Bangkok

If you’re interested in my Bangkok, Thailand travel itinerary without all the basketball addiction, scroll down to the bottom for travel tips, foods to eat, and things to do!

I played basketball in Bangkok a while back and I had to make my way back to Lumphini Park again, this time not for basketball but for the Asian water monitors. These things are everywhere!

Though I did pass by the Lumphini Park basketball court at night and noticed that the court is under renovation. I did not get a chance to play there again but I hope the next generation of players will be able to experience the newly updated court once it is completed.

I originally did not plan to play pickup basketball in Bangkok since I had already played there before, but the rainy day made me wonder where people would go if it rained. Lumphini Park was a fully outdoor court, and I also heard from insiders that ‘no serious baller plays there’, so I had to find an indoor or covered court where more players would be.

Fortunately for me, right next door to Lumphini Park was another park called Benchakitti Park. After a quick trip through the park, and before I started looking for the basketball court, tradition told me that I had to spot a monitor lizard again before I could play.

Anyway, back to basketball.

When you get to Benchakitti Park, just look for the Benchakitti Sports Center and you will find a wide range of sports courts for almost any sport you can think of. You cannot miss it. As much as I hate to say it, just follow the sounds of our familiar rival, pickleball, and you will know you are in the right place. This place is an athletics heaven where you could easily spend an eternity staying in shape.

The most popular sports were pickleball and basketball, but you could also come here to play table tennis, badminton, volleyball, and soccer.

The best part of all these sports? They were all free. All you have to do is install the CSTD Smart Member app, which is a government app, create an account, and just like that you get membership access to Bangkok’s sports centers as a resident or visitor.

There is a person checking for the membership ID on the app at each sports court, so make sure you download it and sign up beforehand.

After signing up, I entered the basketball court, which had three half courts and one full court. The obvious first choice was the full court, but there were many players waiting on all the courts, and I was not sure how the next system worked here. But luck was on my side. Similar to my experience in Vancouver, sometimes you just have to be lucky and assertive. When the full court game finished and the next teams were coming on, they happened to be looking for one player. Before they could go around and find someone, I volunteered myself as tribute and jumped into the game immediately.

Full court games were played to 21 with 2s and 3s (woot!). If you won twice, your team had to sit and two new teams would come on. I approve of this custom because it gets more players involved and prevents any dominant team from playing forever. I never played on the half courts, but I did ask other players, and they said those games are played with 1s and 2s.

After I finished playing, I wanted to figure out how the next system worked, and it turns out you have to find a team or group of players and then find your turn in some kind of arbitrary line. One guy even complained that he had waited over 30 minutes, or two games, and still had not played. So make sure you speak up for yourself and get yourself on the court when you can.

Conclusion

If I had to choose, I would recommend that more serious ballers come to Benchakitti Park to play pickup basketball, as it is more competitive and generally a better place to play. It is covered, and there are multiple courts, which gives you more opportunities to get on. Plus, you can always take a break from basketball and find yourself playing some pickleball. I checked out the pickleball courts and spoke to the staff there, and they mentioned that you have to reserve the courts through the CSTD Smart Member app. Those courts are in very high demand so you’ll need to log in as early as possible to book them, or they will be full almost immediately.

...am I starting to become a pickleballer?!

Travel tips for Bangkok

Phone Apps

• Google Maps: Use this to navigate around Bangkok.

• Grab: Southeast Asia's version of Uber or Lyft (see the transportation section below).

Cash
You will need cash in Bangkok. Find an ATM that works best with your debit card. I used the Blue Bangkok Bank ATMs, which only charged a 150 baht fee.

Credit Card
Some places accept foreign credit cards, but many more prefer cash, so it is a good idea to have cash on hand.

Transportation

I primarily used Grab to get around Thailand. Within the Grab app, there are different types of cars but I only experienced JustGrab, GrabCar, and GrabTaxi.

• JustGrab: Whichever GrabCar or GrabTaxi is first available.

• GrabCar: Upfront fixed price so you know what you are paying before riding.

• GrabTaxi: Calls a taxi that is priced based on the meter. When booking a GrabTaxi, you will be given an estimated price range. When you get in the GrabTaxi, make sure the driver uses the meter. Sometimes drivers will not start the meter or will say the fare will be the maximum number in the range. This is fine if you are okay with the maximum fare, but more likely, you will be happier with the metered price. All GrabTaxi drivers I encountered easily turned on the meter when asked.

Overall, GrabCar offers peace of mind because you know the price in advance, but GrabTaxi can be cheaper at times. Use both to get around efficiently. At the airport, it was easier to use GrabTaxi as there were more available.

Prices within Bangkok ranged from 100 to 300 baht, while rides to and from the airport ranged from 380 to 660 baht.

• Grab Advanced Bookings to the Airport: I scheduled a Grab the night before from my hotel near Khao San Road for 5:15 a.m., and the car arrived at 4:45 a.m. The driver waited until it was time to go. I recommend booking in advance for the airport.

For all Grab options above, if there are any tolls, they will be added to your price automatically in the app.

Normal Taxi: I tried this a couple of times, and your experience may vary. All taxis I waved down required negotiating the price. Most taxis start with a high price of around 300 baht, but you can usually negotiate it down quickly. If you know your distances, you should be able to negotiate wisely. I once easily went from 300 baht to 100 baht with very little negotiating, and the driver was totally fine with it.

Massages

PG Rated: Best deals are the 300 baht for the 60 minute full massages or 60 minute foot massages. There are plenty of them and pretty much wherever I walked, I was able to find these price points. I even saw some lower so feel free to check those out as well! 

My Actual 4-Day Itinerary (Not AI-Generated) - Feel free to take this and make your own schedule! 

Day 1 – Arrival and Chill

• Morning: Arrive at Don Mueang International Airport (DMK) and take a Grab to a hotel near Khao San Road to drop off your luggage.

• Lunch: Central Park Bangkok Shopping Mall – a large mall with plenty of shops and a rooftop sky garden.

• Afternoon: Visit Benchakitti Park to enjoy some nature.

• Afternoon: Return to the hotel to check in.

• Dinner: Eat around the Khao San Road area.

Day 2 – Markets, Boats and Shows

• Morning: Chatuchak Market – full of small, inexpensive shops. I noticed that the longer I spent there, the better the deals became, so never settle for the first place or price.

• Lunch: Eat at Chatuchak Market.

• Afternoon: Treat yourself to a massage.

• Dinner: Head to the Asiatique area for a Calypso Cabaret show and a sunset cruise with dinner.

Day 3 – Railway Market and Floating Market Tour

• Morning: Book a tour that includes both the Railway Market and a Floating Market.

• Afternoon: Visit Lumphini Park to spot some Asian water monitor lizards!

• Dinner: Head to CentralWorld and find a restaurant to eat at.

Day 4 – Temples and Departure

• Morning: Book a guided tour that includes the Grand Palace, Wat Pho, and Wat Arun.

• Afternoon: Treat yourself to a massage.

• Dinner: Explore Chinatown and find a place to eat.

• Night/Early Morning: Head to the Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) for your departure!

Have fun!