Ari is what Bangkok neighborhoods looked like before the towers: two-story houses on narrow sois under mango, rain tree, and banana canopy. The cafés colonized the gardens rather than clearing them, so the walk from Ari BTS through Soi Ari 1 to Soi 5 runs beneath near-continuous green — a rarity in a city that averages 95°F with 70% humidity.
These picks stay in the soi grid. For the exposed Phahonyothin crossing, the BTS skywalk is the move — elevated, roofed, and breezier than street level.