A longtail boat on the Chao Phraya river in Bangkok

Longtail Boat Canal Tour

A longtail boat ride across the Chao Phraya river and its many canals is a fun way to see some of Bangkok’s iconic landmarks as well as the little known communities along the waterways known as khlongs.

Explore another side of Bangkok, away from the highrise buildings, shopping malls and traffic jams. Enjoy the scenic views of the river, canals and local neighborhoods, where traces of the old way of life can still be seen today.

Get on a longtail boat

The most fun way to see the canals, the wooden houses on stilts and the way of life of the local people is by longtail boat.

Whereas getting around in Bangkok’s traffic can get stressful, a longtail boat trip on the Chao Phraya river and its many waterways is a fun, relaxed way to get around. Enjoy the cool river breeze and the scenic views of modern and old Bangkok.

Boats on the Chao Phraya river in Bangkok

Old and new Bangkok

View the stark contrast between the old wooden houses and the new high rise buildings. Old ladies in small boats still go around the river and the many canals selling noodles and other Thai food, while some of the finest restaurants of Bangkok are located on the river banks.

Traditional way of life

A khlong longtail boat tour is a great way to see the traditional way of life and culture of the people who live along the waterways. Get a glimpse of what life was like before the rapid modernization took hold and the huge skyscrapers were built.

Watch the wooden houses on stilts in the khlongs, the neighborhoods connected by wooden walkways along the canals and children playing in the water.

The canals

The Chao Phraya river and the many canals are a charming place where traces of history and traditional life can still be found today. Besides the main Chao Phraya river you will see a number of smaller canals, known as khlongs in Thai, where the pace of life seems to be slower.

One of the many khlongs with houses on stilts

Houses on stilts in a Bangkok khlong

Although Bangkok has changed enormously and is now a modern city, the canals have kept its charming character. You will see old houses on wooden stilts, colonial-style mansions, lots of palm trees, Buddhist temples and children playing in the water.

The river of Kings

The Chao Phraya river that runs through Bangkok is also known as the river of Kings. Over the course of many centuries many Royal Barge Processions have been held for religious events, coronations and various ceremonies.

The Royal Barges Museum houses a collection of historical barges adorned with hand crafted ornamentations that have been used in processions. The museum is located in Bangkok Noi on the West bank of the river.

Sites on the river

Some of Bangkok’s most famous attractions and landmarks are located on the Chao Phraya river banks.

The boat will take you right past the Grand Palace in the historical Rattanakosin district.

The Grand Palace in the historical Rattanakosin district seen from the Chao Phraya river

The Grand Palace seen from the river

The Wat Arun, also known as the temple of Dawn stands on the river bank on the other side of the Chao Phraya.

Venice of the East

Bangkok was once known as the “Venice of the East”, because of its many canals where most habitation and commercial activity was concentrated from the early days on. When Bangkok was founded in 1782, canals were dug out and life was centered around the water. As cars were not around yet, boats were the main form of transportation.