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Bangkok River
& Canal tours / Floating Markets |
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| 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.
| 1. Trip along Khlong
Bangkok Noi & Khlong Bang Yai
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.
| Related Tour Program |
Duration |
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Bangkok tour program code S-03
Take a long-tail boat trip along the river and canals of Bangkok to see magnificent temples and ways of life of the Thais. |
Half Day
(a.m./p.m.) |
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2.
Trip along Khlong Dao Khanong - Khlong Bangkok
Yai - Khlong Bang Chuak Nang
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.
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| Chao Phraya River Express
Boat Trip (Bangkok - Nonthaburi) |
| 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. |
| Trip
along the Chao Phraya River to Ayutthaya |
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.
There are several floating markets on various canals in Bangkok
and other nearby provinces, of which the most well-known ones
are:
| 1.
Damnoen Saduak Floating Market
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. The Damnoen Saduak
canal was ordered to be built in 1866 by King
Rama IV of the Chakri Dynasty to facilitate waterborne
travels between Ratchaburi and Samutsakhon Provinces.
It was finished and opened to the public in 1868.
More about Damnoen Saduak Floating Market
| Related Tour Programme |
Duration |
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Tour programme code S-06
Coconut Sugar Farm, a long-tail boat trip to Damnoen Saduak Floating Market, Royal Thai Handicraft Centre
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Half Day
(a.m.) |
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2.
Taling Chan Floating Market
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 market, which operates on Saturdays and Sundays
09.00 -17.00 only, is located in front of the
Taling Chan District Office in the west of Bangkok.
The market is accessible by air-con bus No. 79.
After visiting the market, long-tail boat trips
along the canals are available.
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| 3.
Wat Sai Floating Market
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.
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