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River and Canal Boats / River boat
« on: February 29, 2012, 01:59:19 AM »
Bangkok, as true to its fame as the Venice of the east, will never fail to impress you when it comes to the ways of getting around this modern metropolis through its intricate network of canals and the mighty Cho Phraya. River express and canal boats regularly ply several routes, a world away from the congested roads both in terms of how quick you can reach your destination and the cost is next to nothing. The river boats that mainly ply around 20 odd piers along the River banks that stretches almost the whole lenght of the city, which makes it a viable alternative for those who want to skip the traffic on the road and save time. For example, a trip from Grand Palace to Silom district could easily take over an hour by taxi, while the boat ride will only take around 15 or 20 minutes.
Though it's convienent and time saving mode, it is indeed confusing if you are not used to it. Especially along the river piers where there are a number of boats offers river crossing service. You will end up across the river than where you actually heading if you do not watch out for the right boats. All the piers both along the rivers and the canals have names marked clearly in Thai and English. Best idea would to grab a map with the piers and routes clearly marked before you head out, which you can buy it from any book store or even can get a free one if you check with any of the tourist information booths across the city.
Though it's convienent and time saving mode, it is indeed confusing if you are not used to it. Especially along the river piers where there are a number of boats offers river crossing service. You will end up across the river than where you actually heading if you do not watch out for the right boats. All the piers both along the rivers and the canals have names marked clearly in Thai and English. Best idea would to grab a map with the piers and routes clearly marked before you head out, which you can buy it from any book store or even can get a free one if you check with any of the tourist information booths across the city.