Page 23 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Bangkok

Bangkok’s Canals ❮❮ 21

Phra Pin
6 Klao Bridge Royal Barge
7 6
BANGKOK 8 Museum
NOI This museum (see p96)
contains a fabulous
9
RATTANA- display of ornamented
KOSIN
3 Chao Phraya royal barges (right),
PHAHURAT which are about 165 ft
5 (50 m) long. Also on
0 BANGKOK
YAI display are dio ramas of
Phra Pok
Klao Bridge robes worn by royal
Map of Bangkok’s canals rowers and informa tion
on the use of the barges
Khlong
that appear in royal 0
processions on the river. Bangkok Yai
Popular with tour boats,
Khlong
7 this canal passes several
Bangkok Noi
temples, including Wat
Though it is now termed Kalayanamit (see p98),
a khlong, or canal, this which has a huge Buddha
waterway was once the image, and Wat Pak Nam,
main channel of the famous for its amulets.
Chao Phraya River. Near Many boats also stop at
its entrance is the Royal a snake farm and the
Barge Museum and a float ing market along
little farther on is Wat Khlong Dao Khanong.
Suwannaram, which
has some rich murals.
Saen Saeb 8
Canal
This canal (right) is
quite useful for reaching
the Old City from
Downtown. The Saen
Saeb Express boats run
from Saphan Phanfa
Lela to Pratunam, and
beyond if you transfer.
RIDING THE CHAO
Chao Phraya – River of Kings
PHRAYA EXPRESS 9
River buses are a great Without the Chao Phraya River (below), there
way to see the Chao would be no Bangkok. Named for the founder of the
Phraya and beat the Chakri dynasty, Chao Phraya Chakri (see p40), the
traffic. The central river has always been the lifeblood of the nation,
section from Sathorn providing an aquatic high way for a range of boats.
(Central) pier upstream
to Phra Athit takes
around 30 minutes,
pass ing by several
sights, such as the
Church of Santa Cruz
(see p98), Wat Arun, Wat
Phra Kaeo (see pp12–15),
and Wat Rakhang
(see p98). The website
www.chaophraya
expressboat.com has
more information.
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