Take a long tail boat ride along the Chao Phraya River and through the canals of Thonburi, visiting the Temple of Dawn and the Royal Barge Museum along the way.

Tour ID	TBKK0072
Destination:	Bangkok, Thailand
Activity:	Arts & Culture, Boat travel, Temple visits
Price:	start from $47 per person
Duration:	Half Day

Tour Rates* (Price/Person) in U.S. Dollars
Period	Single	Double	Triple	Group 4-6	Single Supplement
1 Nov 2009 – 31 Oct 2010	87	47	27	N/A	N/A

Rates include 7% VAT tax and 10% hotel service charge. Major credit cards accepted. No extra charge, no minimum

Note: Booking should be made at least 7 days in advance. The Triple rates are based on a twin sharing room with an extra bed for the third person.

Itinerary

Get away from the congestion and traffic in the streets of Bangkok and spend the morning or the afternoon visiting Thonburi canals and see why Bangkok is called the “Venice of the East”. Explore Bangkok through the Chao Phraya River and along canals and learn about the most exciting way of life of the people who live by the canals. You will also pass by the stunning Temple of the Dawn (Wat Arun) and the Royal Barges Museum before returning to hotel.

Price Includes:

• Tour and boat fee as mentioned in the program
• Private round trip transfer from your hotel
• An English-speaking guide

Price Excludes:

• Personal expenses
• Other services not mentioned in the program

Note:

• Seat in coach tour is available on request.
  A seat in coach tour or SIC is a tour that you have a join transportation and a tour guide with other tourists. The vehicle used in SIC ranges from a van to a coach. Therefore, the average number of passengers can start from 7 to 40 people depending on the number of the tourists on that day. The pick-up time varies since the coach will pick up tourists from various hotels in the close vicinity before the tour starts.

About the Package

Venice of the East
There are many ways to explore Bangkok; on foot, by bus or tuk-tuk – better yet, by boat. A cruise along the Chao Phraya River – the city’s lifeblood – and the canals of Thonburi on the east side of the river, reveals scenes at odds with the bustling, modern inner city. As concrete monstrosities give way to urban scenes of temples and wooden houses, visitors get a glimpse of the serene and simple lifestyle of riverbank dwellers. This picturesque view, best at sunset, is what earned Bangkok the title of “Venice of the East.” En route, stop at the Royal Barges Museum and Wat Arun (Temple of Dawn).

Wat Arun
Known as the Temple of Dawn, Wat Arun is one of the most attractive temples in Thailand. It features a set of striking prangs, a kind of spire elaborately decorated with Chinese porcelain and multi-colored glass. The central prang, which stands at 79 meters high, offers a good view of nearby surroundings. The temple, almost opposite the Grand Palace, is the subject of beautiful views from the Bangkok side of the river, at sunset.

Royal Barges Museum
Traditional life has persisted along the waterways, and boats prevail as the most convenient form of transportation. Many royal ceremonies and important festivals made history along the Chao Phraya River, which has always been central Thailand’s main source of life and transport.

On Klong Bangkok Noi, just off the Chao Phraya River, the Royal Barges Museum displays a fleet of docked royal barges. These elegant vessels, which formerly served as warships, take to the river only for special ceremonies and royal processions. One such occasion is the Krathin ceremony – a Buddhist tradition of offering robes to monks – which takes place around the months of October to November, each year.

Each ship has a bowsprit depicting a mythical character from Brahminism, intricately carved from head to tail. The most beautiful and majestic of all is the royal barge Subanahongsa, which takes the form of a swan-like mythical steed of the Hindu god, Brahma. This gilded barge, the principal vessel, accommodates His Majesty the King’s throne shaded by a canopy and guarded by court officials.