Boat Trips in Thailand

Popular Cruise Route

The 300 kilometer-long river cruise between Thailand and Laos begins in Thailand at Chiang Khlong-Houei Say (Huay Xai) and goes to Luang Prabang in Laos.

If your travel time is short, you can take a six- to seven-hour boat, but if you're keen to spend more time on board, we recommend the slower boat, on which you can experience and discover more of Thailand.

Highlights

If you like certain kinds of comfort and want to immerse yourself more in the beauty of Thailand and Laos, a slow boat is recommended. During the cruise, your border crossing, accommodation, meals, and local village visits are well managed by the provider.

The best time to cruise is from November to February when the weather is cooler, but the days are shorter, and mornings sometimes foggy. March to May is warmer, with May the hottest. June to November is the rainy season and on some days it can rain for a few hours.

Recommended Boat: Luang Say Cruise

Choice of boat depends on your budget and personal preference. We strongly recommend, however, that you choose a boat from an authorized provider with high safety standards, such as Luang Say Cruise.

Luang Say Cruise offers an all-inclusive package for a three-day cruise that includes three meals a day, two nights of accommodation at Kamu Lodge and the romantic yet luxurious Luang Say Lodge, guided visits to local villages, and group insurance. If you prefer a shorter cruise trip, a two-day cruise is also available.

River Kwai

Twisting and turning on the Kwai River, you will visit Phra Pathom Chedi, the largest pagoda in Southeast Asia, see the panoramic mountain view of Kanchanaburi from a beautiful monastery, and explore the big Buddha statue and temples of Tiger Cave Temple (Wat Tham Sua).

To fully explore the Kwai River, we recommend a four-day or a seven-day river cruise package from Cruise Asia. It departs twice a week, Monday and Thursday, in the downstream and upstream directions.

Chao Phraya River

Chao Phraya River cruises are north of Bangkok. When going north, you can watch how the city and skyscraper views are slowly replaced by small industrial buildings and factories, local stilt houses, and possibly some floating restaurants.

You could take a long tail boat as a short transfer between attractions. Chao Phraya Express boats serve popular tours on the river.

Mae Ping River

Mae Ping River cruises start from Wat Chai Mongkol and go to the really rural Thailand in the north. Their river boats depart every hour from 9 am to 5 pm, and cruises last 2 hours. They provide free pick-up from your hotel if you stay in Chiang Mai city.

In the morning, while sipping your freshly brewed coffee, you will pass the foliage of thick trees from bank to bank on a wide waterway.

The highlight of the trip is when the boat reaches the Thai Farmer's House, where you can learn more about Thailand's basic food - rice, local herbs, fruit, and fish. You may also try the signature local creamy curry soup 'khao soi'.

Popular Canal Ride Route

The city canal cruise provides you with various sights of Bangkok. To explore the klongs, it's recommended to rent a long tail boat for about 1500 to 1800 baht. This can carry up to 6 people. You can have a flexible itinerary and stop at any attractions that interest you, including temples and some city landmarks.

During your canal rides, you can visit Wat Khun Chan Temple, an unusual community art center - The Artist's house (Baan Silapin), orchid farm, Grand Palace Wat Phra Kaew, and the massive reclining Buddha statue of Wat Pho.

You can also combine the klong rides with floating market visits, such as to the Maeklong floating market.

Highlights

The city canal cruise can last 5 hours to a whole day, according to your preference. It starts from the downtown Bangkok area, where you can first admire the view of the city skyline, and proceeds to narrower canals with different views.

Sit back in your passenger seat with your camera ready. Visit the temples and learn about their history from your guide.

If you are thirsty or hungry, stop floating vendors for a delicious chicken kebab or for fresh fruit. Interact with kids who might be swimming at the edge of the canals, and create great memories.

Recommended Operators

We recommend that you combine destinations to maximize your experience. BKK Tour offers unique combinations of canal rides and floating market visits on their one-day tours.

The tours start and finish at Khlong Toey Port in Bangkok. They first take you to visit Maeklong Railway market, where you can see how people trade on a railway.

It will be an unforgettable experience to see how vendors arrange their stalls and awnings seconds before the train comes. The second destination is Thailand's biggest floating market, Damnoen Saduak, and a visit to the Tha Kha traditional market.

See our market guide to learn more about these traditional markets.

Kayaking

One of our recommended sites for kayaking is Krabi Island. The tour begins in the afternoon.

Kayak along Thalane Bay or Phang Nga Bay as the sun sets, during a warm afternoon. Paddle your kayak to the tall green limestone karst cliffs nearby, but beware of the monkeys. Reach the quiet canyon and enjoy its tranquility, then paddle back. Finish your kayaking under the sunset, and prepare for a beach-barbecue to wrap up the tour.

Banana Boats

Banana boats are banana-shaped long rubber boats with footstep bars on each side. They can usually carry up to 6 people, and are suitable for a family or group of friends. Most of the beaches such as Pattaya, Cha Am, Hua Hin, Bangsaen, and Phuket have banana boat rides on their beaches.

After all passengers are seated and ready, the banana boat will be playfully pulled from the beach by a speedboat going at different speeds.

The climax is when the speedboat purposely pulls a very quick turn to make all the passengers fall into the water. It is safe, however, as there will be a boat there ready to help passengers afterwards.