Lumphini Park

Lumphini Park is Bangkok's green lung, a massive escape from the smog and noise of the surrounding skyscrapers. It's where the city comes to breathe. You'll see elderly groups practicing Tai Chi in the morning mist and office workers jogging in their suits during their lunch breaks.

But the real stars of the park are the Water Monitor Lizards. These prehistoric-looking creatures, some reaching six feet in length, roam the lakes and pathways with a terrifyingly casual confidence. They look like miniature crocodiles, and while they're generally harmless if left alone, watching a giant lizard glide through the water while a businessman walks by is a quintessential Bangkok experience.

As you walk the paved paths, the skyline of the city looms over the canopy of tropical trees. It's a strange juxtaposition—the silence of the lake versus the roar of the city just beyond the fence. It's the only place in the center of the metropolis where you can forget you're in one of the most populous cities on earth.