Bangkok Sightseeing and Attractions

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The trip along Chao Phraya River is a very exciting and enjoyable thing to do for visitors either in the day time or in the evening with dinner served on the river cruise. The most famous area to start is from Royal Orchid Sheraton - Oriental - Shangri-La hotels. Of course the river cruise can be made from hotels on the opposite side such as the Penninsular, the Marriot and some others.

During the day, a trip can be made with small long-tail boat, taxi boat (slower), and with group tour. Mostly, they take tourists into Bangkok Noi and other canals where you can see typical and a completely different life-style along the canals. These scenes are the old way of living in the past that people depended mostly upon river and canals transportation. Now, the front access is the modern roads, but canals are still used a lot. Typical old houses, temples, shops, and the way people buy and sell things can still be seen, especially when you visit the "Floating Market", such as Bangsai Floating Market, and Taling Chan.

The Thonburi Snake Farm has a lot of snakes, crocodiles, and birds. It is located on the way from Watsai Floating Market to the Temple of the Dawn (Wat Arun).

The Golden Mount or Phukhao Thong is located in the compound of Wat Srakes. It was built in the reign of King Rama III, succeded in the reign of King Rama IV, and completed in the reign of King Rama V. The top mostpart is about 100 meters high, and the base is 500 meters in diameter. Interment of the Buddha Relic On the first occasion, King Rama V bought the Buddha Relic in the custody of the Royal Chakri family in grand procession from the Grand Palace and installed it in the Royal Pavillion of the ceremony at Wat Srakes. Then the Relic was interred in the pagoda on the top of the Golden Mount by His Majesty in 1877 (2420 B.E.)

The second interment of the Buddha Relic was done in the following connection. In 1898, Peppe excavated a burial mound (stupa) near Iprahwa on the Nepalese border, the area believed to be the city of Kapilavastu, and discovered buddha relics in an urn inscribed with ancient scripts. This relic was believed to be the portion received by the Sakya clan after the cremation of the Buddha's mortal remains.

At that time, Marquis Curzon was the viccroy of India. As such Curzon decided to present the relic to King Rama V. His Majesty sent Phraya Sukhum Naya-Winit (Chao Phraya Yomaraj Pan Sukhum parien), as the Thai representative to bring in the Buddha Relic. Then Buddhists from Japan, Burma, Lanka, ans Siberia began to request for a share of the Buddha Relic. His Majesty distributed the Relic accordingly. The rest of the Relic was inserted into a bronze pagoda casted by Royal Command. In 1899 (2442 B.E.) the pagoda was installed in a Royal Ceremony on the top of the Golden Mount.

Dusit Zoo (Khao Din) is a very popular place for family with children or even for young couple and all ages. This zoo and park is located at Rama V Road, Dusit , Bangkok, and adjacent to the Old Parliament. Local Thai people know that Dusit Zoo has lush green surrounds and many flowering shrubs and trees with large ponds complete with foot-paddle boats, play - grounds for the kids and shady picnic areas. There are some restaurants with pleasant scenery and a lot of parking areas.

Palace | Museum | Historical Places | Temples | Park | Sightseeing | River & Canal Tours Road | Shopping | Thai Crafts | Entertainment | Others