Co van Kessel

Starting in the heart of Chinatown, our bike ride explores its frenetic market environment. Winding through narrow alleyways, our senses come alive with the sights, sounds, and smells of a community in motion. We’ll pass by shophouses selling everything from Buddhist amulets to recycled truck engines. Locals worshiping at hidden temples, ritual paper burnings, and the omnipresent spirit house display evidence of a culture centuries in the making.

Crossing the Chao Phraya River with majestic views of the city skyline behind us, we visit Thonburi, the historic third capital of Thailand. Contrasting chaotic Chinatown, peaceful elements of local Thai life abound as we cycle through diverse residential communities. Inquisitive smiles and friendly greetings reinforce the feeling we have truly left the “beaten path” and are now experiencing the REAL Bangkok.

Experience all of the wonders of Co’s Classical tour by cycling through Chinatown’s frenetic market environment.  We take our bike through narrow alleyways and small side streets.  Then allow classic longtail boats to transport us further into rural Bangkok.  Discover why this city is often designated “Venice of the East” as our cruise introduces us to the charming canal lifestyle of Thais, much as it existed in bygone eras.  Scenes of classical wooden-framed homes on stilts, mothers doing their daily washings, and kids splashing away the tropical heat will captivate us with their innocence and congeniality.

Following this pleasant break, our cycle tour continues through luscious green belts as we explore the forgotten plantations of this great city.  Surprising not in their beauty, but in their proximity to the sprawling metropolis, this tranquil ride will leave us pleasantly refreshed for our equally enthralling journey back to Chinatown

Join us for an all day exploration that will take us to the outskirts of Bangkok by way of classic railway and other local modes of transport . In between, pedal-power and longtail boats will bring us into a world of fascination far removed from central Bangkok and her traditional tourist sites.

On this tour, we will see scintillating beauty combined with amazing contrasts, modern lifestyles derived from classical traditions, Buddhist temples coexisting harmoniously with Muslim mosques, and frenetic urban sprawl giving way to gentle rural landscapes. Most importantly, you will see the many faces of Bangkok as few else have and in a way you will not soon forget.

We explore illuminated Chinatown, Bangkok's famous flower market, and head North alongside the mighty Chao Phraya river towards the older part of Bangkok and her famous temples.  We also cross the Chao Phraya River to visit local areas of Thonburi (West Bangkok).

See Bangkok in a different light as we explore this vibrant Asian capital by night. Gone are the surging crowds and frenetic market activities which dominate the daytime hours. Instead, you will discover a festival of illumination within the relative tranquility of the cool evening air.

Traditional Chinese street lanterns mixed with multi-colored shop signs create a sublime ambiance as evening diners replaced motorized commuters on Chinatown’s main thoroughfares. Although less hurried, there is still plenty to see as we visit Bangkok’s largest flower market, rising to full bloom during the night. Riding alongside the Chao Phraya River, we will see a scattering of vessels traversing the night waters as magical views of the Memorial Bridge, the Grand Palace, and Bangkok’s ever expanding skyline fill the horizon.

Quieter, cooler, and beautifully lit with a potpourri of colors, Bangkok by night is an experience not to be missed. Join us and see why this is quickly becoming one of our most popular tours.