Biking Bangkok

Street food vendors, pedestrians and the steady rush of cars, tuk-tuks, motorcycles, taxis, buses and trucks all fight for the same narrow stretches of asphalts that weave throughout the city of Bangkok.  The traffic is so congested that the King has trained traffic police to assist in childbirth should a pregnant woman get stuck on the way to the hospital. 

At first blush, the notion pedaling into this chaos seems like a perfect way to test out Thai medical facilities. Go for it on your own, and this may indeed become true.

However, trust a local guide and the impenetrable metropolis unfolds into a series of back alleys, side streets and walkways that link together the city’s most iconic attractions. Together, you'll glide into seldom-seen neighborhoods, skirt the city canals and squeeze through shoulder-width laneways.

That’s what you get when you connect with Velo-Thailand, one of few cycle-centric tour operators in the city.  The route weaves together some of the top city attractions—Wat Suthat Temple, Chinatown, Wat Pho Temple—but avoids most major roads. 

Halfway through the ride, you stop at one of the countless food stalls for a quick meal alongside the canals that line the city’s Ninth District.

Velo-Thailand owner and guide Ae Thagoon has pedaled a circuitous path. He saw his first mountain bike while leading a birding tour through the northern part of the country, and approached the owners with a mixture of bewilderment and excitement. He ended up teaching the bikers how to spot birds in exchange for bike lessons. Years later, while waiting for a bus in Bangkok’s infamous traffic, he decided he had to buy a bike.

Don’t expect Danny MacAskill-type gymnastics. Though you could ride this route on a road bike, you’ll appreciate the burlier mountain bike rigs in Velo-Thailand’s fleet. All told, Velo-Thailand offers seven Bangkok tours, from full- and half-day historic rides to night tours and boat-and-bike trips that utilize the maze of canals to reach remote stretches of Bangkok.  They also offer road rides along the coast of Samui Island, and full-day mountain bike tours of Phutthachai National Park and challenging singletrack loops in Pataya, both two hours out of the city.

Regardless of which tour you choose, it offers a genuine way to tap into the Thai cycling community, a comforting reminder that, no matter where you travel, the passion for biking is universal.