Experience the allure of the Venice of the East when staying in riverside hotels Bangkok where the title is derived from the network of canals in the Thailand. Used for transport, it was also a means of sewage disposal and has been created by a number of rivers such as the Chao Phraya, Tha Chin and Mae Klong. Such canals, popularly known as ‘khlongs’, are primarily found in Thonburi in the capital city of Bangkok. Therefore, tourists can see these khlongs by staying at Anantara Bangkok Riverside Resort & Spa, which is found on the banks of the Chao Phraya River.
One of the most wonderful ways of exploring the khlongs of Bangkok is to do what the people in Bangkok used to do when they needed to travel: use a long-tail boat or a small, flat bottomed boat to sail along the canals. Prior to the discovery of modern technology, the inhabitants of Bangkok would use the network of khlongs to get from one destination to another. They used to live in old wooden houses while the poor lived in stilted and sometimes dilapidated shacks over the water and travel via boat was the only means of transport available.
When travelling via a long-tail boat, tourists can witness an odd collection of housing ranging from modern houses to weather-beaten, dilapidated homes. The banks of the canals would often be lined with locals smiling and waving at those who are sailing by, washing their clothes, strolling along the bank and even throwing food to the fish in the waters.
The complex network of waterways in Bangkok is an integral component of the city. Sailing along the Khlongs can provide travellers with an insight into the lives of the locals whilst also enjoying the floating markets and the colourful boats that sail alongside theirs.
Shehera Fioni is a travel writer who writes under the pen name Catalina Forbes. Her content is based on many thrilling escapades offered to travellers across the world.
