/
Thailand
/
Bangkok
/
Tours & Activities
/
Backwaters of Bangkok Long-tail Boat Cruise with Optional Temples Tour
1 day
About this activity
Backwaters of Bangkok Tour (4 hours):
After meeting your guide in the morning in central Bangkok, head to a nearby pier to board your longtail boat. Then take off along the Chao Phraya River and admire views of skyscrapers, hotels and riverside homes before turning into the khlongs.
Gliding through the narrow canals, observe daily life on the water as you pass by simple wooden houses flagged by clothes drying in the sun, a khlong-style convenience store, perhaps some water birds and, if you’re lucky, maybe a sunbathing lizard. Your first stop is Wat Khun Chan temple, where your guide points out the contrast between the modern temples on one side of the khlong and the older homes perched on wooden stilts on the other side.
Continue to the Artist's House (Baan Silapin), a beautifully restored old home on the canal that a local artist renovated, in part to preserve the traditional structure and in part to open a gallery and art center. Walk around the house to enjoy the paintings, sculptures, architecture and tranquil atmosphere. In the garden, your guide points out an old stupa, a relic that's thought to date back at least 250 years to the Ayutthaya period.
Next, make a stop where you can feed sacred catfish that suddenly appear in the water around the boat. Enjoy a last glimpse of the khlongs before returning to the Chao Phraya River where your tour ends.
Backwaters of Bangkok and Temples Tour (7 hours):
If you're interested in Bangkok's must-see temples, this guided afternoon tour makes it easier to navigate the large and sometimes confusing complexes. You'll also gain insight into the history and significance of these important landmarks from your guide's informative commentary.
After the canals tour described above, continue with your guide to a riverside restaurant for lunch. Then head to the Grand Palace, a large walled complex that was a royal residence for 150 years and continues to be used for ceremonial occasions. Your guide shares the colorful history of the palace as you walk around the grounds, home ornately decorated buildings and temples, including the most revered temple in Thailand, Wat Phra Kaew, where the venerable Emerald Buddha (Phra Kaew Morakot) statue is located.
Continue next door to Wat Pho (Temple of the Reclining Buddha), the oldest temple in Bangkok. Known to have more Buddha statues than any other Bangkok temple, Wat Pho's main attraction is an immense gold Buddha sculpture in a reclining position. Measuring 151 feet long (46m) and 49 feet high (15m), the statue features large feet adorned with inlaid mother-of-pearl. Wat Pho is also known for its school of traditional Thai massage, founded in 1962.
Your tour ends at Wat Pho; you may want to continue on your own to nearby Wat Arun (the Temple of Dawn) or Chinatown.
Read more
Show less
After meeting your guide in the morning in central Bangkok, head to a nearby pier to board your longtail boat. Then take off along the Chao Phraya River and admire views of skyscrapers, hotels and riverside homes before turning into the khlongs.
Gliding through the narrow canals, observe daily life on the water as you pass by simple wooden houses flagged by clothes drying in the sun, a khlong-style convenience store, perhaps some water birds and, if you’re lucky, maybe a sunbathing lizard. Your first stop is Wat Khun Chan temple, where your guide points out the contrast between the modern temples on one side of the khlong and the older homes perched on wooden stilts on the other side.
Continue to the Artist's House (Baan Silapin), a beautifully restored old home on the canal that a local artist renovated, in part to preserve the traditional structure and in part to open a gallery and art center. Walk around the house to enjoy the paintings, sculptures, architecture and tranquil atmosphere. In the garden, your guide points out an old stupa, a relic that's thought to date back at least 250 years to the Ayutthaya period.
Next, make a stop where you can feed sacred catfish that suddenly appear in the water around the boat. Enjoy a last glimpse of the khlongs before returning to the Chao Phraya River where your tour ends.
Backwaters of Bangkok and Temples Tour (7 hours):
If you're interested in Bangkok's must-see temples, this guided afternoon tour makes it easier to navigate the large and sometimes confusing complexes. You'll also gain insight into the history and significance of these important landmarks from your guide's informative commentary.
After the canals tour described above, continue with your guide to a riverside restaurant for lunch. Then head to the Grand Palace, a large walled complex that was a royal residence for 150 years and continues to be used for ceremonial occasions. Your guide shares the colorful history of the palace as you walk around the grounds, home ornately decorated buildings and temples, including the most revered temple in Thailand, Wat Phra Kaew, where the venerable Emerald Buddha (Phra Kaew Morakot) statue is located.
Continue next door to Wat Pho (Temple of the Reclining Buddha), the oldest temple in Bangkok. Known to have more Buddha statues than any other Bangkok temple, Wat Pho's main attraction is an immense gold Buddha sculpture in a reclining position. Measuring 151 feet long (46m) and 49 feet high (15m), the statue features large feet adorned with inlaid mother-of-pearl. Wat Pho is also known for its school of traditional Thai massage, founded in 1962.
Your tour ends at Wat Pho; you may want to continue on your own to nearby Wat Arun (the Temple of Dawn) or Chinatown.
Included
- Lunch (if option selected)
- Local guide
- Transport by longtail boat
- Pick-up and drop-off from designated meeting points.
- Entry/Admission - Temple of the Reclining Buddha (Wat Pho)
- Entry/Admission - The Grand Palace
- Entry/Admission - Klongs
- Entry/Admission - Baan Silapin
Not included
- Drinks
- Hotel pick-up and drop-off.
- Gratuities
Additional
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking, unless booked within 2 days of travel. In this case confirmation will be received within 48 hours, subject to availability
- Please advise any specific dietary requirements at time of booking
- Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately
- Please Note: If you have booked the Temples option you will need to bring your passport with you on the day in order to enter the Grand Palace
- All Visitors must be appropriately dressed to enter the Grand Palace. Please do not wear short sleeves, short pants, skirts, vests, or flip flops/sandals.
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Near public transportation
- Infants must sit on laps
- Most travelers can participate
- This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 9 travelers
Features
Tourism
90%
Cultural
55%
Aquatic
20%
Reviews
Collections
This experience is part of these collections
You may also like
See all 27 Collections
Click to discover other experiences
See all
Collections
Theme parks
16 Activities
Collections
Other trips
66 Activities
Collections
Wildlife, aquarium & zoo
14 Activities
Collections
Airport & Private transfers
23 Activities
Collections
Spa & Massage
14 Activities
Collections
Markets
30 Activities
Collections
Gourmet
69 Activities
Collections
Museums
14 Activities
Collections
Palaces & temples
56 Activities
Collections
Chinatown
19 Activities
Good tour but would have preferred more time to walk around
We are really not totally enthused about this particular tour. While we were told to meet 15 minutes prior to the start time of 9 am, the other people did not show up until 9:30 and therefore the tour was cut short. Secondly, we had to walk about 10-15 minutes to the pier to board the boat and the boat was too low to be suitable for the pier and it was extremely difficult to board the boat, having to climb at least 3 ft. down into the moving boat which needed to be balanced carefully without tipping over. Thirdly, the backwater of Bangkok was nothing glamorous nor charming so it was mostly cruising through narrow canals with stops at another small temples and artists' village which was at least somewhat interesting. It would be much less expensive to just book a long-tail boat at any pier for much less and get cruise through the canals without a guide. There wasn't that much to be explained along the way. Not one of my memorable tour!
The tour was well organized and provides an interesting picture of the cultural contrasts of the city. It is a great way to introduce the less famous but equally interesting side of the city.
Good trip away from the shops and traffic.Our guide was full of information about all of the buildings and temples beside the klongs.Relaxing and informative.