Attractions information

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.

Attractions information

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.

Attractions information

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.

Attractions information

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.

Attractions information

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.

Attractions information

Wat Saket Golden Mount

The Golden Mount or 'Phu Khao Thong' is part of the Wat Saket temple located just outside the old royal city precincts, next to the Pom Mahakhan fort.

There are about 300 steps in all & it's not a strenuous climb, as the slope is quite gentle and there are numerous spots to stop and see something.
The Golden Mount has a somewhat unusual history in that it was expanded by King Rama III, who wanted to build a large chedi on the site to mark the entrance to the city. However, the soft marshy ground could not support such a large structure and it collapsed before it was completed.

During the late-18th century the temple served as the capital's crematorium. During the following 100 years, the temple became the dumping ground for some 60,000 plague victims who were not allowed to be buried within the royal city precincts.

From the ground, a wide stairway spirals up and around the sides of the mount and the short steps ensure you don't expend too much energy.

The best time to visit the temple is during the cool season from late November to January, when not only is the temperature much cooler, but the frangipani trees around the base are in bloom, giving off their wonderful jasmine-like smell.

In the first week of November, Wat Saket hosts an annual temple fair with lots of lanterns.

Attractions information

Jim Thompson House

Jim Thompson was an American who settled in Thailand after the end of the Second World War. He devoted himself to revitalizing a cottage industry of hand-woven silk, which was dying out.

His house was built from parts of six antique Thai houses which had been dismantled and brought to Bangkok.
Jim Thompson located a group of Muslim weavers in the Bangkok neighborhood of Bangkrua and provided hitherto unavailable color-fast dyes, standardized looms, and technical assistance to those interested in weaving on a piece-work basis.

His endeavour showed a profit from its first year of operation. Thompson's determination to keep his company cottage-based was significant for the women who made up the bulk of his work force.

In 1958 he began what was to be the pinnacle of his architectural achievement, a new home to showcase his art collection. Formed from parts of six antique Thai houses, his home sits on a canal across from Bangkrua, where his weavers were then located. Most of the 19th century houses were dismantled and moved from Ayutthaya, but the largest - a weaver's house, now the living room - came from Bangkrua.

During Easter 1967, Jim Thompson disappeared while on holiday in the Cameron Highlands of Malaysia. An extensive and extended search failed to reveal any clues about his disappearance.

Bangkok City Two Days (Code:KT2106)

Pick a day and people

THB  21,400.00

THB  21,400.00

THB  24,900.00

THB  30,800.00

THB  34,800.00

THB  39,600.00

THB  43,200.00

THB  49,600.00

THB  55,800.00

THB  69,600.00

THB  74,400.00

THB  79,200.00

This tour is exclusive to Klong Toey Port Cruise Ship Passengers. There are also exclusive tours

There's so much to see in Bangkok that you'll be glad you have two days here. You'll visit Wat Pho and its Reclining Buddha. The Grand Palace & Wat Phra Kaew. Take a boat on the Chao Phraya River to Wat Arun. Walk to the top of the Golden Mount and finally Jim Thompson's antique-filled house.

Do you want your tailor-made tour?

A tailor-made tour is the best kind of independent travel itinerary, designed and arranged just for you and your needs.
All events and activities are part of your very personal, privately guided tour.
Just ask us and we will be happy to make your tour an unforgettable experience. We have been doing this for 25 years and the quality of tailor made tours has never changed.

Request a Custom Tour

Why is a private tour a better choice?

With a private tour, you have the freedom to choose what you want to do and when you want to do it. There is much more room for flexibility and changes to your itinerary at every step of the way because you don't have to consider the needs of other travelers. The flexibility and freedom to make the most of your time is the reason why so many people choose to take a private tour rather than a group tour.

Tour Programme

08:00 - Day 1 Departs

08:00 - Pick up dockside Klong Toey Port

We'll be waiting for you when you get off the ship. Your guide will have a sign with your name on it. The sooner you get off the sooner we can leave.Read More >

08:45 - Wat Pho Reclining Buddha Temple

Wat Po is considered Thailand's first university and houses the famous Reclining Buddha.Read More >

09:45 - Grand Palace Wat Phra Kaew

The Grand Palace incorporates Wat Phra Kaew or the Temple of the Emerald Buddha which is Thailand's most revered temple. Please dress accordingly.Read More >

12:00 - Lunch in Thai Restaurant (on your own expense)

Lunch will be in a Thai restaurant beside the Chao Phraya River (Excluded on the tour price)Read More >

13:00 - Long-tail Boat Trip

Enjoy the long-tail boat trip on the river and into the canal system on the Thonburi side. And we will stop Wat Arun "the royal temple of King Rama II" or Temple of Dawn. Read More >

15:00 - Depart for Klong Toey

You can relax in air conditioned comfort while the driver returns you to your ship at Klong Toey.

16:00 - Arrive back at your ship

You can expect to be back on board by 4:00pm depending on the traffic.

08:00 - Day 2 Departs.

08:00 - Pick up dockside Klong Toey Port

We'll pick you up from your ship in the same place as yesterday.

08:45 - Wat Saket & the Golden Mount

Wat Saket is considered the gateway to the original city of Bangkok and is the highest point in the city so it affords a good view. Well worth the climb!Read More >

10:00 - Jim Thompson's House

This is the finest example of traditional Thai architecture used in the construction of homes throughout Thailand during the last century. Jim Thompson has a passion for Thai silk and you'll find things in the shop there which are hard to resist. Read More >

12:00 - Lunch in Thai Restaurant (on your own expense)

We'll have lunch in one of the local Thai restaurants. (Excluded on the tour price)

13:30 - Depart for Klong Toey

You can relax in air conditioned comfort while the driver returns you to your ship at Klong Toey.

14:00 - Arrive back at your ship

You can expect to be back on board by 3:00pm

Important Information

A strict dress code applies at The Grand Palace and The Temple of the Emerald Buddha which are 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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