4 Island Hopping in Bangkok to Build a Day Around

1.Bangkok Canal Tour: 2-Hour Longtail Boat Ride

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 5,909 reviews · from $37Our pick

Meet near Wat Pho, cross the Chao Phraya River, and cruise Thonburi’s klongs by traditional longtail boat. You’ll stop for about 30 minutes at Baan Silapin, pass Wat Paknam’s giant golden Buddha, and return after roughly two hours. Guides such as Joe, Bella, Fern, and Yohan have earned praise, but commentary quality can vary.

“Great intro to Bangkok. Good to do at 4:30 as you catch the sunset. Yes, it has its touristy things, but we are tourists. We were lucky as the locks were open so no wait and we went back a different route,”

Check availability →Read our full review

2.Bangkok: Longtail Boat Canal Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 4,076 reviews · 2 hours · from $36

Ride a traditional long-tail boat from Wat Pho through Bangkok’s klongs, passing Wat Arun and the giant Buddha at Wat Paknam. You’ll stop at Khlong Bang Luang Artist’s House, a 200-year-old wooden home with small shops, crafts, and canal views. Guides such as Ken, Bella, Pam, and Neo add local context, though boat noise can make talking difficult.

“Loved the Bangkok canal tour—such a great way to see the city away from the roads. Our guide Joe was fantastic, full of fun facts and great energy. Thank you, Joe!”

Check availability →Read our full review

3.Hidden Bangkok Longtail Boat Tour to Big Buddha&Canal Life 2hrs

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,404 reviews · from $35Top rated

Spend two hours on Bangkok’s canals with an English-speaking guide such as Yoyo, Pear, Wai, or Fluke. See stilt homes, the Artist House, Wat Paknam’s Big Buddha, and Wat Arun before ending at Tha Tien Pier near Wat Pho. Expect local stories, a small boat, bottled water, and no hotel pickup.

“Stand out to other tours we had our guide explaining points of interest along the way which was great adding contex”

Check availability →Read our full review

4.Bangkok: Longtail Boat Canal Tour to Wat Arun

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 438 reviews · 3 hours · from $28Best value

Start at Tha Tian Pier and cruise Bangkok’s canals to Khlong Bang Luang Artist House and Wat Paknam’s glass pagoda and Giant Golden Buddha. Return by river to Wat Arun. Expect a three-hour small-group trip, an English-speaking guide, temple walks, and a 200 THB Wat Arun fee paid separately.

“Our guide has had to change the plan slightly but took into consideration the needs of the people on the tour”

Check availability →Read our full review