Seven of the best waterborne holiday adventures in Asia
From navigating the frenetic canals of Bangkok and the rapids of Sri Lanka’s Kelani River to a serene glide through the Vietnamese countryside, take the plunge and experience the best of Asia
As Asia’s roads become ever more clogged with fume-belching traffic, tourists are taking to lakes, rivers and canals for a pollution-light perspective. Waterborne adventures offer thrills and spills but, mostly, serenity. Locals stop what they are doing to smile and wave as you glide past, no one suffers from road rage and you never have to worry about parking.
Bangkok canal trips
A longtail boat trip along Bangkok’s canals is a rewarding alternative to the public express ferries that shuttle up and down the busy Chao Phraya River. Narrow waterways, or klongs, once criss-crossed the Thai capital, earning the city its “Venice of the East” tag, until many were filled in to create roads. Fortunately, a tangled network of interconnecting canals remains intact and is still used for transport. Head to Sathorn Pier, next to Saphan Taksin Skytrain station, and negotiate a deal, or pay a little more and let a travel agent organise an English-speaking guided longtail boat tour.
Unseen by most tourists, thousands of Thais live their lives beside the klongs. Laundry-strewn waterfront homes range from grand properties to tumbledown shacks that look like they are about to disappear beneath the surface. Kids hurry home to change out of school uniforms before leaping into the water, and floating vendors somehow serve up meals cooked using on-board charcoal stoves. It’s a fascinating scene.