Bangkok: Wat Pho, the river and Chinatown
The Reclining Buddha of Wat Pho, a ride on the Chao Phraya express boat and the streets of Chinatown in one day.
At a glance
Wat Pho is regarded as the first public place of learning in Thailand and the birthplace of traditional Thai massage.
This route links three sides of old Bangkok without relying on the road. It starts at Wat Pho, the large temple beside the Grand Palace, home of a Reclining Buddha 46 m long and 15 m high and of a school of traditional medicine and Thai massage. The marble plaques with texts and illustrations that line its galleries are listed in UNESCO's Memory of the World register.
From Tha Tien pier, next to the temple, the orange-flag Chao Phraya Express Boat runs downriver past Wat Arun and the riverside temples to Ratchawong pier, at the edge of Chinatown. There, Yaowarat Road and the narrow Sampeng Lane gather gold shops, wholesale stalls, Chinese temples such as Wat Mangkon Kamalawat and some of the best-known street food in the city.
Cruise ships calling at Bangkok berth at Laem Chabang, about 120 km away, so the day begins and ends with a two-hour drive. That leaves around five hours in the city: enough for Wat Pho, the boat and lunch in Chinatown, but not for the Grand Palace as well unless you skip one of them.
Official websiteGetting there from the port
4 optionsYour day in port
Example: call at Laem Chabang from 07:00 to 19:00, all aboard at 18:30.
- 07:30Ashore and on the roadLeave the terminal by excursion coach, transfer or taxi; the drive to Bangkok takes about two hours.
- 09:45Wat PhoThe Reclining Buddha, the great chedis and the galleries; a Thai massage at the temple school if you have time.
- 11:30Down the riverWalk to Tha Tien pier and take the orange-flag boat past Wat Arun to Ratchawong.
- 12:00Chinatown and lunchStreet food on Yaowarat Road and a walk through Sampeng Lane to Wat Mangkon Kamalawat.
- 14:00Shopping and a breakGold shops, Chinese pharmacies and a coffee before meeting your driver.
- 15:00Back to Laem ChabangLeave Bangkok early to allow for traffic and be on board by 17:30.
What to see
- 1Reclining BuddhaThe gilded figure of Wat Pho, 46 m long, with soles 3 m high inlaid with mother-of-pearl.
- 2Wat Pho galleries and chedisFour great chedis, more than 90 small ones and hundreds of Buddha images in the cloisters of the oldest temple in the area.
- 3Thai massage at Wat PhoThe temple school still teaches and offers traditional Thai massage within the grounds.
- 4Chao Phraya by express boatThe river from the water, with Wat Arun and the old riverside warehouses, for a flat fare.
- 5Yaowarat RoadBangkok's Chinatown, laid out under King Rama V in the 1890s, with gold shops, herbal pharmacies and street food stalls.
- 6Sampeng Lane and Wat MangkonThe narrow wholesale market lane and the main Chinese Buddhist temple of the district, a short walk apart.
Tips for cruise passengers
- Dress for the templesCover shoulders and knees at Wat Pho; women should not wear shorts above the knee. Shoes come off inside the hall of the Reclining Buddha.
- Take the orange-flag boatThe orange line stops at every main pier, including Tha Tien (N8) and Ratchawong, for THB 18; boats with other flags skip some stops.
- Carry cashStreet food stalls and many shops in Chinatown only take cash in baht; keep small notes and coins for the boat.
- Chinatown is busySampeng Lane is narrow and crowded with porters and carts; keep bags in front and walk with the flow.
- Watch the clockBangkok traffic is the main risk of the day. Agree a pick-up time with your driver or transfer that leaves at least two and a half hours to reach Laem Chabang.
Accessibility & families
Wat Pho is flat but has thresholds and steps at the halls, the boat piers have steps and floating gangways, and the pavements of Chinatown are narrow and crowded, so the route is difficult in a wheelchair. With children it works well if you avoid the busiest lanes at midday and keep them close on the boat.
In pictures
