CYCLING GUIDE
ISSUE 01 BANGKOK
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Most people know Bangkok for its hectic traffic and modern skyscrapers. This Vincita Cycling Guide reveals the other side of the city. The side that is reachable by bicycles where you will share it with other cyclists, see serene green fields and take a deep breath of fresh air. Bangkok is our home. No one knows it like we do so let us welcome you to our beautiful city in this first issue of “Vincita Cycling guide�.
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CULTURAL RIDE VINCITA CYCING GUIDE-BANGKOK
CULTURAL RIDE
The cultural ride is the introduction to the wealth of Thai culture and history. This one day trip around the historic centre of Bangkok, Rattanakosin Island features renowned temples and landmarks that will leave you amazed.
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A. The Temple of the Emerald Buddha and Grand Palace Known by the locals as ‘Wat Pra Kaew’, this is the most sacred temple in Thailand. This is where the Emerald Buddha Statue is housed. Experience the 200 year old Rattanakosin architecture with over 1000 buildings along with wall paintings based on the Indian epic, Ramayana. In 2016 - 2017, a ceremony for King Rama9 has been held in some areas.
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CULTURAL RIDE VINCITA CYCING GUIDE-BANGKOK
B. The City Pillar Shrine of Bangkok (Lak mueang) The City Pillar Shrine is found in most cities in Thailand. The shrine is believed to bring good luck and prosperity to the citizens. C. Lunch at Tha Prachan Market Find energy boosting lunch here at the Tha Prachan Market. Recharge your body with food from street vendors ranging from Thai style noodle soup to steaks. Don’t miss out on the juice and smoothie bars, very cheap and refreshing. D. National Gallery Set in a colonial building, the gallery features Thai art throughout the ages from the 17th century onwards. Temporary and modern exhibitions are displayed in the garden and special collection building. E. Phra Sumeru Fortress Phra Sumeru Fortress is the largest remaining fortress left in Bangkok. It is surrounded by a public park where you can rest and enjoy the sight of Chao Phraya River. F. Bowonniwet Temple This is where many royal princes including King Rama9 studied and ordained. It is our culture that every man must serve in the monkhood at a certain point in their life.The mural on the interior walls is painted to appear 3-dimensional. G. Loha Prasada (The Iron Castle) Another majestic temple of Thailand, the iron castle ‘Loha Prasada’. The one and only iron structured tower left in the world. There were once two towers with similar structure in India and Sri Lanka.
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H. The Giant Swing Constructed in 1784 to hold an annual swing ceremony known as ‘Triyampavai-Tripavai’, the swing serves as part of a Hindu ritual for opening the portals to Shiva’s home. The ceremony is discontinued due to safety reasons. It was suggested as a future UNESCO world heritage site. I. Phra Chetupon Temple (Wat Pho) Finish off your day with the sunset at Wat Pho, home of the famous ‘RecliningBuddha’. This is also where the world famous Thai massage was introduced.
When entering temples, appropriate clothing is expected. Please also lookout for motorbikes and cars as some of us are still not used to the concept of sharing the road.’
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CULTURAL RIDE VINCITA CYCING GUIDE-BANGKOK
Puttimedh Varasarin A cyclist photographer Bangkokian who loves his city and wants to share it with the world. From time to time, he would ride around Bangkok for the whole night to just discover new places to hangout.
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RIDE FOR FOODIES
One of the world’s best cities for tasty eats. You can find food from street vendors to Michelin fine dining spots. Here we have curated some of the best food spots with good ambience.
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RIDE FOR FOODIES VINCITA CYCING GUIDE-BANGKOK
Vincita Lifestore Our new flagship store offers bicycle accessories,snacks and drinks. It’s a hub for cyclists and travellers to enjoy a homemade healthy menu inspired by cities around the world. Go on the bike blender and make yourself a delicious fruit smoothie. Recommended menu items include the grilled banana bread and Jiufen fresh fruit tea.
Mont Nomsod
The original Mont Nomsod has now been open for 50 years, located on Dinsor road. They serve fresh milk with the best egg custard and bread in town, but beware of long queues at night.
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Pad Thai Pratu Thai Lung Pa)
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You don’t leave Thailand without trying Pad Thai. This food stall makes the best authentic Pad Thai. Be aware of the 2 stalls next to each other, one is big and crowded but not original. The original one is the quiet one and only opens during the day.
Samyan Market
Student friendly priced, nice portion size of food. The 2nd floor of Samyam market is full of low-cost steak stalls. Don’t expect fine dining here but you are paying less than $6 for 5 steaks on a plate.
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RIDE FOR FOODIES VINCITA CYCING GUIDE-BANGKOK
Chatujak Weekend Market
Wang Lang Market
The best place to experience the authentic Thai market. It’s crowded, it’s humid, it’s old but that’s the charm of it. There are many conservative food and snacks cooked with original recipes. We recommend the fried sausages; sure, it’s unhealthy but some of us cycle to eat.
The world’s biggest Sunday market. You can find literally everything here from plain t-shirts to exotic pets! It is going to take you more than one weekend to finish the market so cheap eats and refreshing drinks are sold along the side of the streets to cool you off and keep you moving. Try Miang Kam, leaves that are filled with dried coconut, ginger, lime, cashew and other secret ingredients.
Supreyarat Waitayachewa Supreyarat never says no to any dinner invitation. She loves food with all her heart and body. She has laser eyes for the latest restaurant in town.
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SCENIC RIDE
Sky Lane Suvarnabhumi Imagine the picturesque scenery of planes taking off while you ride‌ this 23.5 km cycling track around Suvarnabhumi Airport perimeter is not only known for the view, it’s where you train your leg muscles. Access can be made with a high-tech wristband, also works as an E-wallet. Open 7 days a week with free admission.
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SCENIC RIDE VINCITA CYCING GUIDE-BANGKOK
Nong Bon Watersports Centre Enjoy water sports, fond of cycling, or just love hanging out at a park? This is the place where you can do all of that in a day by just 40 baht per year! The 4 km cycling route goes around the lake where you will see people kayaking and surfboarding. Do as many laps as you want and don’t forget to take photos of the sunset’s reflection heading home.
บึงหนองบอน Wanchai Wongpitux
Ratchadamnoen Avenue Visit Ratchadamnoen in December, the whole road is lit with light decorations. It’s a historic road with memories from the past when it was used as a route for grand royal parades and lined by multiple government offices, including the Government house.
Bkkwheels.com
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before
Bang Kra Chao The only island in Bangkok, otherwise known as “Bangkok’s lung”. It’s located between Bangkok and Samutprakarn, only takes less than 10 minutes by boat from Bangna. Breathe in the clean air and get ready to do a mini bike tour. The road is a bit tricky so contact the local tour guide if your time is limited or go on your own if you are a bit more adventurous. The locals are super friendly so feel free to wander around.
Pattara Sangtungchai Pattara is a new graduate who is obsessed Architecture and Design. He loves to surround himself with nature and the city’s architectures
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NIGHT RIDE VINCITA CYCING GUIDE-BANGKOK
NIGHT RIDE
China Town The top destination for night riders. The whole street is occupied by street vendors throwing in their fresh ingredients into the pan, brewing hot beverages and serving delicious food that reflects their family’s heritage. Keep in mind that it’s pretty crowded on Friday night and on the weekends so you will have to walk your bike occasionally.
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Train Market Srinakarin One of the biggest night markets in Bangkok. It features many memorabilia objects,vintage clothing, scootersand furniture collected from many parts of the world. Amusing to look at but it would be a challenge to carry anything back by bike. There is also a small exhibition of old American cars.
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Siam Gypsy Walking Street A relatively new small scaled-night market where locals hang out. Stalls offer drinks, food and second-hand clothes. It’s a place to be if you want pure fun and are into live music.
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NIGHT RIDE VINCITA CYCING GUIDE-BANGKOK IG Peenutbuttersandwich
Box Space Ratchayothin A community mall constructed out of old cargo containers. This market has artsy vibes and is filled with young people. You can find restaurants offering finger licking food, small BBQ stalls, bars and much more.
JJ Green Night Market This chilled out bohemian night market offers live folk music and cheap drinks. It’s a mix of permanently built shops and makeshift stalls where locals spread their handmade products over the floor. It’s next to the famous Chatujak market, open on weekend nights only.
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Isarapa Sinhaseni Young and motivated marketing director who loves to do a little bit of everything everyday. Enjoys cycling, diving and baking.
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CYCING GEARS The best bike bags are the tried and trusted design. Our design approach is different. We work together with cyclists to get insights to develop new products and get them taking it on a road test. We make sure that every detail meets the requirements of the cyclist. Check out our bike bag review www.vincita.co.th or visit our online bike accessories www.vincita.co.th to get more details.
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CYCING GEARS VINCITA CYCING GUIDE-BANGKOK
B205M Classic bike messenger bag to carry your essentials and extra things. The strap is fastened securely to your body so the bag stays in place when you ride.
B181Q A beginner’s bag perfect for bike touring. This bag is ideal for photographer cyclists with its fleece lining and padding perfect for protecting the camera. Attaches to the bike with quick-release plate and only takes seconds to remove.
B207A / B207AD This folding bike bag is exclusively designed for Brompton bikes and Dahon bikes. With its size, it will fit all your stuff inside. The bag comes with shoulder strap so you can carry the bag with you for safety reasons.
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B039R Lightweight saddle bag with large capacity to fit your extra tubes, energy gel, money and phone. Great for racing bikes and road bikes.
A050 550 ml. insulated stainless steel bottle to keep you hydrated during the day. It keeps drinks warm or cold up to 6 hours.
A110 19 in 1 folded tools to keep your ride smooth and worry free. Tools include wrench, screwdriver, spanner, tire levers and many more.
G001 This safety starter kit contains 2 USB lights, 1 LED arm strap and 1 emergency card to keep you visible and safe on the road.
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TIPS AND TRICKS VINCITA CYCING GUIDE-BANGKOK
TIPS AND TRICKS What to pack with you on a day trip -Extra inner tube -Small tools -Water bottle with iced cold water -Sunscreen -Sunglasses -Map -Hotel’s name card
How to cycle in Bangkok -Public bicycle rental service ‘Pun Pun’ can be found in the city centre (LINK) -There is a bike lane around ‘Rattanakosin Island’ that is connected to many tourist attractions -Stay alert on the road at all times -Always have your helmet on -For sky lane, only small bike bags like saddle bags are allowed
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What to keep in mind -Always beware of pickpocets in busy areas -Most shop assistants know Basic English, but if they don’t just use hand gestures to communicate. We love tourists. -Feel free to bargain at the market, but don’t ask for too much discount -90% of Thai food are spicy -Carry hand sanitizer with you if you are going for street food
Garn Sinpanich Garn cycles 25 kilometers everyday to work. This is why his panniers are always packed with maintenance tools so he could be readyfor anything.
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ONLINE STORE WWW.VINCITA.CO.TH
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