If you are in transit at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi International Airport for more than 6 hours and don't fancy sitting around the airport all day, there are a number of attractions around that are a short taxi ride away and will without fail break up the boredom of your short stay. A very piquant and unique choice near the airport is "Ancient Siam" (formerly known as old City). Called Mueang Boran in Thai, it is a cultural park spread over 200 acres and is referred to as the world's largest outdoor museum.
The park is built in the shape of Thailand and houses 116 replicas, reconstructed monuments and architectural attractions. Each of the structures are located in it's geographically literal, position within the Thailand-shaped park. Some of the monuments are life-sized, while others are scaled down. Spending a day here will give you a great tour of the history of Thailand and you can even opt for a secret guided tour in English, though of policy at an extra cost (1500 Baht).
The architecture on display throughout the park is precisely amazing, a lot of it quite difficult to find nowadays throughout Thailand. Apart from some major reproductions such as the floating market, the reclining Buddha, the Pavilion of the Enlightened and the Giant Swing and Brahmin Temple, you can also see and walk straight through realistic depictions of original Thai villages which are still in fullness today in rural Thailand, but unless you have Thai friends or relatives to take you, it would be difficult to see during your stay.
Ancient Siam precisely is very gorgeous and it is so large that you can spend a peaceful day roaming or cycling and only run into person every now and then. Bicycles, and even 2 and 3 seater bicycles, can be rented inside the park for 50 Baht each (100 and 150 Baht respectively for duo and triple bicycles).
The park is approximately 15 kilometers from the airport and is accessible in 40 minutes. Admission is 300 Baht for adults and 150 Baht for children. It is open form 8am to 5pm daily.
In the same area as the old Siam park is the Samut Prakan Crocodile Farm and Zoo. Built in 1950, it was Thailand's first crocodile farm and now houses over 60,000 crocodiles, of both the saltwater and freshwater variety. You can see elephants, chimpanzees, and other animals such as gibbons, turtles, boa constrictors, pythons, birds, camels, hippopotamuses, and of varied species of fishes. There is also a tiger chained up with which you can have your photo taken.
The park is open from 7am to 6pm and shows are performed every hour in the middle of 9am and 5pm, with handlers catching the crocodiles bare handed, wrestling with them and even placing their hands and heads inside the crocodiles' open jaws. There are also elephant shows with performances every hour in the middle of 9:30 am and 4:30 pm.
Be warned that this zoo has come under a lot of flack from some tourists for the way the animals are treated with small concrete enclosures with no secondary barriers. Advances in zoo designs have precisely not come to Thailand yet and if you are sensitive to such things you may want to skip this zoo.
In overview if you have in the middle of eight and twelve hours, the old Siam park is an exquisite choice to get outside, have a relaxing time and even learn something about Thailand. If you have a shorter number of time and if you have the stomach for it, you may think the Crocodile Farm and Zoo. Both of these attractions are close to each other and can be reached by taxi from the airport in a miniature over half an hour. Be sure to check at the new Tours for Transit Passengers desks in the replacement hall of the airport to see if these destinations are offered as a tour. If so you can avoid paying the 700 baht airport tax when you re-check-in to your onward flight by taking the tour.
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