**Night-time is the right time to pedal through the City of Angels **
Published: 6/12/2009 at 12:00 AM
Newspaper section: Brunch
Most people might think that Bangkok and bicycles do not mix, and maybe you believe so too. Not surprisingly, such a notion seems to be backed up by many harsh realities _ the scorching sun, the city’s notorious traffic, the potholes and blocked cycle lanes, those nasty stray dogs and their stinky booby traps.
Still, the truth is Bangkok is a really fun place to cycle. And if you think that is nonsense, you’ve never tried riding after dark.
The part of the city most popular for night-time cycling is the Rattanakosin area, especially along Ratchadamnoen Avenue, which at this celebratory time of the year is beautifully decorated to mark His Majesty the King’s birthday.
But this grand thoroughfare was just a small part of the route my friends and I got to try out one recent night, one I’d wholeheartedly recommend.
It’s a 20-something kilometre loop that covers small lanes and back roads on both sides of the Chao Phraya River, marked by the Rama VIII Bridge to the north and the Memorial Bridge to the south.
Our starting point was the car park of Wat Chana Songkhram (yes, that big temple near the Chakrabongse end of Khao San Road). It was about 7pm when we set off from there to a nearby bicycle shop where we met up with Toh, one of the shop’s staff who would lead us along the ‘‘secret’’ route.
From the shop we headed out casually to Ratchadamnoen Avenue and continued to the foot of Phra Pin Klao Bridge.
The uneven surfaces of the streets and footpaths pose no problem if you have a proper bike. In fact such little obstacles just make the ride even more fun if you are armed with skills such as the ability to bunny hop (jumping your bike by raising the front wheel first, followed by the rear wheel) or trackstand (stopping your bike still without your feet touching the ground, for example at a red traffic light).
The reason we came to the foot of the Phra Pin Klao Bridge was to enjoy the view along the riverside walkway, from where we could also see the beautiful Rama VIII Bridge, not far away. The walkway leads up to Phra Athit Fort and Santi Chai Prakan Park, where every evening people of all ages come to enjoy various activities, from break dancing to juggling and painting.
From the park, Toh led us into a small dimly-lit lane that zigzags through the Wat Sangwet community and a few other century-old neigbourhoods before emerging at the foot of Rama VIII Bridge next to the Bank of Thailand and the majestic Bang Khun Phrom Palace, which can be seen through a tall metal gate.
Under the bridge we ran into a small group of cycling tourists who were forced to take a break because one of them had a flat tyre. Seeing that their guide was already taking care of the problem, we continued on, now carrying our bikes up to the big bridge via the steps.
The night-time vista seen from the top was breathtaking, so much so that I failed to see the fresh dog poop not far from the stairs. (Damn it!)
Wasting no time, I managed to clear off the yucky gunk from my shoe and we glided to the other end of the bridge, then got down, again, via the stairs, because we wanted to check out the open grounds on the riverside. This is a popular hangout for several groups of teenagers, from football lovers and cheerleaders to skateboarders and trial bike riders.
The local riders were not there that night, so after taking a quick look around the area we followed Toh into a soi that goes through the communities surrounding Wat Daowadueng. The small road led us to the Thon Buri end of Pin Klao Bridge.
It should be noted that all along the way the soi dogs seemed to be very well behaved. Perhaps they didn’t dare to mess with us since we came in a group, or maybe because it was already dark and they were too lazy to chase us.
Anyway, we cut beneath the bridge and took the side road to Wat Dusittaram, through several old communities along the Bangkok Noi canal, the Thon Buri Railway Station, Siriraj Hospital, the Wang Lang area, Wat Rakhang, Wat Arun (the famous Temple of Dawn), Wat Lok Molee, Wat Hong Rattanaram and several old riverside communities between these temples.
By then it was almost 9pm. To avoid disturbing the local residents we skipped Wat Kallayanamit and Santa Cruz Church and opted for the main road instead. After a while full-speed sprinting along the virtually empty Arun Amarin Road we turned left into a soi that took us to Wat Prayoon and emerged at the foot of the Memorial Bridge, which was Bangkok’s first bridge across the Chao Phraya River.
On the other side of the bridge is a night market and Pak Khlong Talat, the city’s largest flower market. Traffic here is very heavy, with buses, taxis and tuk-tuks crowding the narrow street. But it’s just a short stretch, after which we followed the quiet Maha Rat Road that runs along the west walls of Wat Pho (Temple of the Reclining Buddha) and the Grand Palace. Both places are beautifully illuminated at night, and Wat Pho is still open to visitors.
We didn’t stop, though, because the bikes would have had to be parked outside and we didn’t bring locks. So we continued to Sanam Luang and back to Wat Chana Songkhram, where the van was parked. Toh split from us there, and rode back to the bike shop.
Well, all in all, despite the dog poop incident, it was a sweet, sweet ride.
WANT TO TRY?
A number of Bangkok cycling groups do a night ride every once in a while. They usually post their itineraries on websites such as www.thaimtb.com/forum and majorbike.com inviting others to join.
For those who have no bicycle of their own and prefer a more confirmed schedule, going with an organised tour would make life easier. A small bike shop in Soi Samsen3called Velothailand offers regular night tours. For details, visit www.velothailand.com or call 089-201-7782.
*Bron: Bangkok Post / www.bangkokpost.com *