Walking in Bangkok near the old city and along riverside, you will see the hidden secrets which the city contains to give. The walks let you to study about the diverse culture and history and know about the local communities. There are many companies cover a wide range of tours to present the city in various manners with certain having higher focus on the group and certain aimed at history.
The trip range from two hours to a full day. It does not matter about your interests, you will identify the wonders when you come on a tour or DIY it on your own.
- Area to start a walking trip in Bangkok
- Map and routing
- Walking Routing and POINT OF INTEREST ALONG RIVER OF The KING
Area to start a walking tour in Bangkok
Bangkok is quite big and there is a lot of sightseeing that one can explore the city. So we have 5 places that you could consider to starting your walking trip and observe around the area with sightseeing and market stop.
1.Introduce to the Emerald Buddha
The Emerald Buddha Temple is the most important Buddhist Temple in Thailand. It contains a 24-inch Emerald Buddha with gold outfits changed by the king during ceremonies of new seasons.
The temple is located in the Grand palace with one visit , you can see the best temple and the King resident area. This is a must see place and gather the best of Thai art inside. It will take around 2-3 hours at this sightseeing.
2.Top sightseeing along the River of The King (Klong walks Bangkok)
Visit communities by watching them on the banks as you ride deep into the heart of Bangkok.
The river has canals that were built to ease travel to the Siamese capital, 50 miles away. The capital was named Olive Town in the 1500’s but it fell to the Burmese in 1760’s. The new King renamed Olive Town Thornburi and built his new capital next to Wat Arun.
In 1782 King Rama I took over and moved the capital East, along Chao Phraya River, and built the Grand Palace. The new capital was named Rattanakosin. He convinced the Chinese to move South, the current Chinatown. This laid the ground for what became Bangkok City.
Most people, take a long tail boat trip to observe the Canal tour of Bangkok. Follow by that, visitors can go to walk around the bank of river to main sightseeing such as Wat Arun, the Royal barge museum, Wat Pho or local market. If you want to have this relaxing trip, you could easily spend a full day in the old city area.
3.What is in and around Bangkok Khlongs or Bangkok canal
The Chao Phraya River covers virtually the whole of Thailand from the North to the South with multiple canals cutting through the city. All the local life and extraordinary places are only accessible via canals or khlongs. A long tail boat is used for transport since it can carry a handful of passengers and cut across the crowded river safely.
Thornburi canals are very interesting, as you will find very welcoming communities living here. They offer handmade crafts at cheap prices and you can use the wooden walkways for a memorable chat with the locals.
The environment is calm and there is an orchid farm with a lot of stories you can learn from the guide. Feeding catfish and other water creatures are all in the program.
Along the way too, you will check out the Floating Market and the Hidden Forest Temple. This River of King’s, as the name Chao Phraya means, has all the historical sites and is the main link to the khlongs.
4.Wow Yoawarat or Bangkok Chinatown
This is one of the best walks of Bangkok area. Chinatown samPheng (Sampeng) is an open market with a variety of foods and street vendors. There are many unique sights and it’s just about a 3 km walk on flat surface. There are sweet, salty and spicy flavors for you to sample along the way.
There is a lot of history og the foods which you accompany with sweet deserts and mingle with food lovers. On the alleys and streets, you will notice the familiarity since you have seen them in movies. The town is very colorful, bustling, bright and requires a small group with a tour guide for a great walking tour in Bangkok, Chinatown.
5.Learning about Buddhism Life around old city area
A complete tour is done when you have seen and interacted with the old communities: Muslim village and Ban Krua Thai Silk are part of them. Check out the modern concrete houses, old wooden Thai houses and local business shops.
A boat ride is the only effective means of transport therefore, if you fear the water, get a grip. The tour is complete after exploring the Ban Baht community of Monk’s Alm handicraft craftsmen and learning their history & heritage of Buddhism.
Mapping and routing
Check the route and sightseeing on this map. If you like to walk, this is easy to do self-guided walking tour Bangkok for you.
Walking Routing and POINT OF INTEREST ALONG RIVER OF The KING
A 4-8 hour walk is all you need to see the Old Town, Craftsmen, Grand Palace, Floating market, Temples and many other hidden treasures known by the local tour guides.
Colonial style buildings:
Plush hotels are haggard to the riverside of Bangkok because it is the most appealing setting in the town. However, the tree lines, lanes resulting away from the river are a treasure chest of excellent colonial style constructions, warehouses and shop houses changed into antique stores and restaurants.
An easy place is to start your Bangkok walking tour at Saphan Taksin station or tha sathron river pier, most of the hotel ferries stop at this location or S6 or Taksin station of BTS.
Walk away from this river and turn on the first left into Shangri la hotel for an option to really walk in the close area to the river. Go till you cannot go further; exit the Shangri and move on to the right side. Cross the tuk tuks and hawkers you will come to busy, head right for food on the street side and the Bangkok market or you can also continue to walk.
This area is on Bangrak market. There are in wet market section and ready to eat food that’s quick and easy for Bangkok people to stop and go. Various kinds of food are served on the street all day long. It is a colorful market that most visitors curious and wonder if they should try something.
Venetian style facade:
After some time like two hundred yards, move left, by the schoolyard cum parking more and continue Bangkok walking tour through to red brick called the assumption cathedral.
The Cathedral was constructed in the year 1809 and used as the principal Roman Catholic church of Thailand. The cathedral is seen at the center of the old European business quarter, which located within the grounds of Assumption collage not far from Oriental hotel.
When you exit by the front side door, walk towards the small park and move right, close to the overhead walkway connecting two of the old constructions, now turn left.
You will see oriental pier and standing before the fading lovely Venetian style facade of the East Asiatic firm, constructed in 1884. The industry was heart to a flourishing business between Thailand and the world and this company was its headquarters.
East Asiatic Bangkok
Author’s wing:
The nearby spot is full of Chinese style godowns and warehouses, in different states of repair. When you walk back Soi 38, move left to the oriental hotel, Bangkok’s most storied home charoen krung which was established in the year 1876 and where somerset remained way back when.
Exist the real building, now known as the author’s wing. Check out the path you entered, walk away and turn on the left side again left. You will see oriental plaza, a department store constructed in the year 1905 and today home to costly antique stores and on the left side you can pass French embassy. Move left pass the little restaurants near the river.
Muslim enclave:
The big and old building you will view is an old customs house, found in the year 1880. It is presently availed as a fire station, however under the grime it is the most attractive buildings in Bangkok of its era.
Exist out and move left a narrow lane close to the old customs house into the Haroon village, is a Muslim enclave filled with wooden houses, playing children and small stores selling food products. Meander by here till you get a bigger street close to the river. Follow this and simply prior the road you will see harmonique, Charoenkrung, a surrounding but not very spicy Thai hotel.
Old custom house and French Embassy
The Bangkok walking tour can not be complete without peek 2 places below.
France Embassy located close to the Oriental hotel which is the only 2 embassies along the river location left. In 1857 , French counselor rent this area from Siam government, back then Thailand was absolute monach. The ruler was King RAMA V, King Chullalongkorn. Later the king gave this land to France , in 10 Jun 1875. Currently, the Embassy located here for 160 , (This year is 2017).
Old Customs House
The old customs house in Bangkok , a historic building on the river of the King. The building design by Joachim Grassi in Palladian style , was built in 1888. It is located on Charoen Krung 36 . Later, the customs office moves to Khlong toey in 1949 and served as Bangrak Fire station
River city:
Turn left on to the art deco style, the common post office and turn left on to the Portuguese embassy, the oldest embassy building of Bangkok, even though this building is best seen from the river when you go Bangkok walking tour from the river.
Move on to the Sheraton hotel to a busy mall, indoor selling a combination of reproductions, antiquities, food and cheap souvenirs. If you make shop in this location, be careful that plenty of antiquities are not, actually, old, while few real antiquities will have been eliminated from the place of origin without local permission.
River city is the departure place for the Chaophraya dinner cruise. There are also river side restaurants along the river, you can chill out before going back to the hotel for rest.
If you start walking with this recommended trip in the late afternoon like 15:00 or 16:00. Your Bangkok walk tour will end at River city around 18:00-18:30. Then you can continue to take dinner cruise if you reserve the seat ahead.
This is some recommends of Bangkok dinner cruise that departures from river city. The modern cruise is consists of Grand Pearl Cruise, Chaophraya river Cruise, Wonderful pearl cruise. The traditional Thai cruise is included Loynava cruise and Wanfah Cruise.
In case that you have no interest in dinner and fill this route is too short. You can continue walking to Talad noi till ending at Yaowarat or Bangkok Chinatown. There are temples, street paining , cultural sightseeing ,market, street food and small shops that you will enjoy.
