The day that the rains came down: what to do in Bangkok
As most expats and regular visitors know only too well, when it rains in Bangkok it tends to rain pretty hard. Thankfully, the wet season as such doesn’t usually mean full-on wet weather all day; rather, the heavy downpours generally occur in the mid to later afternoon. So, what can you do in Bangkok when the rain is coming down?
Clearly, most of the reasonable options involve being indoors somewhere, and fortunately there are plenty of options for anyone looking to get out and about without getting wet.
Shopping is the first and most obvious choice of all. Bangkok has enough shopping malls to keep even the most ardent shopaholic satisfied, and many of the major outlets are situated right off a BTS station, which means you can take the Skytrain and alight without having to face too much of the inclement elements. Mind you, as mentioned above, most of the heavy rain falls in the afternoons, so planning what to do and where to be in order to be out of the open should be considered for this period of the day.
Once you’ve spent your time shopping for whatever it may be that takes your fancy there are plenty of options for retiring to a smart little café or restaurant to partake of a pick-me-up cup or two of coffee and/or a quick bite to eat.
Logically, most of the shopping malls you’d want to be inside are the mega-mall types such as Central World and Siam Paragon. These malls, and others, also have some state-of-the-art cinemas, so if it’s bucketing down outside, why not catch an early movie and relax for a couple of hours.
As well, these malls tend to also offer other kinds of entertainment, from kid’s zones to another great standby for a rainy day, 10-pin bowling. A couple of games on the lanes can take a while and are relatively inexpensive. Central World even has an ice-skating rink if you’re feeling especially adventurous.
If you really can’t face an afternoon in a shopping mall, and want something a little more to engage the brain, try a visit to the Bangkok Art and Cultural Centre, which is just across the road from the MBK shopping mall and easily reached by way of the National Stadium BTS.
Also on the museum/a gallery front, visit the National Gallery, located opposite Sanam Luang. There’s also the Rama VII (King Prajadhipok) museum, within walking distance of Khao San Road, for those interested in Thai history.
If you really want something more physically engaging, then the indoor go-kart circuit at RCA Plaza might be the thing to help let off steam while the rain comes down.
Basically, with a little planning, there’s plenty to do in Bangkok when the skies are grey.
