Chao Phraya River, Bangkok

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Just 150 Bht for an all day ticket to ride the boat along the busy Chao Phraya river. Stops at all the major tourist spots along the way. Good commentary provided too in English and Thai - boats run pretty regularly.
Enjoyed our time here.
See website for full details

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We had booked a day tour to Ayutthaya from Bangkok with We Tour Thailand which also included the Summer Palace, a cruise and lunch with Grand Pearl cruising along the Chao Praya River. The total cost was 1800baht.

After a bit of a rushed visit to Ayutthaya we went to Wat Chong Lom to board the Grand Pearl. The boat is lovely with plenty of room on 3 different levels & very clean toilets!

Lunch was not too bad with a lot of choices which included Thai and Western plus desserts. We really enjoyed the cruise and the fantastic scenery along the River of Kings passing through Pathumthani and Nonthaburi provinces.

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I love going for a trip on the Chao Phraya Express Boat. For one thing it is a real boat used by locals to get around and to and from work and while lots of tourists use it, it does not exist just as a tourist attraction the way some sights do. (If you have ever been to the horrific floating market and taken photos of the tourists, taking photos of the tourists you will know what I mean.) For another thing there are no traffic jams when you travel by boat. Also it is a great way to cool down and you pass some wonderful sights. You can use this service to get to the Grand palace and Wat Pho (Tha Tien pier), the sky train(Sathorn Taksin pier), the Oriental Hotel, China Town, River City.

There are different boats depending on the colour of flag the boat is flying. The different boats have slightly different end points and stop and start at different times. They also have slightly different prices, though all are pretty cheap. We normally paid around 14 baht a trip.

One point to note is that the boats stop running around 7pm, some routes even earlier so don't try to use them too late on.

At some piers you have to buy your boat ticket in advance; at others you pay on the boat. If you buy it in advance, the ticket seller will want to check it and tear it so it cannot be used again.

If you get on a very crowded boat, move down inside rather than standing at the back. People get on and off at almost every stop, so if you move inside, you will generally end up getting a seat.

We used LSH travel service located in the Thaksin BTS station to explore the canal. With fee of THB 1200/person, the tour took us to the canal, with stop at Wat Arun Temple and Grand Palace. As an extra, Sam or Adhiksa (his real name), a very friendly and informative guide, took us to the traditional market to taste local Thai snacks.

The canal view is interesting. We passed people’s house. Some of the houses are big, with spacious garden, some are traditional wooden houses and some looked like slum. The river is generally clean, you can spot big fishes near the temple. We also spotted a big lizard in the river bank.

People carry on their daily activities, as it seems normal that tourists passing by in front of their houses and took pictures. We also found number of sellers offering snacks in the boat.

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This page is really just a place to add my photos of the Chao Praya River which flows through Bangkok and is a major transport network for hundreds of water taxis and ferries. This River of Kings flows 370 kilometres from north to south, starting in the Central Plains, through Bangkok and finally into the Gulf of Thailand.

Many bridges cross this river and the beautiful Rama V111 Bridge which opened in 2002 is the one we climbed the stairs from the bottom and walked along the bridge. It is a cable stayed bridge with a single pylon, the longest span is 300metres and the bridge is 2.45 kilometres long. The views from the bridge are fantastic.

I will be adding to this page soon as we will be back for a better look around the riverfront.

We take the Chao Phraya boat at least once every time we come to Bangkok. You can use it as a transportation to go to all the WATs/Temples, but just ride it "just because" is fun as well (and it's so cheap!)... You'll see amazing views that you can not see from anywhere else. Don't miss this!!!

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Yes, "Tuktuk" is very famous transportation in Bangkok for its easy fast and less costly compared to taking cabs. However, I would recommend you to experience Ferry/Boat ride along Chao Praya River. This is one of a kind experience riding in their Thai style boat. You can see more of Bangkok since you cruise the long river. You can even see the Wat Arun temple at far sight but creates a beautiful scenery from the ferry. You'll experience the "day to day" life of thai since they used this as a major transportation in Bangkok.

The ferry ticket cost 25 Baht per person however you have to wait till the boat completes its seat. It does not have a fix departure schedule and it will solely depends on the passengers taking this transpo.

For visitors, they have another boat which is intended for tourist only. It's more expensive of course but you don't have to wait for other passengers since you rent the entire trip. We paid 200 per person and we share with 2 other foreigners at that time we had our cruise.

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Chao Praya Houses

Its shure that if you travel in Bangkok you will use a Chao Praya river boat, because it is very cheap and you are very fast in many monuments like: Wat Pho (The Temple of the Reclining Buddha), Wat Phra Khaew (The Temple of the Emerald Buddha), Wat Arun (The Temple of the Dawn) etc. In the way you can see the houses of Chao Praya river, there are made of wood in the same style.


Information
Name: Chao Praya Houses
Attraction Type: Houses, Wood
City: Bangkok
Pictures in the web:
Attractions and places of interest in Bangkok


My Photos
First Photo: Homes along the Chao Praya river
Second photo: Homes along the Chao Praya river
Third photo: Homes along the Chao Praya river
Forth photo: Homes along the Chao Praya river
Fifth photo: Homes along the Chao Praya river

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The Chao Phraya river cuts right through Bangkok, and it is a central element of the transportation system. A fleet of swift taxis ply the river up and down all day long, cutting off around nightfall. But it is a terrific way to get close to the downtown area (and all the shopping and culture that it holds), as well as move up to the sights of the King's Palace and Wats Pho and Arun.

The river taxi system is most used by Thai residents on their daily commutes. To accommodate as many people as possible, the ticket takers try to pack you in, and during the rush hours it can be overflowing with people. But, it is a slice of real life of Bangkok, away from taxis and air conditioned rides, you are traveling amongst kids going to school, business men on their way to the office, families to the market. With a few foreign backpackers tossed in for variety.

Beyond a means of transportation, a trip up or down the river is a travel experience of itself, a highlight reel of the sights from the banks of the Chao Phraya. If you can grab a seat, relax and let the smell of the river and the skyline of the city wash over you. And for about 7-20 bhat, you can't find much better of a deal in the city.

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A short and quick trip on a boat along the canal, and we arrived at the market. We left the boat and enjoyed the show. Is it always like that?

Is it revivalism for tourist amusement? No. It looks natural, and locals sell and buy indifferent to the curiosity of western people - but taking advantege of them, of course.