Wooden express boats zigzag across the brown Chao Phraya from pier to pier, while the porcelain-studded spire of Wat Arun watches from the west bank. Before roads took over, most people here lived on the water. Some canals still carry commuters, like Khlong Saen Saep, where water buses skip the traffic jams.
Away from the river, Yaowarat fills with food carts at night, cafés line the leafy lanes of Ari and Thong Lo stays up late. It is hot all year, with monsoon rains from May to October and milder days from November to February. A Local Friend turns your list of temples, piers and noodle stops into a day that makes sense, crossing the river once instead of twice.
