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Klong Toey Port

Klong Toey Port is where the smaller cruise ships dock when they visit Bangkok. The port is 26 kilometers up the Chao Phraya River and is right in the heart of Bangkok city.

It's commonly known as Bangkok Port and was Thailand's only major port for sea transportation of cargo from 1938 until 1991.

The construction of Klong Toey Port began in 1938 and finished after the end of World War II.

The port is located on the Chao Phraya River not far from Gulf of Thailand. Due to its limited capacity and traffic problems caused by semi-trailer trucks, much of the shipping operation has been moved to the new container terminal at Laem Chabang in Chon Buri Province.

In the past Klong Toey was the major night entertainment area for the whole city of Bangkok. It had its heyday in the 1960's and 1970's dying out almost completely in the 1980's when the Bangkok Port Authority claimed the land that was home to the majority of the night entertainment venues.

The whole area is a bit tatty and grubby, like any port, but the positive side for the cruise ships docking here is that they are right in the centre of Bangkok and are not subjected to the two-hour drive from Laem Chabang.

Cruise ships using Klong Toey Port during the 2009-2010 season include Azamara Quest, Seabourn Odyssey, Seabourn Pride & Oceania Nautica.

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Wat Mahathat Ayutthaya

Wat Mahathat was built in the early days of Ayutthaya in the late 14th century by King Borommaracha I.

The story goes that the king had a revelation, and relics of the Buddha then suddenly appeared. The temple was built to house the relics.

Wat Mahathat Ayutthaya was built in the early period in 1374. The main stupa is Pang shape made of laterite but in the later periods was resored with brick.

The construction of Wat Mahathat was begun during the reign of King Borommarachathirat I in 1374 A.D. but was completed during the reign of King Ramesuan (1388-1395 A.D.) When King Songtham (1610-1628 A.D.) was in power the main prang (Khmerstyle tower) collapsed. The restoration work on the prang was probably completed in the reign of King Prasatthong (1630-1655 A.D.) During the restoration the height of the prang was considerably increased.

Wat Mahathat was restored once again during the reign of King Borommakot (1732-1758 A.D.) when four porticos of the main prang were added. In 1767 A.D. when Ayutthaya was sacked the wat was burnt and has since then been in ruins.

It is most famous for the Buddha head trapped in the Bodhi Tree.

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Ayutthaya Long-tail Boat

Ayutthaya is an island encircled by a confluence of three rivers, the Chao Phraya, Lopburi and Pa Sak and it makes sense to take a local long-tail boat so you can get a different perspective of the city.

Many of the most interesting temples are only accessible from the river so you'll enjoy this.

The Chao Phraya, Lopburi and Pa Sak rivers are teeming with aquatic life and as you cruise you are likely to see a variety of snakes, monitor lizards and plenty of fish in the river. Surprisingly, you'll also see lots of children swimming and mothers doing their laundry on the steps of their houses.

A 17th century Dutch merchant described Ayutthaya as 'a city standing on a small island of the Chao Phraya River. Within the city walls, there are long, straight and wide roads. Canals have been dug from the river into the city, facilitating transportation.

Apart from the main thoroughfares, there are also a multitude of small canals, lanes and walkways. During the high water season, it is possible to paddle boats everywhere, even up to the house steps. Ayutthaya is a riverside city which has been carefully planned. It is truely a beautiful city'.

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Wat Pho Reclining Buddha Temple

Wat Pho, located next to the Grand Palace, is the one of the largest & oldest temples in Bangkok and is home to more than one thousand Buddha images. The most impressive of which is the huge Reclining Buddha measuring 46 metres long & 15 metres high with mother of pearl inlaid in its eyes & feet.

Wat Phra Chetuphon Vimolmangklararm Rajwaramahaviharn is commonly known as Wat Pho and the temple complex consists of two walled compounds bisected by Soi Chetuphon running east-west.

The northern walled compound is where the Reclining Buddha and famed massage school for the blind are found. If you go for a massage make sure you ask for 'soft'!

The southern walled compound, Tukgawee, is a working Buddhist monastery with monks in residence and a school.

The principal Buddha image is "Phra Buddha Deva Patimakorn" in a gesture of seated Buddha on a three tiered pedestal called Phra Pang Smardhi (Lord Buddha in the posture of concentration), and some ashes of King Rama I are kept under the pedestal.

Made as part of Rama III's restoration, the Reclining Buddha is decorated with gold plating on his body and mother of pearl on his eyes and the soles of his feet. Each foot is 3 metres high & 5 metres long and displays 108 auspicious signs portraying natural scenes of both Indian and Chinese influences.

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Grand Palace Bangkok

The Grand Palace is the most spectacular place in Bangkok, so if you only see one thing whilst in the city, this is the place to see.Thai people respectfully refer to it as Phra Borommaharatchawang. It served as the official residence of the King of Thailand from the 18th -20th century.

The Grand Palace complex, construction of which began in 1782 during the reign of King Rama I, sits on the east bank of the Chao Phraya River and is surrounded by a defensive wall 1,900 metres in length, which encloses an area of 218,400 square metres. Within its walls, in times past, were the Thai war ministry, state departments, and even the mint.

Within the palace complex are several impressive buildings including Wat Phra Kaeo or the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, which contains the revered Emerald Buddha that dates back to the 14th century.

Thai Kings stopped living in the palace in the middle of the twentieth century, but the royal residence is still used by visiting dignitaries.

Important Information

A strict dress code applies here. The Grand Palace and The Temple of the Emerald Buddha is Thailand's most sacred site. Visitors must be properly dressed before being allowed entry to the temple. Men must wear long pants and shirts with sleeves. No tank tops or singlets. Women must be similarly modestly dressed. No see-through clothes or bare shoulders. No shorts or tights. Proper shoes must be worn. No flip flops.

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Chao Phraya River

The Chao Phraya River is regarded as the bloodline of the Thai people. It has its origins in four rivers flowing from the northern region of the country, the Ping, Wang, Yom and Nan which meet at Pak Nam Pho in Nakhon Sawan Province. The Chao Phraya River is 370 kilometers long.

Much of Thai history can be traced along the banks of the Chao Phraya River, because in the early days Thai people settled along the river banks and only with the advent of roads in recent times have they ventured further away.

Today the Chao Phraya River remains the most important waterway for the people of central Thailand.

It is a working river, with daily commuter boats plying up and down from Nonthaburi to Sathorn covering 31 piers along the way.

Tug boats towing three or four barges laden with sand are frequently seen as they make their way to the various construction sites down river.

In the evening, as dusk gives way to night, many dinner cruise boats take their place on the river, going up as far as the Rama VIII bridge and downstream to the Rama IX bridge.

The Chao Phraya River is vibrantly interesting in the daytime and romantically beautiful at night.

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Bangkok Noi Canals

Bangkok has often been called the Venice of East, but over time many of the canals in the city have been filled in to make roads, so it is nice that this part of the city has retained the charm of living along the banks of serene canals. Take a long-tail boat and explore the myriad waterways.

Bangkok Noi Canal flows in a horseshoe shape through the old Bangkok Noi community in the Thonburi area.

The community was established in the Ayutthaya Period and King Chai Racha Dhiraj (1534-1546) commanded the excavation of a waterway from Bangkok Noi Canal to Bangkok Yai Canal as a shortcut to facilitate transport and communications.

Along both banks of the Bangkok Noi Canal, visitors see places of cultural and historical significance. On a boat trip you can pass the Thonburi railway station and the Royal Barges Museum. The boat trip also takes in several major temples and traditional Thai houses with carved designs.

Although cargo boats now use the direct route along the Chao Phraya River, the lively Bangkok Noi Canal community still endures. It reflects a bygone Thai lifestyle, inextricably related with waterways, and a Thai identity handed down from generation to generation.