Hi, I live in Pattaya and I'll be in Bangkok next week for two different hospital appointments on Monday and Tuesday. My Thai better half wants to see Ayutthaya so I've got a car and driver booked to take us there for the day on Thursday. That leaves us with Wednesday free. With the Ayutthaya trip to come, I don't want to overdose on temples and palaces beforehand so I thought a visit to one or more of the forts along the river might make a good change. Fort Chulachomklao at the river mouth would be a good choice. I could get a car and driver but I thought it would be nicer to take a boat from central Bangkok if possible. Ideally, we'd be able to also stop off at the fort on the island on the way, Phi Suea Samut, or one or other of the historic places along the river. I can't find anything obvious going on that route, but I may be searching for the wrong thing. Does anyone know if there's a boat service all the way down to the sea (and back), and can you provide a link? Thanks.

3 minutes ago, Guderian said:

Hi, I live in Pattaya and I'll be in Bangkok next week for two different hospital appointments on Monday and Tuesday. My Thai better half wants to see Ayutthaya so I've got a car and driver booked to take us there for the day on Thursday. That leaves us with Wednesday free. With the Ayutthaya trip to come, I don't want to overdose on temples and palaces beforehand so I thought a visit to one or more of the forts along the river might make a good change. Fort Chulachomklao at the river mouth would be a good choice. I could get a car and driver but I thought it would be nicer to take a boat from central Bangkok if possible. Ideally, we'd be able to also stop off at the fort on the island on the way, Phi Suea Samut, or one or other of the historic places along the river. I can't find anything obvious going on that route, but I may be searching for the wrong thing. Does anyone know if there's a boat service all the way down to the sea (and back), and can you provide a link? Thanks.

I asked chatgpt

And the listed a long list of options and links with pics. So try put the essential part of your post in to chatgpt and see what you get in return.

That’s a lovely idea—and the Chao Phraya down to the river mouth makes for a very atmospheric day out. A boat trip from central Bangkok is not only possible, it’s arguably the best way to experience these forts, because the river itself explains why they exist.

Below is a practical, historically interesting way to do it, with options depending on how flexible you want the day to be.

11 minutes ago, Hummin said:

I asked chatgpt

And the listed a long list of options and links with pics. So try put the essential part of your post in to chatgpt and see what you get in return.

That’s a lovely idea—and the Chao Phraya down to the river mouth makes for a very atmospheric day out. A boat trip from central Bangkok is not only possible, it’s arguably the best way to experience these forts, because the river itself explains why they exist.

Below is a practical, historically interesting way to do it, with options depending on how flexible you want the day to be.

Thanks, I asked ChatGPT the question and it said no, lol.

You have to check how accurate it is, if at all. And as you see, they suggest you rent a long tail boat.

It's many years since I've been on a longtail boat but they're a bit over-exposed to the sun and can be very noisy from what I recall. Not cheap, either, at 5,500 Baht for a 2-hour tour. Is 2 hours enough time for the trip one-way? The suggestion of a boat down and then a car back sounds sensible. It might be better to get a taxi down halfway and then try and find a cheaper, more flexible boat locally. Everything private hire in central Bangkok is going to be farang tourist prices.

4 minutes ago, Guderian said:

It's many years since I've been on a longtail boat but they're a bit over-exposed to the sun and can be very noisy from what I recall. Not cheap, either, at 5,500 Baht for a 2-hour tour. Is 2 hours enough time for the trip one-way? The suggestion of a boat down and then a car back sounds sensible. It might be better to get a taxi down halfway and then try and find a cheaper, more flexible boat locally. Everything private hire in central Bangkok is going to be farang tourist prices.

I didn't read more than what I cited first, and after I saw it was long tail boat only. I'm sure it would be a nice private trip if you did, and I might do the same when we back in Bangkok.

I like these bus/taxi boats for a few coins each stretch, even they are a bit noisy

10 minutes ago, Hummin said:

I didn't read more than what I cited first, and after I saw it was long tail boat only. I'm sure it would be a nice private trip if you did, and I might do the same when we back in Bangkok.

I like these bus/taxi boats for a few coins each stretch, even they are a bit noisy

The ideal might be to get a car down there and then hire a (probably slower) fishing boat with some proper shade from Samut Prakan back up the river. I'd have thought a fishing boat from the Boondocks by the sea would be a lot cheaper than a tourist longtail boat from Sathorn Pier.

16 hours ago, Hummin said:

I didn't read more than what I cited first, and after I saw it was long tail boat only. I'm sure it would be a nice private trip if you did, and I might do the same when we back in Bangkok.

I like these bus/taxi boats for a few coins each stretch, even they are a bit noisy

Yeah, the very cheap normal ferries and the hop on-hop off tourist ones are great as long as you know where you're going. I was hoping there'd be something similar all the way along the river to the mouth, you know maybe get a standard passenger ferry for 100 Baht or whatever? It seems not, though, and if a private-hire longtail boat wants over 5K Baht for 2 hours, then I'll need to do some careful research beforehand to make sure we stop off at the best spots on the way. No time left for that now, I'm thinking more of getting a car to take us to the Erawan Museum, and then on to Fort Chulachomklao. I'll ask the drivers I use if they know of a boat for hire to take us on the river trip the next time we're in Bangkok.

This is what I'd recommend to you

BTS from central bkk to BTS Chang Erawan to visut Erawan museum - it's REALLY nice place

BTS from Erawan museum stop to BTS Paknam stop. Walk to April cafe (coffee shop/seafood restaurant) for great views of river and lunch - been many times.

Walk from restaurant to Paknam market Pier.

Ferry across river to other side river. Visit phra samut chedi, then walk to phi seau samut fort museum.

Ferry back. BTS to central bkk.

I'm not aware of any Ferry down the river, sometimes see people using jetskis from central bkk to the river estuary.

6 hours ago, Bredbury Blue said:

This is what I'd recommend to you

BTS from central bkk to BTS Chang Erawan to visut Erawan museum - it's REALLY nice place

BTS from Erawan museum stop to BTS Paknam stop. Walk to April cafe (coffee shop/seafood restaurant) for great views of river and lunch - been many times.

Walk from restaurant to Paknam market Pier.

Ferry across river to other side river. Visit phra samut chedi, then walk to phi seau samut fort museum.

Ferry back. BTS to central bkk.

I'm not aware of any Ferry down the river, sometimes see people using jetskis from central bkk to the river estuary.

Thanks for the detailed itinerary, that sounds like fun. I think we'll get a Bolt or Grab car down to the Erawan Museum in the morning, and then another one to Paknam when we're ready, depending on availability, of course. We'll do what you suggest down there and then try to get a taxi back, but I know from experience that once you get a bit out in the sticks there's often not so many cars available. In that case, we've always got the fall back of taking the BTS back to Suk. At least we'll see a fort and have a short ferry ride, and I can save Chulachomklao for the next trip.

If all else fails there is a regular air con bus to the fort on the west bank of the estuary. Cheap as chips and an ok ride.

I have been there twice , once with my wife and once by car with friends. There is a museum and a selection of guns outside. A good restaurant built out over the mudflats is a nice place to chill out for a while. Next to the restaurant is a boardwalk over the mangrove lining the shore. There is an old warship permanently moored there to look over and further along the old gun emplacements and batteries pointing out to sea. My last visit was about 25 years ago and there were no tourists around at all, only naval personel. I forget the bus number but should be easy enough to google. I had a bus map at the time and used that.

14 hours ago, trucking said:

If all else fails there is a regular air con bus to the fort on the west bank of the estuary. Cheap as chips and an ok ride.

I have been there twice , once with my wife and once by car with friends. There is a museum and a selection of guns outside. A good restaurant built out over the mudflats is a nice place to chill out for a while. Next to the restaurant is a boardwalk over the mangrove lining the shore. There is an old warship permanently moored there to look over and further along the old gun emplacements and batteries pointing out to sea. My last visit was about 25 years ago and there were no tourists around at all, only naval personel. I forget the bus number but should be easy enough to google. I had a bus map at the time and used that.

Thanks for the info, but ChatGPT says there's no longer such a service:

25 years is a long time, so it's not surprising, I guess.

20 hours ago, Guderian said:

Thanks for the detailed itinerary, that sounds like fun. I think we'll get a Bolt or Grab car down to the Erawan Museum in the morning, and then another one to Paknam when we're ready, depending on availability, of course. We'll do what you suggest down there and then try to get a taxi back, but I know from experience that once you get a bit out in the sticks there's often not so many cars available. In that case, we've always got the fall back of taking the BTS back to Suk. At least we'll see a fort and have a short ferry ride, and I can save Chulachomklao for the next trip.

You'll have no problems getting taxis in that area of Sukhumvit between erawan museum (usually taxis in a line outside) and paknam - it's a busy area.

I would recommend BTS over taxis between Erawan museum and central bkk. Travelling along that stretch of Sukhumvit by road is VERY BUSY.

phra samut chedi and phi seau samut fort museum are well worth visiting, a good nature walk, and the fort and the views from it worth the effort.

20 hours ago, Guderian said:

Thanks for the info, but ChatGPT says there's no longer such a service:

25 years is a long time, so it's not surprising, I guess.

I dont trust chat GPT. I found it to be wrong several times. Ill try and check it out.

21 hours ago, Guderian said:

Thanks for the info, but ChatGPT says there's no longer such a service:

25 years is a long time, so it's not surprising, I guess.

Ok. Just googled it. The bus still runs and the number of it is 1290. Not sure where it starts from. Somewhere in Bangkok though.

6 minutes ago, trucking said:

Ok. Just googled it. The bus still runs and the number of it is 1290. Not sure where it starts from. Somewhere in Bangkok though.

Also...good info can be found just zooming in on google maps then clicking on the icons that appear. Excellent for local information.