Bike tours and walking tours are great ways to get a feel for a place, mingle with the population, and develop a relationship with the tour guide. The good-old Hop On Hop Off bus, while devoted mostly to the most popular tourist spots, also can be an excellent way to get the lay of the land in a new city. A trip to Thailand in November 2021 provided the opportunity for a tour of Bangkok by bicycle.
This was my second Bangkok bike tour. The first tour in 2018 was so interesting and enjoyable, trying another one this time was a no brainer. I used a different company and had no fears of seeing the same sights. Bangkok is huge.
The company I chose was appropriately named Bangkok By Bike. It is located at Somdet Phra Pinklao soi 17, Khwaeng Arun Amarin, Khet Bangkok Noi, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10700. The easiest way to find it is to tell the taxi driver it is across the street from PATA a well-known department store.
The owner, a Swede, greeted me when I arrived. He married a Thai woman and relocated to Bangkok about 15 years ago.

This excursion is usually a small group tour with a minimum of 2 and a maximum of 10 customers. In this case, the lack of tourists allowed booking the tour as a single.
Bikes had some wear and tear but were adequate for the task. They had multi-speed gears and hand brakes. I set the gears to a medium level and changed only a couple of times during the 4.5 hour the tour.
We navigated busy Bangkok streets for about 10 minutes before branching off into narrow paths and alleyways of residential districts and rural areas in the heart of the city. I’ve used a few photos from By Bike to supplement the ones I took. Riding the bike on the narrow paths and keeping up with the guide was my primary concern.
Countryside in the City


Paths by canals had railings unlike the first tour. By Bike photo.

Jiam Sang Sajja Bronze Factory
From a historical perspective, the most interesting stop was Jiam Sang Sajja Bronze Factory. It is located in Baan Bu, a community in Bangkok Noi (Little Bangkok), a heritage neighborhood dating back to the origins of Bangkok.
Artisans produce magnificent bronze bowls using time consuming and labor intensive methods developed during Thailand’s Ayutthaya period. When the Ayutthaya kingdom fell in 1767, the craftsmen moved to Bangkok. Their skills and processes have been handed down for generations but are said to be in danger of vanishing because it is difficult to recruit new workers.


You should see this 20-second video for a taste of what this work is like.
It is nice that the workers welcome passersby. The factory is pretty hard to find; so few people drop in. I think they were glad to have people see how much effort goes into making their products.

Lunch by a Canal
My favorite part of the tour was lunch. We stopped at family-run restaurant by a canal. A typical Thai lunch was included in the $40 price of the tour.


Temples
I think every Bangkok tour stops at a temple or two. One temple we visited had a giant statue of a monk in the courtyard.

Market Visit
I didn’t mind the visit to a market for a quick look around.
There were lots of things to see as we covered about 15 km (about 9.3miles) during the ride. Usually, I kept riding, but the sight of a guy fishing with a spear gun from a bridge made me stop.

Overall Impression
The bike tour was everything I’d wanted. I was able to better understand how most Thai people live in Bangkok and get some needed exercise at the same time. Plus the bronze factory was fascinating.
If you go to the Thai capital, try a bike tour with By Bike or on of several other companies. I think it will be enjoyable and educational.
Nice tour.
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Yes. It was fun.
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Thanks for taking us along, it looks like a great way to see interesting parts of the city. I would be relieved to have the railings there on those narrow passages. The bronze bowls look beautiful.
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I wish I had my 10-year-old biking skills to deal with the narrow paths and sharp turns.😄 Seeing the bronze bowls made as they did it centuries ago was fascinating. Have a great week!
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what a great way to see bangkok. ive always found it a hard city to really find out what it’s like behind everything aimed at tourists, what real life is like there. im not a fan of some of the issues riding a bike in severe heat and humidity raises, but i would consider it
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The good thing is the rides are slow and have frequent stops. The breeze feels good.
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what fun John. I have memories of running into the railings when I see this.. haha 😂
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I was happy to see them. Compared to a canal or a cinder block wall, I’d prefer running into the railings. 🤣
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Amazing post! Interesting, as always, great to know other cultures.
Thank’s for share, John.
Have a great week!
Keep safe.
Elvira
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Looks like a great tour! I saw one in Central Park the other day, but I think anywhere else in the city would be pretty dangerous.
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It is surprising that there are parts of Bangkok where a bike tour works. NYC is ideal for a walking tour.
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I never thought of doing a bike tour in Bangkok, looks like a great way to see different parts of the city and city life. I’ll look for them next time. Maggie
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Traffic was no problem. It is interesting that I almost never see Thais riding bikes.
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That’s true. Richard went in the late 90s and the streets had a lot more bicycles than cars or motorcycles and the tuk tuks were rickshaws. Progress? 😊
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The Thais would say so I think.😊
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Fabulous tour! Thank you for sharing, and bringing back memories of one of my favorite cities.
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The more I see of Bangkok, the more I’m impressed. Thanks for saying you enjoyed the post Natalie.
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An awesome way to capture the local flavour of a place John, and so good you got a “private” tour. Thanks for sharing. Allan
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It was great to see the quiet side of the city. The private tour for a group price was a plus. I think you would enjoy this tour Allan.
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Taking a bike tour sounds like a great way to see and experience a different side of the city. Lunch by the canal sounds lovely.
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In many of the places we rode it was hard to believe we were in the middle of a major urban area. That lunch was delicious and about as close as I can get to a campfire meal these days.
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I’m also a believer in traveling off the beaten path. There is so much to learn about a culture that way.
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It is a lot of fun too.
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