Bangkok. Along the Chao Phraya River and canals December 2nd, 2011
Bangkok stands on the banks of the Chao Phraya River, which carries its muddy yellow-brown waters into the Gulf of Thailand. A wide river and numerous canals (khlongs) are a system-forming link in the urban environment. The river is used as a transport artery, as a residential area, as a children's playground, and as a city sewerage system.
Traveling along Chao Phraya on the Chao Phraya Express water bus is the fastest, cheapest and most comfortable way to travel vertically around Bangkok - from north to south or vice versa. Fast because the trip on the streets will be much longer due to traffic. Comfortable because of the coolness, which in hot Bangkok can only be provided by air conditioning, which is by no means found everywhere, and a river breeze. Well, the ticket price ranges from 10-40 baht. The tram has several routes, indicated by flags of different colors on the roof and differing in the number of stops - from a tram that stops at each pier to an express train with 8 stops. But you cannot get to other parts of the city - to the west or east of the river, where the most densely populated neighborhoods are concentrated, by water tram.
Waterbus pier (1)
And here is the tram itself. With an orange flag on the stern - the most frequent line of the Chao Phraya Express (2)
We will ride along the central part of the route - from the Banglampho pier in the north to the pier at the Oriental Hotel in the south.
On the other side, in the Thonburi area, is the famous Wat Arun temple. At one time, with its 78 meters, it was the tallest building in the city (7)
Royal Seminary - Historic Christian Monument (8)
Riverpark Condominium - a prestigious residential complex on the banks of Chao Phraya in the city center (9)
Ratchavongse Pier - waterbus station (10)
View to the south, downstream of the Chao Phraya (11)
Chinese pagodas (12)
Millennium Hilton Hotel (13)
Kalawa Catholic Church in Thonburi was built in the 18th century by the Portuguese who fled to Thonburi from Ayuthaya, the ancient capital of Thailand (14)
Old Customs House (Old Custom House) - once this building, erected in 1880, was the center of the bustling bustle of traders from Europe and Asia who came to Bangkok. Now there is a fire station here. Fire trucks can be seen under the awnings on the shore. (15)
Hotel Oriental. Built at the end of the 19th century, it was a refuge for European bohemians of the time, looking for exotic things away from the boring shores of the Old World. Somerset Maugham, Joseph Conrad, Graham Greene lived here. (16)
Center Point (left) and Shangri La (right) hotels (17)
Residential and office skyscrapers near the Thaksin Bridge. (18-19)
The express river tram is by no means the only watercraft that can be used to travel along the river. The most popular boats are the hang yao yard. Local residents travel on them themselves and give rides to tourists. Narrow, long, with several benches, a powerful boat motor and the obligatory canopy from the sun, such boats, unlike a tram, can sail not only along the Chao Phraya, but also along narrow canals - khlongs. (20)
At the piers near the Oriental or Sheraton hotels you can rent such a vessel for a couple of hours for 400-500 baht. The captain started the engine and we set off - first down Chao Phraya (21)
Traditional Thai turrets on one side of the river... (22)
... adjacent to port facilities and docks on the other. The Chao Phraya flows into the Gulf of Thailand just a few kilometers south of Bangkok, and quite large river-sea vessels can enter its waters. (23-24)
After a short walk along the river, the captain points the bow of the boat into one of the khlogns. (25)
There are quite a few of them in Bangkok, although some of the canals have disappeared under roads and highways. But navigable khlongs, where such a boat can enter, remained only on the western shore of Chao Phraya, in the Thonburi region, which was a separate city for a long time, and united with Bangkok only in the 70s of the 20th century.
Life on the banks of the canals is varied. There are also quite respectable houses and areas like these... (26-27)
... and much poorer shacks. (28-30)
Along the canals there are entire streets of houses on stilts. Electricity is supplied to them, there are also satellite dishes, but all other utilities are replaced by the yellow water of the canals. As suggested
The Chao Phraya River and the canals of Bangkok are an excellent walking route around the capital of Thailand. You can sail on boats as a kind of attraction, or just to get from one area of the city to another.
As you know, the capital is simply suffocating in traffic jams, and a walk along the river or canals is an excellent transport alternative. Local residents use boats very widely, since the cost of travel on them is low.
Chao Phraya River and Bangkok Canals - River Transport
Bangkok is often called the "Venice of the East" for its large number of canals, bridges and the presence of long-tail boats. Various boats, river buses, ferries move throughout this variety of waterways... They can be divided into 3 parts:
- boats floating on the river
- canal boats
- ferries from one side of the river to the other.
Boats on Chao Phraya
River transport in Bangkok is quite developed, you won’t have to wait long, no more than 15 minutes.
Map of speed boat routes on the Chao Phraya River. You can download the original in good quality.
On the map, the squares show the piers on the Chao Phraya River, the blue dotted line shows the boat routes, and the red dotted line shows the ferries.
There are 4 types of boats (routes), you can distinguish them by the color of the flag on the deck:
- Boats without a flag, they stop at all piers. Their cost is from 10 to 14 baht. Opening hours: Mon-Fri from 6.45 to 7.30 and from 16.00 to 16.30. The most “popular” and cheapest! As you can see, they only sail during peak hours.
- Boats with an orange flag— they stop selectively, see the route map above to know where exactly. Their route runs from Wat Rajsinkorn Pier to Nonthaburi Pier. Cost 15 baht. Opening hours: Every day 6.00 - 19.00. I recommend this type of boat! Best price/quality ratio :-)
- Boats with green flag go on the route Pakkred - Sathorn. The fare ranges from 13 to 32 baht. Opening hours: Mon-Fri from 6.10 to 8.10 and from 16.05 to 18.05.
- Boats with a yellow flag, route Ratburana - Nonthaburi. The fare is from 20 to 29 baht. Opening hours: Mon-Fri from 6.15 to 8.20 and from 16.00 to 20.00.
On the map in blue shown tourist boats (Chao Phraya Tourist Boat)- they are distributed in the historical center from Sathorn Pier to Phra Arthit. The fare for them is 40 baht. You can also buy a day pass for 150 baht and swim an unlimited number of times.
The main pier is Sathorn (Taksin). Next to it is the Saphan Taksin BTS Skytrain Station. Thus, having first sailed to the Sathorn pier, you can change to the skytrain and go to any part of the city. For detailed information about the Bangkok metro - underground, overground, airport line, read.
Ferries on the Chao Phraya River
Ferries connect opposite banks of the river, for example between Tha Tien and Wat Arun piers, and between the royal palace and the temple of the same name. On the map above, the piers from which ferries depart are indicated by red squares. The cost of such a crossing is only 3 baht.
Ferry on the Chao Phraya River
We swim to the other side of the river
Where can you get to using Bangkok river transport?
A typical travel destination in Bangkok is Khao San Road. But, unfortunately, a metro line has not been built there and it is unlikely that they will do so (the historical center), so I will tell you how to get to various areas of the city by river transport.
How to get from Khaosan Road - to Central World, Siam Center, Siam Paragon, Pantip Plaza, Big C shopping centers and Baiyoke Sky Hotel (Pratunam district).
I already wrote a little about this above. First of all, you need to walk from Khaosan Road to Wat Saket (east along the large wide street Ratchadamnoen Klang Road and past the Democracy Monument). It is at the temple that the Saen Saep canal begins. Then take a boat and travel along the canal to the east; the fare to the Pratunam area, where shopping centers are located, is 14 baht. Ask the conductor or passengers where to get off, he will definitely tell you everything :-)
Thus, traveling along the Saen Saep canal from Khao San to the center will take even less time than taking a taxi in traffic jams. Combining business with pleasure!
How to get to Chinatown, Indian Quarter, Flower Market.
To get to the Chinese or Indian quarters, it is not at all necessary to take a taxi; you can easily go to the Chao Phraya River to the nearest pier. For Khao San Road it is Phra Arthit Pier, for the Royal Palace it is Tha Chang or Tha Tien. From there, take a boat and go along the river to the Memorial Bridge pier and go straight to the flower market, and from there it’s not far to the Indian quarter.
How to get to the Royal Palace and Historical Center
The situation is the opposite when you live in the business center, where most shopping centers are located, but you need to get to the historical center, in the Rattanakosin district. The Chao Phraya River and its boats will again help with this.
To avoid traffic jams, I recommend jumping on the skytrain and going to Saphan Taksin station. It is literally a couple of steps from the pier of the same name, where you need to take a boat and sail north to the Tha Chang or Tha Tien piers. See the map above and everything will become clear!
So, you can easily visit, while having an interesting trip on boats along the river or along canals.
The Chao Phraya is considered one of the most important rivers in Thailand. You can watch it during and also during an independent trip. It flows through the capital Bangkok and into the Gulf of Thailand. The Chao Phraya River is quite wide and has a large number of channels.
The muddy waters of the river are used in many ways: as a transport artery, city sewerage, residential area and even a children's playground. This river has unique flora and fauna. It is also home to crocodiles, whose teeth kill about 20 people every year.
Tourists, of course, are not among them, only local residents. The Thais call the canals of Bangkok Klongs. They surprise with their diversity, and for city residents they are real streets. The banks of the klongs are very picturesque, as slums are adjacent to villas. The water in the river looks very cloudy and dirty due to motor vehicles, which lift sand from the bottom with motors. In the presence of all this, all the local children bathe in this water.
River excursion in Bangkok.
Traveling along the Chao Phraya River, you can not only enjoy all the beauties of the river, but also visit a considerable number of attractions of the capital of Thailand. Since the river flows through the entire city and a large number of canals branch off from it, the excursion will give you the opportunity to visit both ancient Bangkok and the modern capital.
Incredible temples, lush green parks, bridges, tall skyscrapers and small Thai houses - all this can be seen without leaving the boat. Also from the river side you can see and visit royal palaces, museums, an orchid farm and much more. Excursions along the river take place every day at any time, but due to the large influx of tourists you have to sign up in a queue. However, you can make the same excursion on your own.
The fastest and cheapest travel around Bangkok will be the “vertical” route – from south to north or vice versa. This trip can be made on the Chao Phraya Express water bus. The ticket price will cost from 10 to 40 baht. The river tram travels on several routes, which are indicated by multi-colored flags on the roof of the vehicle. These trams also differ in the number of stops. Some stop at every pier, while others have only 8 stops, called express trams.
If you follow the main route - from Banglampho Pier to the pier at the Oriental Hotel, you can see the Rama VIII Bridge, Phra Pin Klao Bridge, the oldest hospital in Thailand Siriraj Hospital, Grand Palace, Wat Arun Temple, Royal Seminary, Riverpark Condominium residential complex, Pier Ratchavongse. On the opposite side of the same route: Chinese pagodas, the Millennium Hilton Hotel, the Kalawa Catholic Church in Thonburi, the old customs house (Old Custom House), the Oriental Hotel, the Center Point and Shangri La hotels, many residential and office skyscrapers. You can also take an excursion on the Reya Hang Yao boat. The cost of such a boat for a couple of hours of riding will cost 400 - 500 baht.
Be sure to visit the beautiful streets of Bangkok. They will help you feel the whole flavor of this city. Phra Arthit Road runs parallel to the Chao Phraya River from Phra Sumen Fort to Thammasat University. A very cozy street with old-fashioned buildings and shops, comfortable restaurants and cafes with live music. During sunset it has a magical view. The nearby river pier is Phra Arthit Pier.
Thewet is a street where people come to fish and feed the catfish with bread.
It is distinguished by its liveliness and the radiance of the smiles of hundreds of people. Nearby river pier Thewet.
The most pleasant place to spend a carefree morning in Bangkok is the flower market on Pak Khlong Flower Market. Here you can choose fresh flowers to suit every taste, purchase unusual vegetables and fruits at good prices. Nearby river pier Rajinee.
The excursion on a tourist ship lasts about four hours, the route is about 20 km long. There are several stops to stroll around the temples. If you book a ship for a group of tourists, you will be accompanied by a Russian-speaking guide who will tell you about all the sights of Bangkok.
You will also have the choice between a day and night excursion. These two excursions are very different from each other. A day tour ticket costs $10 for one adult and $5 for children. The night excursion, accordingly, costs a little more – 15 and 10 dollars. The price is stable and does not depend on the number of people.
What to see in Bangkok.
The Temple of the Emerald Buddha is majestic and beautiful, and although the temple itself is called the Emerald Buddha, the Buddha statue is made of jade. All buildings are decorated very skillfully from different materials: gold leaf, mosaics, colored glass and ceramics.
The National Museum of Thailand is also popular with tourists. Snake trainers will show you an unforgettable spectacle.
You will also have the opportunity to visit some parts of the old city. You will be able to observe how the poor class of Thailand lives. Most of their houses stand on the banks of canals or simply in the water on wooden stilts. Locals call such settlements a surface city.
A night walk is a little more expensive, but it's worth it. The night city will enchant you with its beauty. The glowing lights and torches in the temples are the most amazing and beautiful sight you have ever seen. The night tour does not include stops, as all temples close at 6 pm.
The end of the walk ends in the old town of Nonthaburi, which is also known as the floating market. There you can buy a large number of different souvenirs made by hand by local residents, and what is very pleasant - at very low prices. All souvenirs are made of very high quality and from natural materials. And the locals are very friendly and smiling.
The Chao Phraya River or Chau Phraya (which means “King River”) is one of the largest in Thailand; only the Mekong River can compete with it in size. It is formed by the confluence of two rivers (Ping and Nan) together near the city of Nakhon Sawan and moves through the relief terrain, rice fields and arable lands, capturing various cities and, ultimately, reaching the Gulf of Thailand, where it completes its long journey.
During the monsoon period, from May to October, the river is full of water. The length of the Chao Phraya, together with its tributaries, is about 1.2 thousand km.
Previously, each section of the river had its own name, and there are different versions about the appearance of the modern name. One version is associated with the residence of a titled official near the mouth of the river, who had a title called Chau Phraya. In honor of him, foreign sailors began to call part of the river Menam – Chau – Phraya (translated from the Thai language, “menam” is simply translated as “river”), which later became its official name. Another version of how the modern version of the name of the river appeared is associated with Prince Rachanuphab, who in his “Royal Chronicles” described an interesting version of the origin of the name. In his opinion, initially part of the territory was reclaimed near the river delta, and the water gradually retreated from Prapadeng. As you know, most settlements are formed near some kind of water source, and in this case, a new settlement was formed near the river, which was called the city of Chao Phraya, after which the river was named by the same “name”.
However, no matter what name the river “officially” bears, the Thais continue to call their beloved Chao Phraya River by all sorts of affectionate nicknames: sometimes the heart of Thailand, sometimes a historical monument of an ancient kingdom, sometimes the river of life, sometimes an integral part of the dramatic history of their region, sometimes the mother-ancestress.
Chao Phraya River in Bangkok
The Chao Phraya River is an important transport artery of Bangkok, along which ferries, water taxis or water buses transport people from shore to shore or to the other end of the city. Canals extend from the river, connecting it to certain areas of Bangkok and beyond. By river in Bangkok you can get to the key attractions of the city or simply take a trip on river transport, and in the evening watch the romantic sunset and night landscapes of Bangkok.
The importance of the Chao Phraya River in the life of Thais
Such sincere love for the river does not seem surprising at all if you realize that the lives of more than fifteen million people are, in one way or another, interconnected with this river. Since ancient times, when the Tsar River overflowed and flooded coastal areas, it left behind mineral-rich sediments that nourished the land and allowed for rich harvests. Many Thais say that it was thanks to Chao Phraya that Thailand began to occupy a leading position in the world market for rice exports.
The river still has a significant impact on agriculture (in particular, rice farming), which is very developed in this country and is of great importance for local residents. Moreover, the navigable river still serves as the main transport route of the country and a kind of “attraction” for tourists. Children, starting from a very young age, transport everyone along the upper reaches of the river. Despite the fact that running a water taxi is considered very expensive in Thailand, for some poor families it is almost the only source of income.
Current state of affairs
Over time, more and more settlements and various industrial enterprises grew around the Chao Phraya River. The river can no longer cope with the amount of garbage that gets into it, and the problem of water pollution has become very acute.
The recent disaster has further aggravated the situation. A barge carrying a huge amount of sugar sank on the river, as a result of which the chemical composition of the water underwent changes, and many river inhabitants died. The total damage from the disaster amounts to millions of baht. Therefore, control over the condition of the river is carried out at the government level, because, according to the Thais, as long as the river flows, life flows with it, and therefore the Chao Phraya River must be valued and protected.
The easiest and cheapest way to see the city is, of course, to use water transport.
The Chao Phraya River permeates the entire Bangkok and by choosing the desired route, you can see a lot for just 20 - 120 baht
attractions. Not to mention, a walk along the river in Bangkok will help you see the capital of Thailand from different angles.
Boat ride on Chao Phraya in Bangkok
There are several options to see Bangkok by boat. Boats, speedboats, water taxis – there are many options.
In this article we will consider the most interesting and profitable for tourists.
We will discard such an obvious method as “a cruise along Chao Phraya” or “dinner on a boat in Bangkok”, since you can easily
Buy this excursion from your travel agent or at any pier.
Chao Phraya boat dinner prices range from 1,100 to 2,000 baht per person.
My favorite way to travel by boat around Chao Phraya is by express boat.
Chao Phraya Express boat routes and differences
The express boats on Chao Phraya have flags to help guide you.
Orange, yellow and green are express boats that ply the same route but stop at different piers.
A boat with a blue flag is a tourist boat. A very convenient option. You pay 120 baht (single ticket for the whole day)
and you can go and go all day long from different piers and see the sights of Bangkok as much as you can.
The Chao Phraya Express Boat without a flag is the cheapest public transport in Bangkok (from 10 baht) - does
stops at ALL piers.
Chao Phraya – river walks in Bangkok photo
Chao Phraya runs through the center of Bangkok, so seeing the temples, getting off at the main streets and entertainment spots is not a problem.
Remember a few important stops that may come in handy:
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