I’d been to Bangkok a dozen times before I discovered this highlight

Bangkok can be an oppressive city. The heat is stifling, the horizon easily forgotten between corridors of endless concrete, and the streets are a kind of chaos that sure doesn’t feel organised, despite what people might tell you. You’ll be hit with wafts of sewage as you dodge dangling powerlines and the humidity tries its damnedest to melt you into what few sidewalks the city has.

Sometimes, you need an escape. But don’t go looking for it in the sanctuary of the air-conditioned shopping centres; come to the Green Lung instead.

It’s an oasis in the heart of Bangkok, a jungle island and the eye of the snake that is the Chao Phraya River.

The Green Lung (or Bang Kachao) is like stepping off an overnight train and arriving in a whole other part of Thailand. The skyscrapers are gobbled up by the twists and turns of a greedy jungle, the tangles of which are so lush that it makes you wish you had the vocabulary of the guy who names paint colours, to adequately describe all the shades of green.

I’d been to Bangkok more than a dozen times before I even knew it existed. That was until I started searching for bicycle rentals and saw a smattering of them pop up around this unexplored island. Once again, my love of two wheels inadvertently unlocked another fantastic part of a city.

The journey there alone is worth the effort. It starts on the Chao Phraya, where you catch a longtail boat across the murky waters of the river. I used the pier at Wat Khlong Toei Nok and can confirm that yes, it exists, although it might not feel that way when your Grab rideshare drops you off at your destination. But once you make it through the temple, the street food stalls, and the school, you’ll see a sign saying “Ferry Boat” and you’ll know you’re on the right track.

It costs 20 baht (90¢) each way. If there is no one at the ticket counter, head down the pier, grab a flag, and start waving it like you’re surrendering to the Yankees, at which point a longtail boat should come to collect you. It will drop you off at M-BIKE and you will be (quite literally) on your bike from there.

I’ll admit, some of these bikes are a bit rough around the edges. Like me, they, too, have seen one too many Thai summers, so don’t go in expecting anything with an ‘e’ in front of it. The good news is that you’re not cycling the Tour de France, you’re cycling along towpaths, narrow walkways, and gorgeous streets that are fabulously flat.

Just make sure the tyres are pumped, your chain is tight, and the brakes work well enough to stop you from careening into a ditch.

These bikes can be rented for roughly 100 baht ($4.50) a day. They come with a lock, a bottle of water, and a moist towelette to wipe your hands down when you’re done, which was a charming touch. I was also given an icy pole, too, although I think this was an exception, not a rule.

If the novelty of catching longtail boats, fresh air, and riding beat-up old bicycles down enchanting jungle paths isn’t enough to tempt you there, then you’ll also find some great coffee shops, fantastic local food, and what is supposed to be one of the friendliest floating markets in Thailand, Bang Nam Phueng Floating Market.

Just don’t make the same mistake I did and go there on a weekday, as the market operates on Saturday and Sunday. However, I have it on good authority that it’s aimed at local Thais, and thus the foreign tourists who make it there are still treated with welcome curiosity.

But this is all secondary when compared to the true joy of the Green Lung, which is escaping the heat of Bangkok and getting lost in the pastures of local life. It feels like a whole other world but it’s right there across the river, only a longtail ride away. So drink in the country vibes, soak up the jungle life, and take a break to breathe a little easier in this indomitable city.

THE DETAILS

FLY
Qantas and Thai Airways have daily direct flights to Bangkok but ever since Qantas wet-leased the route to Finnair, my definitive choice is Thai Airways. See thaiairways.com/en-au

STAY
For those who want to spend the night on Bang Kachao, you can, with a handful of great options including Coconut Lane on the higher end (starting at $191 per night), and Baan Glangsuan Bang Kobua for the more budget-conscious ($60 a night). See coconutlanebangkok.com

MORE
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