Joanna James
Bangkok city's bloodline the Chao Phraya River is ever busy and utterly enchanting. Touring the body of water is very popular, not only for the scenery but observing ancient neighbourhoods. The Chao Phraya is also a popular mode of transport and this article looks at a few.
Bangkok being the evergreen tourist hub is home to a fine collection of hotels. In fact, Bangkok resorts are some of the best chain resorts in the world if you happen to be staying at a riverside Bangkok hotel like Anantara Riverside Bangkok Resort, then transport along this body of water is your best option; and the most reliable is the Express River Boat Taxi. There are 5 types of river boat taxis; local line (no flag), green flag line, orange flag line, yellow flag line and blue flag line. Each denotes a specific pattern the boats take such as stopping piers and operating times. The Blue Flag is the tourist boat operating from 09:00 to 19:00hrs daily.
For times you are not in a rush to keep to a schedule, you can hire a long tail boat for a leisurely cruise of the river. You can enjoy a tour along the khlong's or canals of Bangkok which are ancient waterways leading onto historic Thai villages, which offer one a taste of ancient lifestyles. As there are no set prices for the Long Tail boat tours, you can agree on a rate depending on where you want to go, the distance and time frame.
Called the 'River Crossing Ferry' these small crafts look like wooden rafts to which a roof has been added. The service offers ferry crossings at over 30 points and if you are a tourist the most rewarding crossing will be between Wat Arun and the Wat Pho Temple which takes place at the Tha Tien Pier. Since the ferries merely transport people from one end of the river to the other, the fees are very minimal, making this one of the cheapest rides in Bangkok.
Most of the Bangkok riverside resorts offer cruises across the Chao Phraya River in private boats. Some are tours on converted teak rice barges which offer all the charms of a river excursion and comforts a modern traveller expects. You will find the shuttle boats are ideal to enjoy as relaxing journeys to main attractions in the city, and act as transport when the water taxis are too crowded to tackle.
The rather noisy and large canal boats chug along the khlongs or canals of the Chao Phraya River. The larger canals are ancient waterways connecting the city's many precincts; the largest you can explore is the Saen Seab Canal which separates the modern Bangkok from the Old City. The Canal Boats have exclusive run of the larger waterways and is a prime transport option for office workers in the morning.
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