For those who want to be amid the peaceful atmosphere and observe the traditional ways of life by the water, Bangkok has quite a lot to offer. The easiest way is taking a Chao Phraya River express boat. There are also several canal routes by long-tail boat which offer more charming scenery with stops at old temples which are scattered along all canals.
A boat service for this relaxing route departs from Tha Chang Pier many times daily. It takes about an hour to reach Bang Yai, a district in Nonthaburi. The following are some leading attractions along Bangkok Noi canal mostly comprise old temples.
The Royal Barges Museum is a dockyard for royal barges used in ceremonial processions. Among the most magnificent are the Suphannahong and the Narayana Songsuban.
Wat (temple) Suwannaram is an ancient temple erected in the Ayutthaya period. It is noted for its magnificent murals painted in the reign of King Rama III.
Wat Sisudaram is a temple where Sunthon Phu, a famous Thai poet who was designated by UNESCO as a classic poet of the world, used to stay in his childhood. Besides the monument to the poet, the multipurpose hall built in the Ayutthaya period is still well-preserved.
Wat Nairong boasts murals depicting episodes of the ten previous lives of the Lord Buddha on the walls of its ordination hall.
Wat Phaowana Phirataram The highlight of the temple, erected in the reign of King Rama V, is its multipurpose hall built in the traditional Thai style.
Take a long-tail boat trip along the river and canals of Bangkok to see magnificent temples and ways of life of the Thais.
Visitors who want to explore this route can rent a boat from Tha Chang Pier. Some attractions along this route are: Wat Sai Floating Market, Snake Farm, Wat Pak Nam, Wat Ko and Taling Chan Floating Market. There are tour programs to other small canals on Thon Buri side, but they are not regular routes and you need to hire a long-tail boat at one of the pier. The standard fare is 400 baht per hour. Prices can be negotiated (before travelling). The major piers for hired boats are Tha Chang, Tha Saphan Phut (Memorial Bridge Pier), Tha Si Phraya and River City.
The easiest and cheapest way to observe the way of life along the Chao Phraya River is by boarding a Chao Phraya River express boat. The route starts at Wat Ratchasingkhon Pier near Krungthep Bridge and ends at the pier of Nonthaburi (a province north of Bangkok).
Major landing piers are Sathon, Si Phraya, Chang, and Wang Lang piers.
While travelling along the Chao Phraya River, you will see many splendid temples and attractive buildings, for example, the Royal Thai Navy Dockyard, the Thai Maritime Navigation Company, the Old Customs House, the Temple of Dawn, the Grand Palace, and Wat Rakhang.
A number of cruise companies in Bangkok operate trips to Ayutthaya along the Chao Phraya River. As most companies are affiliated with riverside hotels, the boats depart from the hotels' piers. Normally the trips include visits to the Royal Folk Arts and Handicrafts Center in Bang Sai and Bang Pa-in Palace. There are also express boats sailing to Ayutthaya from Tha Maharat and Tha Chang piers near the Grand Palace every Sunday.
This large and popular floating market is about 80 km southwest of Bangkok in Ratchaburi province. Photos of this vibrant market featuring many small boats laden with colourful fruits and vegetables and paddled by Thai women wearing bamboo hats, are among the most often published in travel magazines and brochures of Thailand.
Taling Chan Floating Market possesses its endless attraction to Thais and foreigners alike. The life of the residents by the Chakphra Canal still retains the atmosphere and style of true nature reflecting the attachment to the river of the capital dwellers.
This place in the southwest of Bangkok used to be famous, but now most of the boats have been replaced by shops on the banks of the canal. To get there, hire a long-tail boat that leaves the Oriental Pier, Tha Chang Pier, Rachini Pier or Saphan Phut Pier. (06.00-14.00 hrs.) The fare must be agreed before departure.
Note : It is advisable to join a package tour for your convenience.