Known for
Wat Arun from the water, the piers and sunset on the Chao Phraya.
Boats and sunset
Riverside
Chao Phraya
Charoen Krung, Tha Tien pier, Maharaj pier
The strip along the Chao Phraya where the city faces the water: Wat Arun on the far bank, piers, hotels with decks. The river here is transport, not scenery.
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Why go
Come for sunset and a boat. The bank is hot at midday; the view works in the morning and the evening.
Where to stay
Worth it if you want the water from the window. Siam and Sukhumvit are a taxi or a boat, not a walk.
Local guide
Fedor Samorodov · guide
The ferry from Tha Tien to Wat Arun is the short crossing. The express boat along the river is a different ride and does not replace that hop.
Places
- Wat Arun — Wat Arun is best known for its stunning central prang, encrusted with colorful porcelain, symbolizing Mount Meru in Hindu cosmology.
- Assumption Cathedral — The principal Catholic church of Thailand, hosting papal visits.
- Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok — One of the first luxury hotels in Thailand, known for its historical significance and luxurious service.
- Bang Luang Mosque — The only Thai-style mosque in the world, decorated with Thai, Chinese, and European art.
- Santa Cruz Church — A historic Roman Catholic church in Bangkok's Kudi Chin neighborhood.
- Wat Kanlayanamit — Home to the massive Buddha image Phra Buddha Trai Rattananayok, known as Luang Pho To.
- Wat Prayurawongsawat Worawihan — A 19th-century Buddhist temple with a UNESCO-awarded stupa and a unique turtle habitat.
- Wat Yan Nawa — The unique viharn built in the shape of a Chinese junk.
- East Asiatic Company Building — Venetian-style 1901 headquarters of the Danish East Asiatic Company on the river, founded by H.N. Andersen.
- Sathorn Unique Tower — An unfinished skyscraper in Bangkok, popular among urban explorers.