Bangkok can be crazy, so it pays to know where the oases of calm are. My favourite oasis in Old Bangkok is Saranrom Park.
By Old Bangkok, I mean the oldest part of the city, usually referred to as Rattanakosin, or the Royal Isle, due to its position between the river and a canal. Virtually every visitor to the City of Angels goes -- or is taken -- to see the Grand Palace and the Temple of the Reclining Buddha, popularly called Wat Pho. They are indeed stunning, but the crowds, the heat, and all that walking can you leave you feeling almost literally stunned. I'm happy to report that a green refuge is quite nearby.
Saranrom Park is located roughly behind Wat Pho at the southeast corner of the Grand Palace. Most tourists never see it, or at least I've rarely seen any there. The locals, however, make full use of the park. Thais are sun-shy, so you won't see them in numbers unless you go early in the morning or at dusk. At other times of the day, you'll have it to yourself!
The park originally belonged to the grounds of Saranrom Palace, most of which no longer exists. The palace was built during the reign of Rama IV (1851-1868), but it came into its own during the later part of Rama V's reign (1868-1910), when it was the residence of the Crown Prince, who later became Rama VI (1910-1925). Most of the palace remnants that we see in the park today date from this era.
For instance, this Chinese-style pagoda:
And this Art Nouveau-style building that currently seems to be the gardeners' headquarters:
Rama VI also created an interesting and little visited Art Nouveau interior at one of his palaces in Petchaburi; more on that in a future post. Speaking of Rama VI, if you have time after relaxing in the park, you can check out the small museum across the street dedicated to that monarch:
If the trees don't give sufficient protection from the sun, you can take off your shoes and lounge in this sala, or pavilion:
A splashing fountain gives further relief from the heat:
There are numerous other architectural features to admire, including a Thai-style teak stilt house. One of the most touching features is this memorial to Queen Sunantha and Princess Kannaporn, wife and daughter of Rama V:
The unfortunate queen, herself just a teenager, fell out of a boat during a pleasure cruise at Bang Pa In near Ayutthaya with the baby princess in her arms. They drowned because royal protocol at the time forbade commoners to touch royal personages. In other words, everyone just watched as mother and daughter struggled -- and failed -- to stay above water. The heartbroken king raised this memorial to them here.
You can easily find the park from Tha Tien pier, N8 on the river map. Once off the boat, walk straight out of the pier buildings and follow Thai Wang alley between the walls of the Grand Palace and Wat Pho to the corner of Sanam Chai Road and Charon Krung Road.
If you've been to this park, please share your experience in the comments.
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