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River highlights
The Express Boat river bus
operates every day approximately
6
am–6.30pm. Fares start
at THB10 (PHP13).
chaophrayaexpressboat.com
Wat Pho
Open 8am–5pm; entrance THB100
(
PHP134).
Wat Pho Thai Traditional
Massage Science School
Open 8am–7pm; massages start at
THB250 (PHP335) per hour.
Royal Palace and
Wat PhraKaew
Open 8.30am–3.30pm;
entrance THB400 (PHP535).
Museumof Siam
Open Tue–Sun, 10am–6pm; entrance
THB300 (PHP402).
LakMueang
Open 6.30am–6.30pm; entrance
free.
Chote Chitr
146
Thanon Phraeng Phuton. Tel:
+66 (2) 221 4082
;
open Mon–Sat,
11
am–9pm; about THB250 (PHP335)
per person.
Mont
160
Thanon Dinsor. Tel: +66 (2) 224
1147;
open 2pm–11pm.
Across the river
Wat Arun
Open 8.30am–5pm; entrance THB50
(
PHP67); cross-river ferry THB4
(
PHP5.30).
Santa Cruz Church
Opening times vary; cross-river ferry
THB4 (PHP5.30).
H E A R T O F B A N G K O K
Across the river
from the market,
Santa Cruz Church
has stood — in one
form or another — since
the 18th century when it was gifted to
the Portuguese community in thanks
for its help defending former capital
Ayutthaya, some 80km north on
the Chao Phraya. In 1767 invading
Burmese finally toppled that city,
looting its treasures and leaving the
spellbinding place in ruins.
Thais picked up what was left and
eventually, in 1782, settled on a new
capital in little Bangkok, the “village of
olive trees”. They chose a strip of land
called Rattanakosin. With the Chao
Phraya on one side and canals along
the others, they created an island that
could be efficiently defended. Work soon
began on the Royal Palace — originally
an elaborate wooden structure — and
was completed within a month. Just a
few days later Rama I moved in and was
crowned King of Rattanakosin.
Spiritual heartbeat
In the middle of built-up Bangkok, Ko
Rattanakosin (
ko
means island) remains
the ceremonial and
spiritual hub of the
country. It’s the place
where kings are crowned
and the people’s cultural DNA
is safeguarded. And, as if to press home
the point, a museum (just a short walk
from Tha Tien Pier) is dedicated to
exploring what it means to be Thai. The
Museum of Siam is a contemporary
venue in an old European mansion that
combines well-designed installations
with fun, hands-on exhibits.
Rattanakosin has a spiritual
heartbeat that resonates throughout its
streets. Across from the Royal Palace,
Lak Mueang — the first building erected
in the new capital in 1782 — is home to
Bangkok’s city god and is a good spot
to watch traditional lakhon dance.
Close to Wat Mahathat, in a maze
of alleys by Maharaj Pier, hundreds of
shops and makeshift stalls sell amulets,
the medallions often decorated with
Buddha images worn for protection and
luck. But Thais cherish one thing above
all else here: the 66cm-tall Emerald
Buddha, the most sacred religious relic
in the land, that stands in the palace’s
chapel Wat Phra Kaew.
(
Left) Watch a
traditional lakhon
dance; (right) inside
Lak Mueang, home
to Bangkok’s city
god; (inset) amulets
on sale
