- Time needed
- An hour to walk the forest park's boardwalks
- Best time
- Late afternoon into sunset for the skyline light
- Nearest
- MRT Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre
- Price
- Free to enter
Two parks, one green escape
Benchakitti is really two connected parks, and knowing the difference helps you plan. The original lakeside park is built around a large reflecting lake with a wide, flat loop popular for cycling, skating and running, plus open lawns and the towers of Sukhumvit and Sathorn rising behind. The newer Benchakitti Forest Park, created on the site of a former tobacco factory, transforms that legacy into a designed wetland of reed beds, ponds and native trees, laced with elevated boardwalks that let you walk out over the water.
That forest skywalk is the headline attraction. The raised boardwalks carry you above the wetlands at canopy height, with the city skyline framed beyond the reeds — a genuinely striking sight, and one of the best free walks anywhere in Bangkok. It is a designed landscape rather than wild nature, but it works beautifully, drawing herons, dragonflies and birdsong into the middle of one of the densest parts of the city.
Together the two halves give you a satisfying variety in a small footprint: a fast, flat loop for active visitors and a slower, more contemplative wetland walk for everyone else. You can do one or both, and the whole thing is free to enter, which makes it one of the easiest wins in central Bangkok.
- Lakeside park: a flat cycling-and-running loop around a reflecting lake.
- Forest park: elevated boardwalks over a designed wetland on a former factory site.
- The forest skywalk over reed beds with skyline behind is the star — and it's free.
- Herons, dragonflies and birdsong in the middle of dense Sukhumvit.
Cycling, walking and the skyline at sunset
For active visitors, the lakeside park is the draw. A dedicated, flat track loops the water for cyclists and skaters, separated in places from the walking paths, and bike hire on site means you can join in without bringing your own wheels. It is an easy, low-effort way to cover the park with kids or to get a gentle ride in without leaving the city. Runners use both the lakeside loop and the forest boardwalks, busiest in the cool early mornings and at dusk.
Walkers and couples come for the boardwalks and the light. The forest park is best explored slowly on foot, wandering the raised paths over the wetlands and pausing on the viewing bridges, and it is a quietly romantic place for a late-afternoon stroll. As the sun drops, the skyline behind the reeds glows and the water mirrors it back — this is the park's magic hour, and one of the most rewarding free sunset spots in central Bangkok that does not require a rooftop reservation.
Families do well here too. The flat paths suit strollers and small bikes, the open lawns are made for a picnic, and the boardwalks turn a walk into a low-key wildlife hunt for herons and lizards. Bring water and a hat, time your visit for the cooler ends of the day, and the park rewards an unhurried hour or two.
- A flat lakeside cycle-and-skate track with bike hire on site.
- The forest boardwalks are best on foot — slow, scenic, quietly romantic.
- Sunset behind the reeds and towers is the park's signature, no rooftop needed.
- Stroller-friendly paths, open lawns and a boardwalk wildlife hunt for kids.
Getting there, events and timing
Benchakitti is exceptionally easy to reach. The MRT Blue Line station at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre sits right beside the park, and BTS Asok with its MRT Sukhumvit interchange is a short walk away, so you can arrive on the train from across the city. That makes it a natural green pause in a Sukhumvit day — easy to slot in before or after the area's malls, restaurants and rooftops.
Because of its central location and big open spaces, the park hosts seasonal events and gatherings through the year, and the convention center next door means the area is sometimes busy with large-scale happenings. Around Songkran in April, the city's water-festival energy reaches parks and public spaces like this, so expect crowds and a livelier scene during major festivals — check ahead if you are after a quiet visit, as event days can change access and atmosphere.
As with every open park in Bangkok, time your visit for the cool ends of the day. Late afternoon into sunset is the most rewarding window for the light and the skyline; early morning is best for cool air and quiet boardwalks; and the baking midday hours are the one stretch to avoid. Pair it with Lumphini along the green link for a long off-road walk, or with the dining and nightlife of Asok and Sukhumvit for a full day in this part of town.
- MRT Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre is right by the park; BTS Asok is a short walk.
- Seasonal events and festivals — including Songkran-period energy in April — can bring crowds.
- Best at sunset for the skyline light or early morning for quiet, cool boardwalks.
- Chain it with Lumphini, or pair with Asok's malls and rooftops for a full day.
Sources
- Greener Bangkok — Benjakitti Park ↗
Official Bangkok Metropolitan Administration page: opening and cycling hours and transit.
- Tourism Authority of Thailand ↗
Official park and district information for Bangkok.