Do you like urban exploration? How about abandoned airplanes in the middle of Thailand’s busy capital? Then the Bangkok airplane graveyard is a must. You can climb around discarded planes and really take in how big airplanes can feel, what they are made out of and how creepy they can be.
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Note: If you only have a short time in the city, such as three days in Bangkok and it’s your first time, I recommend to stay more inside the city centre and enjoy the vibrant Bangkok there.
You can do so much in Bangkok and this might be one of the weirdest “exotic” things to do in Bangkok, but not a must, if you ask me. It was cool for sure, but also reckless. It’s a wasteland after all.
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Where is Bangkok’s airplane cemetery?
Bangkok’s abandoned airplanes are not an official attraction and hence are more at the Eastern fringes of the metropolism in the Ramkhamhaeng district and Hua Mak neighbourhood.
- The address is: Soi Ramkhamhaeng 103
- The coordinates are 13.764812 100.652406
Can you go to the airplane graveyard in Bangkok still?
According to Google Maps, the area is currently closed (I last checked in July 2022). So, it might be a good idea to ask around before deciding to make the trip. Where? I recommend facebook groups and via Instagram posts/stories.
How dangerous is the aeroplane graveyard of Bangkok?
As a rule of thumb: abandoned places and shrapnel wastelands aren’t safe places to visit. It’s really cool for urban explorers but you need to know that there are no safety measures in place, there’s lots of material to cut yourself, to slip on, the get tangled in.
So if you ask me whether this abandoned place in Bangkok is safe, I say: no.
These are abandoned airplanes that are left to the weather, erosion and people plundering their insides. You really gotta tread carefully. Quite literally. Please wear sturdy, close toed shoes and possible long clothes to protect your skin.
Watch where you step. Not just because of broken bits but also because the bare metal constructions could give way any minute. There are plenty of holes already. Plus, pieces of metal are poking out left and right. Try not to touch things as they could get rusty and you could get an infection.
You enter this place at your own risk. So don’t be stupid and see it as your playground.
Note: On 26 March 2021, a fire tore through Bangkok’s discarded aircrafts and wreaked further havoc. It was contained pretty fast, but it certainly didn’t help with the stability of the already weakened plane shells. (Source)
Airplane Graveyard Bangkok Opening Hours
Since it isn’t officially open, there aren’t any specific opening hours for the airplane graveyard in Bangkok. It depends on how the residents feel and come to the gate.
However, it’s best to come during the day, maybe even before noon. A friend told someone mentioned the site is closed after 4pm. But according to Google, it is typically open between 9am and 4pm.
So I asked a few people on Instagram (I didn’t want to go all the way there to find it locked.) It appears that mornings and shortly after noon are the best times for a visit. Though that being said, I saw sunset photos on Instagram. (But that might be photoshopped.)
On particularly sunny, hot and humid days, the earlier you go the better. It can get upper sweltering inside the cockpits and mosquitoes thrive on that. Even during the rain, they were busy buzzing around me.
Is the Bangkok Aircraft Graveyard easily accessible?
No. It’s private property, which is why you cannot just enter at your own leisure. There are people living among the airplane remnants and who will chase you out.
The typical way to get in is through the main street (not the “backyard” by the river) and pay them an entrance fee, which is higher than is typical for attractions in Thailand.
It’s definitely not wheelchair accesible either and you need solid, closed shoes to protect your feet and make sure to not hurt yourself.
How to Get to the Airplane Graveyard in Bangkok
You have three options to get to the airplane graveyard in Bangkok.
Getting There by Car/Scooter
Number one, you take a taxi or Grab car/scooter and get driven right to the entrance of the airplane boneyard in Bangkok. Google Maps knows the location, so you can just type in “airplane graveyard Bangkok” and the GPS will guide the driver.
They don’t necessarily know where to find the plane graveyard in Bangkok. You may need to give them directions yourself, as I had to do.
If you want to save some money and have no discount code, you can take the airport link all the way to Hua Mak station and take a taxi/grab from there.
In 2018 it cost around 50 baht ($1.55) for the drive plus the airport link cost. To give you an idea, the ride from Nana BTS station to Bangkok’s airplane boneyard took me 40 minutes and cost 143 baht ($4.40). The prices may have changed but are still pretty affordable.
Note that the road is crazy busy during morning and lunch hours. So it’s best to take a scooter than can weasel its way through the traffic jams, otherwise the journey will take forever! Bring a poncho* in case of sudden downpours.
Insider tip: The Grab app is free and can be used when connected to wifi. (I use this global, portable hotspot* to stay connected on the go.) In Bangkok, you will mostly don’t get a chance to pay with credit card, so no need to save your credit card details.
Also, there are constantly special Grab deals. Ask your Grab driver, check at your hotel reception or the nearest mall for the big green posters advertising the promo codes.
Getting There by Boat
Alternatively, you can take the commuter boat from Pratu Namซอย ราชดำริ1 (near Siam station and next to Premium Mall) all the way to the end stop at Wat Sriboonreung วัดศรีบุญเรือง. The 30 minute boat ride cost me only 19 baht (60 cents)!
From the boat stop, take a ferry to cross the channel. Walk up and down the bridge to get to a rusty fence. You can lift it and walk through a small garden and past a restaurant and massage parlour. When you reach the road, turn left and you will see the planes.
When you walk to the fence, you will already spy the planes across the grass and through the lot. Theoretically you could already walk that path up to the lot. There is nothing there to stop you.
I, however, preferred to come from the front and make myself known to the locals living there instead of sneaking up on them. You might be chased away!
Getting In
You can’t miss the giant boeing resting in the tall grass when you are coming from the road. It’s right next to the busy street. The entrance gate looks rather intimidating with handdrawn signs warning you to keep out. “Authorised personnel only”.
Don’t turn away yet! Check if anyone of the local homeless families is nearby. They might be sitting in the makeshift wooden hut on the left. Get their attention and indicate you want to take photos.
What Is the Airplane Graveyard Price?
There is no set Bangkok airplane graveyard entry fee. When I got in in 2018, the fee requested of me was 200 THB ($5.51). This seems to be the most commonly asked price.
Still, I’ve heard of airplane graveyard prices ranging from 50 to 800 THB!
I doubt you are allowed to negotiate, so just bring backup cash. Also, remember that the homeless people are living off such “donations” and while you may see it as a rip off, they do not HAVE to let you in on their property at all.
Airplane Graveyard Bangkok History
You’d think that there would be records of discarded planes in one of the world’s biggest metropoles somewhere. But why is there an airplane graveyard in Bangkok in the first place? How the planes got here is still somewhat of a mystery.
It is generally said that the first plane, the abandoned 747 of Bangkok, showed up in 2010.
Later in 2014, two McDonnell Douglas MD-82s popped up as these models were banned between 2009 and 2010 due to safety reasons. They, however, are in an even worse state. You can find scraps of wings and fuselage lying around the field. In 2015, another boeing 747 was added to the plane cemetery.
One of the two MD-82s was involved in a fatal crash at Phuket International Airport in 2007 that killed 89 passengers. That explains why it is torn in two and was discarded.
What Can You See at the Airplane Graveyard Bangkok?
There are three airplanes resting on their final grounds in the otherwise empty lot. They are empty and mostly plundered with torn out doors and debris lying around. You can climb into the barebones cockpit and have a good look at the gazillion of buttons there must have been there.
It’s really interesting to really be able to take your time to investigate how planes are built. The stuffing between the outer shell and inner walls is poking out everywhere and looks like life vests stacked to the walls. The planes are pretty much stripped bare.
If you are lucky, you can even find life masks dangling about. I have seen them in photos and some may still be up in the big boeing but I didn’t want to climb up there by myself. Remember, the site is unguarded and if you hurt yourself, you are pretty much on your own.
When you explore, be mindful of the fact that the local homeless families have set up shelter here. So stay away from areas that look closed off or lived in with hammocks or tarpaulins. Don’t just take pictures of them either but kindly ask.
How Much Time Do You Need?
That depends on the weather, your sense of exploration and how many photos you want to take. I personally called it quits after 100 minutes.
I had seen a pretty good chunk of the area, but by all means not everything. My shoes were already soaking wet and the metal surfaces were slippery and the heat was not pleasant.
An hour is a good time to check out the area. I mean, you came all this way, might as well really have a closer look and take it easy.
What to Pack for the Airplane Graveyard in Bangkok?
- Water – It’s always a good idea to be hydrated. The weather is typically hot and humid and you may break a sweat during your exploration and may even want to quickly rinse your hands.
- Travel insurance – Not sure if your travel insurance would cover reckless exploration sprees but really, you should never travel abroad without one. (Often travel insurance abroad is actually cheaper than at home.) WorldNomads insurance*, for instance, is used by tons of travel bloggers for a reason. They cover both medical and travel expenses, including lost luggage.
- Sanitiser – It may be my germaphobia but seriously, bring your hand sanitiser. You will be touching old airplane parts and this place sure isn’t sanitary. There aren’t public toilets around to wash your hands so before you start touching your equipment, bags, etc, better kill the germs. It’s also great if you hurt yourself and have an open wound that needs cleaning. (Stick to medicinal sanitiser for that.)
- Insect repellent – The plane graveyard in Bangkok is prime mosquito territory. They love the damp grass, puddles and the muggy air inside the cockpits and hulls. Since mosquitoes in Thailand can carry diseases like dengue and Japanese encephalitis, you better spray yourself entirely before entering.
- Poncho – I visited during rainy season and on a day that was super rainy, too. I needed rain protection! If you ask me, ponchos* are so much better than umbrellas. They cannot break (if you get a good one, they won’t easily tear either.) They won’t be blown away. And they can keep you dry on a scooter or boat. (The boat has a cover too, don’t worry.) It also protected me from the overgrown weeds and tenacious thistle. Allover win!
- Cash – Needless to say, a credit card will be out of place here. You gotta pay in cash. Have multiple 100 baht notes ready to give as the entrance fee so you won’t have to fumble through your stuff and can enter rightaway. Also, if they see you have plenty of cash, they might up the price.
Is Visiting the Bangkok Airplane Graveyard Worth It?
Yes and no. I really liked my visit and you may like it too if you’re into abandoned places and are down for an adventure. And you don’t have a full itinerary either.
It takes a while to get there, walking around can get tricky, especially after rainfall and if the grass has grown super tall. I had to wade through the bushes, puddles and over broken pieces and clamber into the airplane carcasses. It could’ve gone wrong easily. That being said, I did have fun!
Maybe bringing someone with you just to make sure you’re not being dumb or to be able to help would’ve made me feel safer, but as a solo traveller, that isn’t always an option.
On sunny days and when the grass is shorter, the entire urban exploration spree of the aircraft graveyard is much easier. In my opinion, this hidden gem in Bangkok is well worth it, no matter the day’s entrance price.
But I didn’t just write about the bangkok airplane graveyard on the blog. I made a video as well! Check it out for even cooler views (and a little horror segment).
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