Trend alert! Bangkok’s old town gets the ‘night ride’ treatment

Stand by the Giant Swing after 8pm on a weeknight and count the bikes. Friends pass in twos and threes with phones clipped to the handlebars, stopping every few hundred metres for a photo. The ‘night ride’ trend is all over TikTok right now, and the numbers back it up. Bangkok’s bike-sharing scheme logged more than 171,000 trips in October, up 60 percent in a single month.

The appeal is simple. Once the sun goes down, the heat eases, traffic on Ratchadamnoen thins out and Rattanakosin’s landmarks switch on their floodlights. The white walls of the Grand Palace stand out against the night sky and Wat Arun glows orange across the river. Most of us pass these places in a taxi without looking up. On a bike at an easy pace, you notice the details.

Getting started takes about five minutes. Download Anywheel or HelloRide, find a dock on the map and scan the QR code. Rides start at around B10 per 30 minutes, and a one-day pass costs roughly B50. The most popular docks sit at MRT Sanam Chai, City Hall and MRT Sam Yot, so start at one of those for a full rack.

Routes

Landmark loop

• Hua Lamphong. Set off from the 1916 railway station, much quieter now that most intercity trains leave from Krung Thep Aphiwat.
• Lan Khon Mueang and the Giant Swing. The plaza in front of City Hall works as everyone’s meeting point.
• Democracy Monument. Follow Ratchadamnoen Avenue, laid out by King Rama V after his 1897 trip to Europe.
• Sanam Luang. A wide, flat stretch with the palace spires lit up behind it.
• Tha Tien. Finish by the pier with the temple straight ahead.

Riverside loop

• Memorial Bridge. Start beside the statue of Rama I on the Bangkok bank.
• Pak Khlong Talat. The flower market runs 24 hours, with bundles from around B50.
• Tha Tien. Pull over for the classic view across the Chao Phraya.
• Wat Pho and the Grand Palace. Trace the palace walls along Sanam Chai Road.
• Kalayana Maitri Road. End on this short street beside the neoclassical Ministry of Defence.

Food is half the reason to go. Soy milk carts and toast stalls set up near the main junctions, and Thipsamai near the Golden Mount serves pad Thai through the evening. For a proper sit-down, Supanniga Eating Room at Tha Tien has tables facing the river. Spending a few baht at the small family-run shops along the way also puts money back in the neighbourhood.

When and where

• Best time. 7pm-10pm, after the heat drops and before most stalls pack up.
• Group rides. Bangkok Photo Bike rides through the old city on Friday evenings, and My Legs Are Gears meets at the Giant Swing on Saturdays.
• Photo stops. Tha Tien, Sanam Luang and the Giant Swing.
• Late finish. If you’re still up, head to Pak Khlong Talat at 3am-4am, when the flower trucks arrive.

Precautions

1. Lights on. Switch on front and rear lights, even on empty streets.
2. Bring a helmet. Shared bikes don’t come with one.
3. Watch the surface. Manhole covers, sand and uneven joints are hard to spot at night.
4. Ride single file. Riding four abreast blocks the lane for buses and taxis.
5. Follow the traffic. Never ride against it, and expect fast taxis and motorbikes on main roads.
6. Park properly. Leave bikes in marked bays, not across the pavement, when you stop for photos or food.
7. Look after the bikes. Don’t sit on the basket, so the next rider gets one in good shape.

Shared bikes are available through the Anywheel and HelloRide apps. Rides start from around B10 per 30 minutes.