Bangkok is a very big place and there is a lot to explore! Today we will look at Khlong Ton Sai, a district located to the northwest of Bangkok’s centre.
It borders the Chao Phraya, the ‘ River of Kings’, and is one of the capital’s oldest areas. Khlong Ton Sai has a great transportation network with two nearby Skytrain stations, Wongwain Yai, and Krung Thonburi. The west side of the river has a major bus hub, and there are multiple docks where you can board the many passenger boats that ply the river, back and forth and up and down.
Khlong Ton Sai is an exciting area to explore, with gorgeous riverfront views and riverside eateries where you can enjoy fantastic Thai food while watching the boats go by. Not too surprisingly, Khlong Ton Sai is a very popular area to both live and to visit, there are a number of 5-star hotels like the Millennium Hilton and The Peninsula, and calling a Luxury riverfront condo home is one of the most wonderful ways to experience Bangkok life!
There are many things to see in Khlong Ton Sai to keep you well entertained, we have assembled our favourites for you!
ICONSIAM Mall – This is a massive upscale mall sprawling along the riverside that is as much a theme park as a shopping centre, and is a most impressive and immersive attraction! There are things here to delight the entire family, rest assured that if you have kids in tow, they will not be bored! It is so vast and has so many things to do we will give each part its own mention!
- SookSiam – Among ICONSIAM’s many attractions in the unique SookSiam is a floating market that is completely indoors, passing through areas that represent the cultural heritage of each of Thailand’s four main geographic regions, showcasing their charming cultural handicrafts and performing arts. There is also shopping to be had, with over 3,000 distinctively Thai shops that represent famed local businesses from all across the country. The idea is that you will feel as if you have been on holiday in these different regions because each themed area features the architecture of the region it represents! You can dine as if you were sitting in a Chiang Mai cafe without ever leaving Bangkok!
- ICONSIAM Park – Looking for a great view of the river? This spectacular park provides! The park has so much to offer, check out the artistic sculptures that line its paths, all of which were carefully selected by the Bangkok Sculpture Center!
- Auspicious Plant Collection – ICONSIAM Park is host to many plants that the Thais consider to be auspicious. This impressive botanical collection is unusual in that every one of the selected plants carries an interesting meaning and has cultural importance. The following are the four most famous auspicious plants at ICONSIAM Park- First comes the Kaeo Chao Chom or Lignum Vitae, which symbolizes purity and was imported to Thailand from South America by King Rama V. The second auspicious plant is Kraphee Chan or Millettia brandisiana, a royally protected native species that is a symbol of propitiousness. The third is Lueang Pridiyathorn or Silver Trumpet Tree, famed for its beautiful summer blooms and delightful fragrance. The fourth on our list is Ma Plub or Bo Tree, which represents wealth and prosperity. Many Thai families make a practise of planting this tree when moving into a new home. Many believe that having all four of these auspicious plants growing together in the same garden brings enormous fortune to all who visit, so don’t miss it!
- Light of Siam Mirror Wall – Another well loved highlight of ICONSIAM Park is its marvellous “mirror-glass art wall” created by artist Sittivut Yavichai as a modern example of the ancient Thai art tradition of using tinted mirror glass to create a picture. The wall stretches for over 60 meters in length, and bares the title “Light of Siam”. The top section symbolizes “Sky”, and is 1.5 metres tall and 18 metres long. The middle section represents “Land”, which is 4.10 metres high and 23.80 metres long. The bottom portion is the smallest and symbolizes “Water”, it is only 2.40 metres tall and 15 metres long. Altogether, the mirror wall is one of the most impressive and culturally significant pieces of modern art in all of Thailand, a reflection of the country’s grace and beauty.
- The ICONIC Multimedia Water Feature – This fabulous fountain is a scintillating dance of light and sound, an awesome spectacle to behold! This delight for the eyes and ears occupies a 400-metre stretch of the Chao Phraya River, and is the longest fountain in all of Southeast Asia. The multimedia work was created by the GHESA Water and Art Co., Ltd., a fountain specialist that has fashioned watery landmarks all over the world, but this is understandably their pride and joy! The huge fountain is fitted with special air-pressure nozzles that are able to project water 35 metres into the air, while mobile robotic jet nozzles swivel about to form 2D and 3D water shapes that can move in all directions! There are also super high-pressure nozzles that can shoot a stream of water high up until it falls in a floral shape like fireworks made of water!
Lest you think that the mall is Khlong Ton Sai’s only fascinating attraction, we will use the space that remains to introduce yet another!
Guan Yu Shrine – This eye-catching, brightly coloured multi-story building festooned with fanciful carved dragons is a historic shrine of Lord Guan, the Martial God of Loyalty and Righteousness in Chinese beliefs. The shrine is thought to be about 286 years old and was built at a Chao Phraya river port that visiting Chinese junks frequented. Within the shrine, 3 Guan Yu gods of different sizes, small, medium, and large are honoured. The shrine is an active place of worship where the city’s many citizens of Chinese descent come to worship and pray.
There is so much more to do and see in amazing Bangkok’s Khlong Ton Sai district, come experience the magic for yourself!
