Ride & Walk Tours with Giants City Tour - Program B

Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product

Pass By: Saphan Phut (Memorial Bridge), Wat Kanlaya, Thon Buri, Bangkok 10600 Thailand

The Memorial Bridge is a bascule bridge over the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok, Thailand, connecting the districts of Phra Nakhon and Thonburi.

The bridge opened on 6 April 1932 by King Prajadhipok (Rama VII) in commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the Chakri Dynasty and the foundation of Bangkok, shortly before the Siamese coup d'état of 24 June 1932. In English the bridge is commonly known as Memorial Bridge, however in Thai it is most commonly known as Phra Phuttayotfa Bridge, after King Phutthayotfa Chulalok (Rama I), the first king of the Chakri Dynasty. The name is more commonly shortened as Saphan Phut or Phut Bridge.

Construction of the bridge was started on 3 December 1929[1] by Dorman Long, Middlesbrough, England, under the supervision of Italian technicians from SNOS (Società Nazionale Officine Savignano). The bridge used to have a double-leaf bascule-type lifting mechanism, which is now unused.

On 5 June 1944, as part of the bombing of Bangkok in World War II, a force of B-29 Superfortresses, in a test of their capabilities before being deployed against the Japanese home islands, targeted the bridge. Their bombs fell over two kilometres away, damaging no civilian structures, but downed some tram lines and destroyed a Japanese military hospital and the Japanese secret police headquarters. It was not until 1947 that Thai authorities learned of the intended target.

Stop At: Wat Prayurawongsawat Worawihan, Prachathipok Road Wat Kallaya, Thonburi, Bangkok 10600 Thailand

Wat Prayurawongsawas Worawiharn, (pra-yu-ra-wong-sa-wat wo-ra-wi-harn) a Buddhist temple in Thonburi, Bangkok has the distinction of winning the Award of Excellence in the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation on 9 September 2013.

The temple is also called Wat Prayoon and locally Wat Rua Lek (rua – fence lek – iron) and we shall find out later why.

During a local festival in Thonburi in January 2014, a highlight of the festival was the presentation of this Award of Excellence for the restoration of the 60.5m-high chedi in this temple.

The temple is a second class royal temple that was built by Somdej Chao Phraya Borom Maha Prayurawong (Dit Bunnag). Construction of this temple commenced in 1828 with the donation of this nobleman’s coffee garden for the temple.

Duration: 20 minutes

Pass By: Santa Cruz Church, 112 Thesaban 1 Rd. Wat Kalaya, Thon Buri, Bangkok 10600 Thailand

Santa Cruz Church, one of the many old Catholic churches in Bangkok, was built in 1770 during the reign of King Taksin (1868 – 1782). This Church of the Holy Cross is a legacy of Portuguese-Siamese relations that date back to the 16th century.

Nestled among old houses on the river banks and newer buildings inland, the reddish dome of the old Catholic church is a prominent landmark on the Chao Phraya River.

Stop At: Kudichin Community Health Center, 56 Soi Kudeejeen, Khwaeng Wat Kanlaya, Khet Thon Buri, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10600, Thailand

Kudichin Community

As mention earlier, they have been living here for more than 200+ years. I’m not so sure how did they like to live in the past but what I see, they built these small little house next to each other with a small walk way and all the alleys just enough for a person or two to walk through at a time.

Duration: 30 minutes

Stop At: Wat Kalayanamit Varamahavihara, 371 Thetsaban Sai 1 Road Wat Kalayanamitr, Thonburi, Bangkok 10600 Thailand

Wat Kalayanamit Worahamawiharn (Wat Kalaya) is a second class royal temple in ‘Woramahawiharn’ type. It is located beside Chao Phraya river, Thonburi side, around the mouth of Bangkok Yai canal.Initially, Chao Phraya Nikorn Bodin (Toh Kalayanamit) donated his house to Somdet Phra Nang Klao Chao Yu Hua (King Rama III), and bought the additional land nearby to build a temple in 1825.

Duration: 10 minutes

Stop At: Kian Un Keng Shrine, Soi Wat Kanlaya Wat Kanlaya, Thon Buri, Bangkok 10600 Thailand

The Kian Un Keng Shrine is an ancient Chinese joss house on the Thonburi bank of the Cha Phraya River in Bangkok. It is also known as Kuan An Keng Shrine & the Guan Yin Shrine. The shrine is one of the oldest in Thailand founded by King Taksin who ruled Siam from 1767 to 1782.

Duration: 3 minutes

Pass By: Pak Khlong Talat (Flower Market), Jakkrapet Road, Bangkok 10200 Thailand

Bangkok Flower Market (Pak Klong Talad) is the biggest wholesale and retail fresh flower market in Bangkok. The market has all kinds of popular flowers and flora-related items, including roses, forget me nots, orchids, lilies and more. Most of them sold in packs of 50 or 100 flowers in each, and prices are amazingly cheap. Part of the Old City, Bangkok Flower market is located on Chak Phet Road near Saphan Phut or the Memorial Bridge. Shops and vendors are housed inside two to three-storey shop-houses on both sides of the main road.

Stop At: Temple of the Reclining Buddha (Wat Pho), 2 Sanamchai Road. Prabarom Maharajawang, Pranakorn, Bangkok 10200 Thailand

Wat Pho is not only one of the most visited Buddhist temples in Bangkok but it is where history, medical science and educational institute combined. Officially named Wat Prachetuphon Vimon Mangkararam, Wat Pho was believed to be founded during the 16th century and was later served as The Royal Temple of King Rama I of Chakri Dynasty. Laid inside the main ordination hall is the sacred 46-meter Reclining Buddha whose feet are beautifully inlaid with mother-of-pearl, carved with holy signs. Wat Pho is, among Thais, also known as “the nation’s first public university,” thanks to 1,360 marble inscriptions about medical, historical and liberal sciences places all around the temple where the people can read and learn anytime. Marble inscriptions about medical sciences, anatomy and orthopedics are the origins of Wat Pho Thai traditional massage principles, which has made Wat Pho a world’s famous site. The traditional service, nowadays, is also available at the nearby pavilion. in 2008, Wat Pho was listed UNESCO’s Memory of the World (MOW) as a documentary heritage for Asia and Pacific Region.

Duration: 20 minutes