Neighbourhood Stroll: Dive into Bangkok’s art and history along the Chao Phraya river – The...

Bangkok’s Bang Rak neighbourhood blends the vestiges of the city’s colonial past while transforming into a creative district full of cultural space and hip restaurants.

The Globe and Mail


Life is lived on the streets in Asia’s biggest cities – and Bangkok’s street life is especially frenetic, with its constant traffic and a moveable feast of meals supplied from food stalls (now with their own app). Keeping up with the pace is daunting enough; in 30-degree heat, it can be exhausting. So it’s nice to know there’s a better way to navigate this city. Get yourself to the river.

The Chao Phraya river has been the lifeblood of the Thai capital since its founding and visitors should use it as the locals do. Skip the tuk-tuks, taxis and traffic jams and use the ferries, river boats and waterborne hotel shuttles. Walk to the closest pier, hop on a boat to your destination and voila. It’s no more than a five- or 10-minute walk from the river to the Royal Palace and the three must-see temples (Wat Pho, the Temple of the Reclining Buddha; Wat Phra Kaew, the Temple of the Emerald Buddha; and Wat Arun, the Temple of Dawn).

Neighbourhoods line the riverbanks, but Bangrak – the city’s oldest – deserves special attention. Its streets bear vestiges of colonial life, such as the magnificent, crumbling Customs House with its commanding view of the river and giant clock face, and the French and Portuguese embassies, symbols of colonial-era power. And while the neighbourhood’s history is noteworthy, today it is transforming into Bangkok’s creative district, with a plethora of new, independent art galleries, cultural spaces and hip restaurants.


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Stay


A landmark on the river for more than 140 years and a favourite of the Thai Royals, the Mandarin Oriental was the first hotel to open in Thailand, in 1876. Once owned by Louis Leonowens, son of Anna, the governess of The King and I fame, its colonial chic interior is carried over into every room and suite. In the historic original building, a wall of black and white portraits record the greats who’ve stayed here, including Graham Greene and Barbara Cartland. Noël Coward, Somerset Maugham, James Michener and Joseph Conrad each have a suite named after them in the hotel’s heritage wing, and having tea in the Author’s Lounge is a time-honoured ritual kept by Thai high society. A stylish crowd ascends to the top floor for chef Arnaud Sautier’s Michelin-starred food at Le Normandie, a modern French restaurant with a panoramic view of the river through floor-to-ceiling windows. Guests weary from a day of sightseeing are whisked via shuttle across the river to the hotel’s renowned Oriental Spa, housed in a splendid restored teak house. Traditional Thai massages and body scrubs made from grated coconut and jasmine rice are on the award-winning spa’s menu. Fans of Thai cuisine can book classes in the hotel’s cooking school and watch folkloric dance performances offered nightly in the adjacent restaurant.

The hotel’s rooms and suites range from $645 to $3,000 per night. 48 Oriental Ave., Bangrak. mandarinoriental.com/bangkok

Eat and drink

The Never Ending Summer


Walk or take the hotel shuttle to Si Phraya Pier and cross the river to Klong San where an old ice factory has been converted in minimalist fashion to a lively modern restaurant. Marvellous Thai food is made behind a glass-walled open kitchen. Boston ferns and birds of paradise add bright tropical notes to the industrial chic interior, where hipsters, families and travellers all enjoy the new takes on traditional dishes.

41/5 Charoen Nakhon Rd. www.facebook.com/TheNeverEndingSummer

Sky Bar


Few cities do rooftop bars and pools as well as Bangkok does, and those who want to live out their The Hangover Part II dreams should make their way to the Sky Bar at Lebua State Tower. The bar is famous for its role in the film and many people visit just for the jaw-dropping photo opportunities. As stunning as the view is, be ready to spend, as drinks from this epic bar do not come cheap.

1055 Si Lom, Banrak. lebua.com/sky-bar

Shop

Thai Home Industries


Just up the street from the Oriental, the venerable Thai Home Industries shop has been selling exquisite handcrafted goods for more than 50 years. Located in a temple-like traditional house, this is the place to stock up on highly coveted custom-made cutlery, organic cotton Thai farmer pants, straw kitchenware, pottery, seashell serving spoons and thick, cotton placemats. The exquisitely made forks, knives and spoons are considered heirlooms by Thai families, for their elegant, ergonomic design.


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35 CharoenKrung Soi 40, Bangrak. bangkokriver.com/place/thai-home-industries-thai-craft

TCDC


Housed in the imposing General Post Office building, the Thai Creative and Design Centre (TCDC) is a hot spot for Bangkok’s design community, with exhibition spaces, a library and working studios. The main-floor gift shop offers an excellent chance to buy funky products from some of the city’s leading designers and architects. Bonus for fashion types: a Truly sneaker shop where you can customize your order and have it shipped home for you.

The Grand Postal Building, 1160 Charoenkrung Rd., Bangrak. web.tcdc.or.th/en/Home

Warehouse 30


A series of abandoned Second World War-era warehouses have been transformed into a cultural hub where art happenings, film screenings and fashion shows take place amid milling cool kids, the Thai design crowd and curious visitors. Check out the Facebook page for current events to tap into the new Bangkok art scene, which is thriving, with not one, but two, competing art biennials.

52 – 60 Charoen Krung Rd., Bangrak. facebook.com/TheWarehouse30

Local secrets

Lhong 1919


This carefully restored historic trading complex morphed into a cultural and shopping experience like no other. Once a bustling hub for 19th-century Chinese traders with a shrine devoted to Mazu, goddess of the sea, the U-shaped brick-and-wood building has been painstakingly restored by the Wanglee family, bringing the delicate, hand-painted murals back to life. This was a home-away-from-home for generations of Chinese traders and that mercantile tradition is carried on today by artisans whose boutiques fit naturally into the 19th-century showrooms and storage areas. Here you will find handcrafted Thai goods – from scents to handmade leather goods to an artisanal boutique featuring a hand-dyed indigo clothing line. Whether browsing for souvenirs or soaking up the atmosphere, this place illuminates a fascinating part of Bangkok’s past.


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At Lhong 1919 pier. facebook.com/lhong1919

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