Start daily at: 8:00 & 9:30 & 11:00 & 12:30 & 14:00 & 15:30 & 16:30 hrs.
Leave the busy streets behind and step into a world of wooden houses, smiling locals, and timeless traditions along Bangkok’s canals.
Hop aboard a traditional Thai long-tail boat and set off on a relaxing journey through Thonburi, the historic part of Bangkok. This area retains a slower pace of life, offering a fascinating contrast to the city’s modern skyscrapers and bustling streets.
During this (approx.) 2-hour canal adventure, you’ll catch glimpses of local life along the waterways.
Bangkok is a city of contrasts. Beyond its glittering temples and luxurious neighborhoods, the city also has areas of poverty and simple canal-side communities. On our tour, you’ll pass some older, more fragile houses that are at the mercy of floods during the rainy season. We want to show travelers a more authentic side of Bangkok, one that reflects local life beyond the postcard-perfect sights. It’s a perspective that many find eye-opening and enriching.
One of the highlights is Khlong Bang Luang, a riverside community dating back to the Ayutthaya period. Lined with old wooden houses and family-run shops, it offers a glimpse of traditional canal-side life. At its heart is Baan Silapin (The Artist’s House), a beautifully restored 200-year-old home serving as a creative space for local artists. A wooden walkway invites a quiet stroll along the canal, making this a true hidden gem.
As the boat continues, you’ll pass Wat Paknam Phasi Charoen, an important temple built during the mid-Ayutthaya period. Your boat will pause so you can admire and photograph the enormous golden Buddha from the water, soaring nearly 70 meters high (please note that we do not disembark at this temple).
This tour offers a unique way to explore Bangkok, combining the charm of its canals, the vibrancy of local life, and glimpses of iconic landmarks, all from the comfort of your boat. It’s perfect for travelers seeking a traditional, intimate, and photogenic side of the Thai capital.
Important notes:
- Please note that during the tour, we may experience a wait at one of the water locks, which regulate canal levels. These operate on no fixed schedule and are beyond our control, but they are part of the authentic canal experience.
Meeting point:
The meeting point is at the bus stop directly opposite Elefin Coffee and Bangkok Bank on Maha Rat Road, just south of Wat Pho.
The easiest way to reach the meeting point (and to avoid Bangkok’s heavy road traffic) is by taking the MRT (metro) to Sanam Chai Station. From there, use the 'Museum Siam' exit. The meeting point is just a short 5-minute walk away.
For the location on Google Maps, please click HERE.
+6
1,668 Comments
4
Polluting Boat Road
This was nice trip but a very polluted trip, using a petrol engine where the fumes are thrown out on to the customers isn’t great. If you’re not someone who has breathing difficulties or gets chest infections quickly then this trip will be fine
An interesting way of seeing Bangkok and be prepared all restaurants after the trip are all fully booked and don’t allow people to enter
I personally would only recommend if you nothing else to do
5
Highly recommend. A cool way to see the water villages and big Buddha
A really cool way to see the water villages, the tour took longer than expected, waiting on the water gates to open, we waited for 90mins, however, when the tour got started it was really fun and enjoyed the stop to explore inside some of the village on next to the canals.
5
Great experience!
Joyze was great! Very informative and offered ideas we did not think of like taking a picture with the monk in front of the big Buddha. What a great photo and memory that will be. The 8 AM trip was such a great idea. On the way back we seen so many boats full of people. We were happy we missed the heat and crowds.
3.5
1/10 recommended
The tour started with the driver showing up over 20 minutes late to pick everybody up and no apologies were given. They only allow a few boats to pass through at a time so we spent over 30 minutes in the hot sun waiting for the gate to open. Once we finally got going there wasn’t much to see besides trash in the river, the only cool attraction is the large Buddha statue but they didnt even drive close enough to really see it. Oh and on the way back we also got stuck for another 20 minutes at the gate. Id probably skip this one unless you have absolutely nothing else to do.
5
Bangkok boat tour with Joe
The boat tour was a marvelous experience that our guide told us about the cultural Thailand events and the visual experience. I really appreciated him pointing out on the monitor lizards.