Nineteenth-century Bangkok was laced with canals, giving the capital the designation ‘Venice of the East’. Surviving canals and the Chao Phraya River (River of Kings) provide memorable vignettes of a traditional waterborne way-of-life that has remained essentially unchanged over the centuries.

The river and canals may be conveniently explored by public transport or via a traditional long tailed boat. We finally end at Wat Arun (Temple of Dawn), this famous Chao Phraya riverbank landmark, diagonally opposite the Grand Palace, is best known for a porcelain encrusted 79-metre central pagoda which sparkles in the sun. After a wonderful tour, we bring you back across the river to the main starting point.