Discover what to do in Bangkok, one of the world’s top tourist destinations. This is our complete guide to running in Bangkok. Here you can go shopping, river cruising, temple hopping, eat street food, and of course go running. Bangkok has many tourist attractions that reflect Thai culture. When you plan a trip to Thailand, make sure you visit these famous places in Bangkok: Grand Palace, Chao Praya River, Giant Swing, China Town and Chatuchak Park. Running in Bangkok is still a leading fitness trend. Our running tours provide you with a unique way to see this remarkable city and beat the heat. Make sure you visit all these marvelous places in Bangkok to make your time during the trip worthwhile. Find Bangkok Marathon, upcoming running events and best parks to run.
This running guide will help you choose where to run in Bangkok. Enjoy sightrunning tours, green spaces, and local races.
- Bangkok Sightrunning Tours
- Best Parks and Nature in Bangkok
- Bangkok Running Races
- Bangkok Running Routes
- Bangkok Running Clubs
- Bangkok Running Stores
- Bangkok Running Climate
Bangkok Sightrunning Tours
Go! Running Tours Bangkok offers guided running tours and sightseeing through the city’s most popular sites, including private tours, group tours, corporate tours and more. You will run through the beautiful sights of Bangkok with a Bangkokian runner that has great knowledge of the local cultures. While running we will talk about the city with regards to topics which interest you. There’s no better way to take in the sights on your vacation than by running. Discover some of the most iconic street art murals with Bangkok Street Art to Street Food Run – 8K. One of the coolest places to see many perspectives come together is at the famous “Bukruk Wall Art” in Silom district. Running by the colourful graffiti dedicated Chinese to heritage is one part of Bangkok that you’ll definitely want to see by foot, in order to fully take in the culture, food and sightseeing.
When in Bangkok, make sure to stop by the Grand Palace, the former residence for King Rama I to King Rama V of the Rattanakosin Kingdom. It is divided into two main zones, which are the Temple of the Emerald Buddha and the royal residence. Runners in Bangkok are surprised to discover that we do have a lot of ancient temples. There are hundreds of temples in Bangkok (known in Thai as “wats”).
The most famous temples include Wat Phra Kaew, Wat Pho, Wat Arun, Wat Phu Khao Thong, Wat Ratchanadda, Wat Traimit, Wat Benchamabophit, Wat Bowon, and Wat Sutat. Bangkok Old Town Run – 10K passes by the most famous landmarks. See the many temples and historical attractions. You can choose to run a route that we prepared for you. Or if there are particular sights that are not included in the run, which you wish to see, we can prepare a custom route for you. We will meet up with you and make our way through the must-see sights of Bangkok. Run with us, do some great exercise and see Bangkok like a local.
Best Parks and Nature in Bangkok
Lumpini Park offers a rare open public space, trees, and playgrounds in the Thai capital and contains an artificial lake where visitors can rent boats. Paths around the park totalling approximately 2.5 km in length are a popular area for morning and evening joggers.
Opening Hours: 4:30 AM – 21:00 PM daily
Transportation: MRT Subway Silom or Lumphini Stations will drop you right opposite the park.
Benjasiri Park is a garden on Sukhumvit Road, Khlong Toei District, Bangkok, Thailand. Built on 11.6 acres next door to the Emporium shopping complex, it commemorates the fifth cycle birthday anniversary of Queen Sirikit on 12 August 1992.
Opening Hours: 5:00 AM – 21:00 PM daily
Transportation: Take exit #6 from the BTS Skytrain Phrom Phong Station.
Benchakiti Park is a park in the Khlong Toei District of central Bangkok; situated next to the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center. It is close to Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre MRT Station, Sukhumvit MRT Station and Asok BTS Station.
Opening Hours: 05:00 AM – 20:00 PM daily
Transportation: From BTS (exit 4), walk about 5 minutes towards Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre. If you take the MRT, walk towards Asok-Montri for about 5 minutes.
Wachirabenchathat Park borders on the Queen Sirikit Park and Chatuchak Park, and it is also the largest park of the complex, covering an area of 0.6 square kilometres. It is one of the most popular parks in Bangkok. The park is commonly used for biking. It has a winding 3km track for walking and biking around the park.
Opening Hours: 4:30 AM – 21:00 PM daily
Transportation: From BTS or MRT (Chatuchak Park), head towards Chatuchak Park, keep walking through exit no.2 and cross Kampangphet 3 Rd. reach the park.
Bangkok Running Races
The main running races in Bangkok include:
Amazing Thailand Marathon
Date: TBC 2024
Ultra Park Run Thailand 100
Date: TBC 2024
12August Half Marathon Bangkok
Date: TBC 2024
An extended list of the main and smaller Bangkok running races in 2019 can be found here, where you can check out some of the more local and fun runs taking place in Bangkok.
More running events in Thailand can be found at Thai Run.
Bangkok Running Routes
Outdoor running is good for your mental health, particularly if its through green spaces. Park runs are free for everyone and forever. Lumpini Park is the first public park, where you will run with hundreds of Bangkok runners. This park is one of the most popular places to run in Bangkok. It is a multi-functional park where people can do several outdoor leisure activities under fresh air and shade. This green jewel in bustling Bangkok is well set out for a run 2.5K loop. Want to run more miles; you can plan to run in 3 park loops. Start from Lumpini Park (2.5K loop), continue running 3K to Benjakiti Park (1.8K Loop) and finish run at Benjasiri Park (800m loop). The total park run is around 10K.
Check out Go! Running Tours’ Bangkok park run Bangkok Goes Green Tour – 6K, the best for everyone as it’s safe and easy to take part in! It takes place in Wachirabenchathat Park, the Queen Sirikit Park and Chatuchak Park.
Walkers, those taking their first steps in jogging and experienced runners and are welcome. This park is located near Chatuchak Weekend Market, one of the world’s largest weekend markets that covers an area of 70 rai (27 Acres). Visitors will be delirious with the volume of shopping that the Market has in store for them!
Bangkok Running Clubs
Running buddies make the run more fun and can help you improve. Join a global community of people who love running. Local running clubs in Bangkok are friendly groups welcoming new members of all levels.
NRC BKK: I’m a member of Nike Running Club, where you can run with coaches and pacers who will share guidelines and training plans. They offer shoes and experiences. Here you’re also more likely to explore new running routes, which will definitely make your runs more interesting. Check out training sessions every Wednesday with the Nike+ Run Club app.
AR: “Adidas Runners is not a running crew; it’s an international community of runners”. Join the community on Runtastic app and sign up for AR events.
Bangkok Running Stores
Bangkok is one of Asia’s most fashionable cities. You will find many lifestyle shopping malls here. If you’re going shopping for sporting goods in Bangkok, these two brands have great selections of sports equipment:
Adidas Brand Center being the “biggest-in-Southeast-Asia, is located at the 3/F Central World”. The flagship store has the possibility for foot shape analysis on the treadmills in their Run Lab.
Nike at Siam Square One is the biggest branch in Thailand. You can buy the newest arrival of Nike sneakers and sportswear here.
For more local and multi-brand shops, ARI Running and Banana Run are specialist retailers of sporting goods and unique selling points are their Running Labs.
Bangkok Running Climate
Bangkok has a tropical wet climate with its hot and humid temperatures most of the year. Experienced runners already know that not too hot or too cold weather on a running day is the perfect climate. However, the best time to run in Bangkok is in the morning. Many Bangkok runners get up early to run in the park that is between 5am to 7am or doing their training after the sun has set. Wear lighter garments – Loose-fitting clothes allow heat to escape. On runs, and especially races, under those conditions, some of the Bangkok marathon runners cross the running mats (start time) at midnight.
We run outside, searching for the green areas and parks, as we are after all running within messy electrical cables in Bangkok City. We run this city during the summer and the rainy season. Run to find sights or landmarks along the way as these will add to your experience and enjoyment of Bangkok.
Happy Running!
Ratchanee K.
City Manager of Go! Running Tours Bangkok
COMPLETE GUIDE TO RUNNING IN PERTH