#4: Express boat & Wat Arun

January 19, 2020

Today marks our last day in Bangkok. After taking it relatively easy the previous day, we start (slightly) earlier today. Our goal for tourist exploration is the Grand Palace in the Palace District, which we plan to reach by taking an express boat across the Chao Phraya River.

The path to the pier takes us about 2 km south through the Old Town and Chinatown. Since it is not clear at the pier where and how much exactly is required for the three-station ride, we decide to do as the locals do and simply board the boat upon its arrival. Fortunately, it turns out that the locals did not have a monthly or online ticket either: the tickets are sold on board. For 15 ฿ (approximately 0.45 €) you can travel in either direction to the final station. The express boat turns out to be rustic, crowded, noisy, and very fast.

While taking in the scenery rushing by, we see the temple Wat Arun and decide to make a stop there. After the hectic landing and unloading maneuver, we buy an entrance ticket and visit the temple. Here too, the guard pays attention, especially to women, to appropriate clothing. The temple is very impressive and was obviously built with a lot of attention to detail, as can be seen in the pictures. Since the temple is not particularly large, and to escape the intense midday heat, we soon buy another boat ticket and sail to our original destination.

Arriving at the Tha Chang pier, we quickly realize that we are not the only ones who want to visit the palace on this Sunday. The streets are full of tourists, who are led in herds and through barriers towards the palace. Under the new impression of scorching heat, crowds of people, and sometimes quite assertive street vendors, we decide to only briefly observe the palace from the outside and continue exploring the city on foot. Here we also encounter the first exotic animal: a round 1 m long iguana at the foot of a statue in the middle of the city.

This time we ended the evening with a meal at our favorite Thai restaurant, with rice dishes and two Chang beers. On the way home, we quickly stopped at 7-eleven to buy breakfast and provisions for tomorrow's move to Hua Hin.