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Station A

I love sitting by the balustrade at “My Grand Parents House”.

Best enjoyed with an ice-cold “Butterfly Pee Tea” in hand,.

Slightly sweet, slightly tangy, and just right for a warm afternoon in Bangkok. I look out at the river and the passing boats, listen to their horns, bells and sirens, and to the low, almost throbbing rumble of their diesel engines. After sitting there for a while, I often go for a short walk. For me, it’s the perfect way to round off the afternoon. It takes only about 20 minutes. My destination is a place many people don’t even know about: a small, almost enchanted turtle park right next to the magnificent Wat Prayun temple.

When you leave the restaurant or pass the old Chinese Guang-Ju Shrine, zoom in on the map on your phone. Then simply follow the route shown.

You’ll walk through small, winding alleys, past shops and food stalls sending out exotic aromas. You rarely see tourists here. It’s mostly locals, and sometimes their children look at you curiously. After passing under Memorial Bridge, you’ll finally reach the little turtle park.

It’s around 150 years old, and every time I see it, I feel like it’s a little out of time.

Stop B in the turtle park.

Just to the right of the entrance, you can buy a small bowl of bread pieces. A wooden skewer is provided. But be careful: bread isn’t good for the animals’ health. Pick up a head of lettuce on the way, or some chopped papaya from a fruit stall. That’s a much healthier treat for the turtles. Children love feeding these slow-moving animals, and I can assure you that adults do too. I really enjoy treating these small, ancient-looking, slow and somehow voracious friends.

An artificial mountain rises in the center of the park.

It represents Mount Meru, sacred in Buddhism, and is the largest and oldest of its kind in Thailand. As you get closer, you’ll see small grottoes in the rocks, with large stone turtles inside. You’ll also spot colorful miniature temples and mystical figures. A pond surrounds the hill, and every now and then you’ll see families there, their young children cheering loudly as they feed the turtles. But the best part is, you don’t have to do anything at all.

You can simply sit, look around and breathe—or, if you enjoy reading, lose yourself in a book or on your Kindle. This park is perfect for that.

Station C.

Next, head to the nearby Wat Prayun temple. It’s also a very beautiful place, and just like the park, it’s not crowded.

The enormous white chedi is especially impressive. In the sunlight, it almost glitters. You can see it from far away. It is the largest of its kind in Bangkok, and the only one you can walk all the way around.

You can walk along the surrounding colonnades, as well as through a narrow passageway that runs around the brick chedi at a higher level. You can even go inside this immense structure. And it’s precisely there that you can feel how fragile its small-brick construction really is. I always find the atmosphere at Wat Prayun almost meditative.

These narrow stairways, the interior of the chedi, the dazzling white colonnades—and hardly any visitors.

All this creates a sense of peace you don't often find in Bangkok. That's why this little loop remains something very special to me, and is still something of a hidden gem.

For anyone looking to escape the hustle and bustle of the capital, even if only for a few hours.

Best in the afternoon.