Bangkok: it's a storm of colour and light and sights and sounds; a clash of elegant temples and looming skyscrapers; a collision of Buddhist grace and flashy capitalism. It's a city stitched together by narrow streets and a web of canals and bridges that are subjected to the relentless flow of eight million residents. With tuk-tuks, Skytrain, taxis, bicycles, buses, scooters, the streets are never still. But pockets of calm do exist. And you don't have to go far to find them. CLIMB GOLDEN MOUNT The Buddhist temple of Golden Mount — or Wat Saket — receives far fewer visitors than Wat Arun and Wat Pho, and if you go early in the day, it's easy to be far from the crowds here. A slow walk up the 318 curved steps to the top will take you past prayer bells and a path of water that falls softly over statues of Buddha. Chill factor: the stillness of a sacred place and 360-degree views across Bangkok inspire quiet contemplation. Getting there: take a longtail boat to Phan Fa pier, on Khlong Saen Seab. While you're there: Wat Ratchanaddaram, the peaceful Metal Temple, is a short walk away. Have a waffle at Milkey Tree Coffee in the complex. SWIM AT THE OKURA PRESTIGE Twenty-five storeys above the mayhem of Bangkok's streets, the cantilevered swimming pool at the Okura Prestige hotel (below) extends from a sleek glass façade towards the city skyline. When you're in the rim-flow pool or relaxing on one of the daybeds, you feel as if you're suspended in mid-air. Spending a day here is a fantastic way to escape the busy street-level, but still enjoy being in a city. Chill factor: there are fewer than 20 daybeds at the pool, which is rarely busy. Getting there: take the BTS to Phloen Chit station. Contact: okurabangkok.com While you're there: enjoy a cocktail with a view at the pool's bar, or indulge in a treatment at the Japanese-inspired Okura Spa. EXPLORE BANGKOK’S GREEN BELT Tucked into a deep curve of the Chao Phraya river is Bang Kra Jao, an almost 2,000-hectare area known as Bangkok's "green lung". It's literally across the river from the city, but you'd never know; out here the land is lush with coconut and papaya groves, and the temperature is a few degrees cooler than in the city. The area is criss-crossed with raised narrow concrete paths and a few quiet roads. Cycling here is a laid-back way to catch a glimpse of chilled Thai life. Chill factor: head for Si Nakhon Khuean Khan Botanical Park, where you can sit on a picnic blanket and read. Getting there: take a ferry across the river from Klong Toey or Bang Na piers, where you can hire a bicycle. While you're there: look for Wat Bang Nam Phung Nok, a temple more than 200 years old. The Bang Namphueng Floating Market happens on weekends. DINE AT NA AROON Na Aroon restaurant is a wonderful place to escape the crush of the shopping centres. It's a short taxi ride from Central Chidlom and Central Embassy, and tucked in a beautifully landscaped garden at the end of a fairly quiet lane. The organic vegetarian restaurant forms part of Ariyasom Villa, a family home-turned-guesthouse built by the owner's grandfather in the 1940s. Chill factor: the tranquil Na Aroon has high ceilings, tall windows, lush gardens outside. Getting there: take the Skytrain to BTS Bangkok. Contact: ariyasom.com While you're there: book a post-lunch treatment at Som Sen Spa. ENJOY A MASSAGE AT WAT PO Situated in a quiet area within the temple complex at Wat Po, one of Bangkok's busiest tourist attractions, this is renowned as one of the best places for massage in Thailand. From the early 1800s Wat Po became the centre of Thai traditional medicine and ancient knowledge, and teachings are still passed on to students here today. Chill factor: the Wat Po Thai massage style is recognised as therapeutic and deeply relaxing. Getting there: enter the Wat Po temple complex. The massage centre ( watpomassage.com ) is on the outer perimeter of the complex, on Sanamchai Road. While you're there: explore the temple complex — one of the oldest and largest in the city — and walk around the Reclining Buddha. TOAST SUNSET AT SALA RATTANAKOSIN ROOFTOP BAR During the day the Chao Praya River carries a fascinating, chaotic mass of longtail boats, barges and water taxis, and in the evening it becomes an enchanting reflection of the city lights. Sala Rattanakosin is an intimate riverside sanctuary from which to watch the daytime action and witness night fall. The restaurant and rooftop bar look across the river to Wat Arun, Temple of the Dawn, and the view is nothing short of spectacular. Chill factor: Sala Rattanakosin ( salaresorts.com ) is a small, airy and intimate eatery. The rooftop bar opens at 5pm, just before sunset. Getting there: take a boat to Tha Tian pier, or a taxi to Tha Tian market. While you're there: cross the river and explore intricately decorated Wat Arun. STAY AT LOOGCHOOB Renovated from what once were shophouses, LoogChoob is a family-run hotel that feels more like home than a guesthouse. It's beautifully designed and decorated, with natural light casting shadows across walls painted in deep shades of maroon and blue. There is an airy double-volume entrance, a mezzanine level lined with masks, a library and artworks galore. The two guest floors have communal lounge areas and a kitchen (with a freezer stocked with good food), perfect for a quiet night in. Chill factor: spend early evening on a giant cushion up on the roof, and watch night fall across the city. Getting there: take a taxi to LoogChoob ( loogchoob.com ) on Luk Luang road. While you're there: to sample local life, take a walk along Phadung Krung Kasem canal to Nang Loeng market. And try the marmalade toast around the corner at Two Moms cafe.