ajtuk

Visiting Bangkok April 2007 - So I have a few questions as I am trying to put together an intinerary. I have read some of the past posts and found the info great. So have filed away the guide books (which I have already read) and decided to ask Fodorites!
Where is the best place to hire a boat to tour the klongs?
Also does anyone have info on a guide/drive we can hire for day, and how do we contact that person to arrange that?

Thanks for help.
J

rhkkmk

i know of 3 places to get a klong boat: the kisok in back of the river city shopping center next to the sheraton orchid hotel; ask your hotel to get you one if you are staying at a riverside hotel; or easiest is to go to the taskim skytrain stop, go down the stairs to the river and you will find a desk there offering klong tours...

tong, ratt, ming and cherry are often mentioned as drivers/guides...do a fodors search and you will find their contact info...the only two i know off my head are:

cherry: [email protected]

ratt: [email protected]

Gpanda

Bob has steered you towards easy Klong tour starts. Note, it is a waste to have a guide on the Klong Tour, the motor is so loud, you can't really hear much.

offwego

Andy you must have had a bad boat. We went with Tong ([email protected]) and not only got a great narrative on what we were seeing, but got to go to some out of the way places and got a great deal on the boat.

rhkkmk

andy is correct about the noise, but you could have the driver kill the engine at times upon a signal so that you could hear easily....

i have seen bigger groups with a guide getting into or out of long tail boats and i guess i have seen couples as well...

most of the sights do not require a guide...its more of a soaking up of the scene type thing....a guide could however answer questions that come up about everyday life however that you observe as you go along...