Bangkok is hard to avoid, wherever you are going in Thailand or wider Southeast Asia. The city’s streets and attractions can be overwhelming – so many people, so much colour, so much going on everywhere you look.

But in a longtail boat Bangkok is far easier to manage. Cruise effortlessly down the Chao Phraya River, alongside temples and skyscrapers, then out into a maze of canals. 

Soon you’re cruising among traditional stilt houses and rice paddies, then onwards to floating markets and tiny villages. 

This is a wonderful travel moment for a Bangkok layover, great with your loved ones, and an alternative angle on the big city.