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Bang Krachao is the one everyone has heard of and still too many people have not actually done. The so-called Green Lung of Bangkok sits in a horseshoe bend of the Chao Phraya, a 15-minute boat ride from Wat Khlong Toei Nok Pier in Khlong Toei.
Once you are across, you are in a different world: elevated wooden boardwalks cutting through mangrove forest, village lanes, canal-side cafés, temples, and Sri Nakhon Khuean Khan Park and Botanical Garden at the centre. The terrain is flat, the shade is generous and bikes can be rented at the pier from B30-80 for the day. Weekends bring the Bang Nam Phueng Floating Market, which is a worthwhile stop, plus a few more people, but it never feels crowded in the way the city parks can. The narrow elevated paths require a little confidence, but this is still one of the most atmospheric rides in the country.
Difficulty: Easy to moderate (distance variable; some narrow elevated boardwalks)
Best time: Early Saturday or Sunday morning; combine it with Bang Nam Phueng Floating Market
What makes it unique: Mangroves, birdsong, elevated jungle paths and barely any traffic, all just across the river
Bang Krachao, Phra Pradaeng, Samut Prakan. Ferry from Wat Khlong Toei Nok Pier, B10–20 each way. Sri Nakhon Khuean Khan Park open daily, 5am-7pm.