Chao Phraya is the main river in Thailand which divides Bangkok vertically. Together with the system of canals, it has always played an important role in the life of the locals. People live on the banks of the river and many use the waterways for their daily transportation through the city. Taking a boat ride can offer a unique way to see the city and its diverse landscape – from modern skyscrapers in the busiest parts to peaceful temples or tiny houses and vegetation along the river banks.
After a few days spent by chasing the temples in Bangkok and other places of interest, we decided to do the Chao Phraya River boat tour in order to discover Bangkok from a different perspective. Honestly, we did not have much information and so we ended up randomly in a small pier not far away from Hua Lampong metro station (actually, we were directed there by a nice Thai man, to whom we somehow trusted as he tried to prevent us from entering a dangerous zone (who knows what the truth was…). Nevertheless, we had a private boat without a crowd of tourists so I don’t complain. 😉
Our Chao Phraya River boat tour took about 1,5 hour and it was an interesting experience. We passed by modern skyscrapers, nice villas and cute houses, some small temples as well as really poor quarters with houses almost ruined down. At some places, we saw people working on their houses, somewhere else children playing around or eating, observing the colorful boats. River merchants were either trying to sell us no matter what or observing us from distance.
You can also get to some of the main attractions such as Wat Arun or the Grand Palace by the boat. For more information about the Chao Phraya boat tours here.
I love to take boat tours! I took one also in Paris, Brugges or Prague. Every time this makes me discover the city from another perspective and get to know it better. If you travel to Bangkok, I strongly recommend you to do this Chao Phraya River boat tour which for me, it was an enriching experience. I also included this activity in my Top 10 Things to See and Do in Bangkok, so don´t forget to check that post for more inspiration.
Do you like boat tours in the cities? Which one is your favorite? Have you visited Bangkok and taken this Chao Phraya River boat tour? Tell me about it in the comments below the text – I am looking forward to your reactions! 🙂
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4 comments
I lived in Bangkok for 3 years and this was always a tour I would take my family and friends on! Your photos really capture the beauty of Bangkok, especially underneath all the sky scrappers and city structure. Great post!
Good to hear that! 🙂 Thank you!
Love this post! You learn so much about a city from it’s rivers and canals. I did an amazing canal cruise through Amsterdam, and a river cruise up the Rhine River from Switzerland to the Netherlands … you see and learn so much that you’d never know from land alone.
Amsterdam canals are amazing too. The cruise must have been interesting, never did such a long boat trip. Thanks for your comment!