Neighbourhoods
Ari, Phaya Thai
A business quarter with a host of independent cafés
A once quiet residential area for Bangkok’s affluent business folk and retired officials, Ari’s growing number of corporate head offices and government bureaux now pulls in a fair few workers during the week. Quieter on weekends, tourists pop by for coffee, brunch and a spot of shopping. Five stops on the BTS from downtown Siam station, Ari is home to the headquarters of the electric tuk-tuk company Muvmi. These neat six-people, shareable rides, are easy to book via an app and ideal for zipping around the district’s mazy sois (alleys) on a hot day – not to mention convenient for a breezy jaunt up to nearby Chatuchak market and park.
Start your day in Ari at Yellow Lane, an Aussie-flavoured, all-day restaurant in one of Ari’s typical mid-century modernist houses. Check out the Thai fashion brands at Hide and contemporary art at Numthong Gallery before taking a load off at Calm Spa. Ari’s best brew can be found at Coffee No.9 and when you’re peckish get a table at Paknang (or seek out the best Pad Thai at Khun Ake Mam). Top it off with a cocktail at rooftop bar Dumbo. If (or when) you fall for Ari’s charms and consider staying the night, Craftsman hotel can accommodate.
MAPLang Suan, Pathum Wan
Luxury neighbourhood with a verdant heart
Lang Suan runs south of the hectic Sukhumvit Road but the two streets are worlds apart. Lang Suan is a gilded address surrounded on three sides by verdant neighbours: the Royal Bangkok Sports Club, Lumpini Park and the sprawling US embassy compound. The gentle walk down from Chit Lom BTS station towards the park is lined with wide pavements (a Bangkok luxury) and covered in shade.
Start the day at the École Ducasse cafe inside the nearby Nai Lert Park. This family home-turned-heritage museum was built by one of Bangkok’s original property tycoons. Perk up with a few bars of Thai craft chocolate from Kad Kokoa before ordering a drink at the Kimpton Maa-Lai Bangkok’s rooftop spot, Bar Yard. Independent art gallery 100 Toi Son Foundation is one of the best in Bangkok and worth a slight detour before arriving at Lumpini Park. A “green bridge” in the northeast corner connects pedestrians to the new Bennjakiti Forest Park – it’s an example of urban regeneration at its best and a lovely spot for an extended stroll.
MAPChinatown and Talad Noi, Samphanthawong
A crafty neighbourhood enjoying a revival
This riverside community of shophouses around Hua Lamphong Station, Bangkok’s former central terminus, was largely forgotten about when the city’s centre of commerce drifted towards Silom and then Sukhumvit. The neighbourhood’s recent revival is partly due to a new generation of business owners turning traditional family firms into more appealing lifestyle concepts. Beautification of the canals by the city government is making the walking experience more family-friendly but Chinatown’s grit is a big part of the appeal and this vibrant area becomes a noisy crush during the Lunar New Year.
Thailand’s first paved street, Charoenkrung Road, is a sensible starting point for any Chinatown visit. Guests at the Mandarin Oriental are mere steps away. Araksa Tea Room serves tea grown in Chiang Mai while the nearby Central: The Original Store is where the mighty retail group first started selling international books and magazines. Pop into the Thailand Creative & Design Centre and Warehouse 30 to see what’s on, then make your way north to the Corner House for a new take on Thai culture, creativity and the glue that binds it all together: food. Charmgang curry shop is close by. For afters, order a black-sesame flavoured soy pudding at the original branch of Ba Hao Tian Mi. Walk with it to Ba Hao’s nearby bar for a cocktail.
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