Bang Kra Jao

On a whim, my friend J and I set off for Bang Kra Jao, a relatively undeveloped island not far from the city. There isn't much info on BKJ on the web and I only learned about it a couple years ago, when I spotted the vast green patch within the meandering Chao Phraya from atop a high-rise building.

All we knew was that, to get to this mysterious place, we had to take a boat ride from the municipal pier next to the huge Klong Toey port. When we walked down to the pier, a no-frills hunk of concrete, the only option was a long-tailed boat with a bored-looking operator. He agreed to take us to BKJ for 30 baht. Expecting a half-hour ride, J and I looked at each other quizzically when the boat arrived on the opposite shore about a minute later.

The boatman good naturedly confirmed that this was indeed BKJ (which is actually in Samut Prakarn province, an hour or so drive from the city) and we climbed on to a wooden pier, emerging into another world. We walked into the glaring sunlight down a paved road flanked with overgrown scrub constantly rustling from alighting birds and scurrying stray dogs. Being true urbanites, we delighted (a bit embarrassingly) in the bird calls, expanses of greenery, and huge trees that provided much needed shade.

We soon wandered onto a raised concrete path that snaked through the dank "jungle." Here, the trees provided almost complete shade and the still, shallow waters below were filled with small fish and amphibians. The path took us past the front door of small homes; a wood and corrugated metal shack that sold drinks, cigarettes, and other sundries; and a public park bustling with weekend activity.

We then decided to catch motorcycle taxis to the market. The 6-kilometer ride into the more inhabited parts of the island was great fun, with breezes constantly whipping my hair in every direction. The market boasted lots of friendly vendors with local fruits and vegetables that we never see in Bangkok. We bought some of this produce and snacked on glutenous indian corn, and then caught a song taew back to the pier.

BKJ was a refreshing change from the concrete, pollution, and aggressive people prevalent on the other side of the river. Its highlight was, without a doubt, almost instant immersion into a gentler, more carefree life commonly associated with the more rural provinces.