Bangkok Canal Boat & Bike Tour

Supplied by: Discova Thailand

Overview

Ferry and cycle to the communities of Santa Cruz Wat Kalayanamit : Here along the banks of the Chao Phraya River is where Bangkok first began. We’ll park our bikes at the first Christian community of Santa Cruz to visit the descendants of the early Portuguese traders who have been making a Portuguese cupcake for over 5 generations. We then pedal to the neighboring Chinese Thai temple of Wat Kalayanamit and the site of Bangkok's first Chinatown. Wat Kalyanamit houses Bangkok's largest sitting Buddhist image.

* Cycle to Wat Hongrattanaram : Here we will park our bikes briefly to see a shrine devoted to the first king of Bangkok, Taksin. The Chapel of Wat Hongrattanaram is the largest in Thonburi and, according to some, the most beautiful in Bangkok.

* Cycle Khlong Bang Luang and the Artist’s Village: Cycling back lanes and pedaling along small tree-lined canals, we will arrive at an old wooden market with a historic community temple. Centuries ago, trading communities formed along the canals on the outskirts of Bangkok to buy the goods coming to market from the outlying farms and orchards. The former wealth of these trading communities can be seen in the elegant architecture of the temples they left behind.

* A local Thai lunch by Bang Luang Canal: Enjoy a simple tasty Thai lunch in a local eatery by the canal in the grounds of the community temple. Thailand is known for its variety of spices and flavors and your meal will surely be a highlight of the day.

* Traditional Thai Puppet Show ( Cannot be guaranteed as it depends on artists variable schedule): A group of Artists has taken up residence in a 200-year-old traditional wooden house on the banks of Khlong Bang Luang. Marvel at a show of the most unique puppetry you may ever see, as the art is combined with traditional Khon dance by the Hoon Lek puppeteers. The modern inhabitants of the old wooden trading houses these days sell artwork and vintage crafts as well as fish food for you to feed the abundant fish in the canal.

* Ply the Canals and the Chao Phraya River: After stowing the bikes in the back of a long tail boat, you and your guide wend your way down the ancient canals to Chao Phraya River. Sailing up the River of the Kings, you will pass the Grand Palace before docking near Khaosan Rd.

* Return to the Grasshopper Adventure Bike shop : Once you’ve disembarked from the boat with your bike, we’ll pedal a short distance back to the Grasshopper shop to finish the tour around 3:30 pm. The bike tour usually takes 4 - 5 hours but this is variable by group. Lunch is included in the bike tour.

* Most of the day’s riding is on quiet back streets to avoid the crazy city traffic. The sun can be quite hot, so sunblock is recommended. Men and women need to cover their shoulders in order to enter temples and mosques, and women need to cover their knees as well. We recommend bringing a simple sarong for this purpose.

Explore the iconic backwaters of Bangkok by boat and bike. Enjoy Chao Phraya River by ferry ride, Portuguese bakery, temples, tree-lined canals, traditional artist workshops and an included lunch on this crafted adventure through Bangkok.