We will be traveling to BKK in a few weeks with 6 adults and two kids (9,5). I have been to BKK many times, but never done a klong tour. We will be staying at the Peninsula, so we can grab the boat from the dock there and plan to do it in the late afternoon for sunset purposes. However...what do you suggest we tell the boat dock operator that we would like to see/do?

1.Wat Arun
2. Royal Barges
3. ???

What time is best to leave the dock to get the best of sites etc.

Thanks!
Tracy

There's a river cruise/tour that will take you to all the sites you've mentioned and will also take you on some of the klongs nearby as well.

There's also a more unique tour to Koh Kret(Kret island) but it's quite far away from the Pen and you will have to take a car to the pier to start your tour: http://wikitravel.org/en/Ko_Kret#b

Best time to leave is when it's not so hot so either very early in the morning or late afternoon.

For me, the question is where to tell them not to take me - the snake farm!!!

If you catch a boat at the Pen dock, they will show you a map or a list of places and you can tell them any you aren't interested in.

We took a klong tour from the Pen dock and it was a total waste of time. I am not sure but I THINK there must be more attractive klongs somewhere, or maybe not. I had read somewhere about some attractive homes along the klongs.. but we certainly didn't see them. I think they were much further north than where our boat took us.

We trusted the hotel who told us the boat driver knew the best places to take us.This was the only so-so outing we encountered in our 18 dasy in Asia!

Pay attention to Hanuman.. I am sure he knows what he is talking about!

you will want the klong tour of thornburi---the area to the rear of the Penn... two hours is perfect. you will see nice houses next to shacks...river life... klong side grocery stores and small restaurants... the royal barge boathouse--get off to see them... a snake museum--i never stop... wat arun if you wish to stop, but i would make that a seperate visit...

i would go in mid-afternoon (2-3). you want to be off the river by dark.

kids will be swimming--mothers will be washing---you will see river life..

i have never found it boring

>>>We will be staying at the Peninsula, so we can grab the boat from the dock there and plan to do it in the late afternoon for sunset purposes.<<<


Greetings and fine hotel choice, indeed. As of last month's Valentine's Day - and a memorable King birthday fete last December - the Peninsula remains as special as ever. Great staff and cherished friends.

Have fun with your tours -- and time permitting, savour those riverside breakfasts, lounge poolside, indulge in massage or two and take in the sunsets from the Pen's perspective. This most recent V-Day particularly special, with the Mandarin Oriental's and Shangri-La's celebratory lights slowly coming on.

And for other Bangkok business/leisure travellers out there, the Peninsula is offering a Songkran holiday package. Much more on the hotel's website.

Enjoy and early weekend wishes to all from sweet Singapore,

macintosh (robert)


... Singapore Airlines, You're a Great Way to Fly ...

Our boat never took us more north than Wat Aran so we must have missed the good part. ( Got no where near the Rpyal Barge Museum, etc.)we only had an hour tour.. and wanted to see the best part.. I guess it wasn´t enough time or we should have contracted a boat up near Wat Aran to begin with.

lin, i find 2 hours perfect to do the whole loop... you enter near the naval war college, near wat arun, and exit south of the penn i think....

There was also a stop to feed the fish. Loads of fun! A bag of bread (sent out to your longtail boat by pulley??) cost maybe 1 or 2 baht. There are trillions of fish in the water... some really BIG ones. They come and swarm by your boat when you start to toss out the bread. It was cool. Don't know if this is still included at some point?

well, it sounds like part of the area.. I think we just missed some good klongs due to the timing. We also tried feeding fish and almost none came to the boat.

I don´t recall seeing any "nice" houses. I'll just have to do another longer one next time!

rhkkmk-- that sounds perfect! My daughter is doing a river report and this will be perfect for the report. We are looking for "river life". So enter at Navel War college...do we take a taxi to naval war college and grab river boat from there?

Thanks!!

you get a boat from several places--not at war college... the pier below taskin skytrain stop, the pier at river city shopping center, some main piers along the river or any riverside hotel will arrange it for their guests..