Anyone have any insights on this? 

I know where you can get a boat on the river, but are there different companies and what is included/where do you go/how long, etc?

It's been a long time, but the cruise was arranged by my hotel.  I think they gave me a good idea what to expect.  Since I was new here, I rather enjoyed it.  I'm thinking it lasted about 2 hours.  I don't recall just how far up river it was.

Here's a photo I took of our destination.  Really liked the fishing net.  There were a few interesting thai cultural items that we could wander around.  I believe it included a meal that didn't appeal to me.

I recommend it for first time visitors at least.

Thanks. 
I have a first-time to Thailand visitor coming and looking for things that I myself haven't done here. I've never seen cantilever nets here before, although it makes sense that they should be used here. 

2 hours ago, Trujillo said:

Thanks. 
I have a first-time to Thailand visitor coming and looking for things that I myself haven't done here. I've never seen cantilever nets here before, although it makes sense that they should be used here. 

 

Years ago, we took two rides on the Ping River with 'Ping River Cruises' rather than the 'scorpion-tail boats.  One during the day, and another an evening dinner cruise. (I was writing a magazine story about it for one of the local tourist magazines that used to paper Chiang Mai.)

Both cruises went up river for about 30-45 minutes to this same location, which was the owner's farm. He had set up a mini-nature museum and tourist farm there. The fishing net was just decoration. The day tour was a pleasant 'do once' ride, with complementary coffee/tea and finger cakes served at the farm while overlooking the river, then a nice ride back. Very pleasant, worth the price of admission, but as I said, a 'do once' event.

 

The dinner cruise was just the same, but with a larger boat with tables, and a very nice (for the first time Thai food eater) variety of flavors and foods. About a 2-hour affair on the river, another 'do once' tourist attraction that was worth the money paid.

 

Note: This was at least 10-15 years ago. It appears that the location remains the same, but I have no idea about what goes on during the ride these days.

Did the Scorpion boat ride from the Wat on Chareon Prathet Rd a few years back couple of hours, took a picnic  and some wine, very pleasant.

 

john 

There are two boat tour companies. The northern ( I'm not giving company names ) one is the better of the two, which wouldn't be hard as the southern one was diabolical.

Even the better one isn't great, but as long as expectations are not high it's a pleasant way to spend a few hours.

Get there early so you can look around the temple first.

I wouldn't bother with the dinner cruise.

 

On 1/3/2020 at 5:09 PM, FolkGuitar said:

It appears that the location remains the same, but I have no idea about what goes on during the ride these days.

I last did it about 2 years ago.

Nothing happens on the cruise except looking at the scenery. The "guide" couldn't answer any of my questions. The boats with seats across are better than the ones along the sides, for obvious reasons

I had been on the same cruise about 5 years previously and the "restaurant" was considerably more decrepit that the first time. It may have been renovated since but I do not know.