

The front area of the museum also provide the coffee shop and souvenir shop.

Going out from the fighting fish museum, biking back to the same path, next stop we will visit Srinakorn Kuean Khan Park.

Srinakorn Kuean Khan Park has an area of over 200acres, the purpose of this park is aim to supply fresh air. A park is for relaxation, exercise and be the place for learning of the unique ecosystem of flora and fauna species in the local and nearby area .

The park is a combination of a public park with a beautiful landscape, there is a wooden bridge which you can take a walking tour and enjoy the peaceful and refreshing of the park. There is a space for feeding fish or those who want to rent a bicycle at the park, there also has a bicycle rental shop in front of the park, the rental cost is 50 baht per hour and 100 baht for the whole day.

The atmosphere here is very pleasant, suitable for relaxing and breathe in the fresh air.

A flag is mounted in front of the bicycle when riding the flag will sway along.^^

Here there are many wooden high bridges along the way. Therefore, it requires a little bit more energy to ride up the bridge. But on the way down the bridge, you have to be in good control of the bicycle. Need to be very careful because some bridges have dangerous curve, you could be fallen >< so rides with caution here.

You could see that cycling is very popular for children and adults, Thai people and foreigners because the park is quite shaded, clean and has good atmosphere. It is suitable for a relaxing break and good place to do exercise here.

Another highlight of this place is the 7 meter high observatory tower which you could overlook the 360 view of surrounding.

There are trails for nature interests. Some of the path is moldering path but the relaxing atmosphere never fade from the park.

You could visit Bang-KaChao both ways, either by car or by ferry from KongToey Nok port to Bang-KaChao port. The port is at KongToey Nok temple Rama 3 road.

Ferry boat per trip surcharge of 10 baht and you can bring your bike on the ferry boat with an extra charge of 10 baht per vehicle. If you do not have a bicycle, it can be rented at the pier at 50 baht per hour and to all day ride is 100 baht.

Here are many alleys, some bypassed to other routes, some are not. Each alley is pretty shady but anyway you have to be careful when biking because of the small distance between the path for bicycle and car.

The next stop for our trip is nearby Bang Nam Phueng market. We have to ride all the way back to the same route.

Before spotting the entrance sign, we have to ask for direction which in fact not far from the floating market, crossing the bridge and then bike for the next 300 meters. You will find the entrance to the village OTOP for tourism.

the path inside is shady covered with trees and there are many local people living around the neighborhood. The tourist cyclists have visited this route as well.

Now, finally we are here at "Bann-Toob-Horm Herbal"(Candles Herbal House). The Economic center of the Community.

They have some bicycles for rent for visitors here. The rate per hour at 50baht and 100baht for the whole day.

Here they teaches how to make candles herbal incense, Citronella mosquito repellent as well as teaching painting class for 60 baht per person for a course. I talked to the lady whom owned this house. She told us that on weekdays there are lots of foreign tourists come in tour groups. Bicycle rental here was sold out almost every day. Thai tourists come here also, but not much. This place creates wisdom Thai lifestyle knowledge, teach and examine how to make candles herbal incense and Citronella sticks. At least this is the source of economic for villagers. Moreover, it is the income from intellectual life of the community itself.

We took off the Candles Herbal house and follow out along the way. There are several tourist attractions around the neighborhood. The atmosphere of either way is very pleasant. But need to be caution when biking because the paths are relatively narrow.

Biking along the way, we will find another accommodation on our way called "Bangkok Tree House".

This place is also an accommodation for the visitors as well as a restaurant and coffee shop nearby the river, it is a nice place for many of the riders to take some rest.

Here you can come for a visit and take a photo for free. I have taken up to the roof of the hotel and could see beautiful views all around. it's very lovely.

This area is connected together but at the present from the Bangkok Tree House, there are some constructions and the bridge is being repaired so we could not bike around this way. Therefore, we have to go back to the same way.

The Forest Park is one of the attraction here. The highlight of this place is a green route all the way round.

The Forest Park is regarded as the highlight of the cycling view here. Especially, when during the twilight time before we go back, we cannot help taking tons of photos. ^^

After a long day, I brought a bike back to the rental place to return at Bang Nam Phueng Temple which is not far from this place. All day long until the evening come the sky is really beautiful. We drove to park at Memorial Park to take some photos at Bhumiphol Bridge.

This area is called the Lad-Pho canal. The canal previously used to be very shallow then later they arrange the project of the water management to solve the flooding in Bangkok under the principles of "Water Diversion" (Diversion). The principle is as the condition of the meandering flow of ChaoPraya river and the area surrounding of Bang-KaChao has a length of 18 KM, which causes the drainage of flooded shower process around the areas in Bangkok and can not resist the water in time when the sea water level rise and surge up.

His Majesty took the initiative to develop the Lad-Pho canal, formerly deepness about 600 meters in length. To solve the drainage and flood waters on both sides of the river into the sea immediately before the water militia. Lad-Pho canal will make it impossible to cause the flood of the city.

Ps. Thanks to the information from Wikipedia, One day reviews for cycling. Breathe in oxygen at Bang Ka Chao areas to refresh myself and feel relax. Before visiting Bang Ka Chao, I'm sure some people would ask me, where is it? and also someone asks me what do there have besides Bang Nam Phueng Floating Market?

I believed this review will be the response to those who would like to explore and relax in the place near the city with good atmosphere like this. The place is filled with good environment and natural way of life in this warm community.

There are also several temples that can be made as trips to respect the merit as well.

Furthermore, there is also a Lamphu garden here that the local people said there are many fireflies which you could take a look.

And a safe bike path for biking. Many of the cyclists would enjoy many different activities.

Here it still also is the Lungs of Bangkok to breathe in fresh air for the city people.

Thanks to everyone who joined the trip and invited me to exercise and breathe in fresh oxygen in my spare time.

Special thanks to all Bang Ka Chao locals, whom share a smile as we passed along the way, and people whom we have asked for the directions. And I would like to thank the most important person, In below picture, these two people have help aid me when I have got the accident when biking. Thailand is no shortage of thoughtful and generous people. Thank you again.