“Are you wearing heels? No? Good. When the boat pulls up, grab the rope and jump in as quickly as possible, otherwise you might fall into the canal.” Thus warned, I prepared myself for my first klong (canal) waterbus experience.
It was 5:00 p.m. on a Friday and I wanted to get to Khao San Road from Sukhumvit Soi 49 in under an hour. Though Khao San Road is the backpacker ghetto, it is not accessible by either the BTS or the MRT. I knew a taxi ride would lead to an hour of frustration at the very least, so I turned to my colleagues for advice. They suggested I first take the Klong Saen Saep waterbus taxi from the Muslim neighbourhood behind our office and then switch to a motorcycle taxi at Phan Fa. (Estimated travel time: 40 minutes, Waterbus Tax: 12B, Motorcycle Taxi: 30B)
The waterbus is not for the fussy or uncoordinated. The four “conductors” hang onto the sides of the boat and wear crash helmets (!) Some things to know before you decide to take this form of public transportation:
- The boat does not dock at the piers! It slows down close to the platform and you literally have to jump on and off. You can balance yourself by hanging on to the ropes on the sides of the boat. Don’t feel bad if you see women in high heels and short skirts doing this move with ease and grace. They do it everyday.
- You’re travelling through a canal so the smell is none too pleasant.
- But! The views are great. Old teak houses line the canal conjuring up the Bangkok of yesteryear. Then beyond the teak houses, skyscrapers soar. The juxtaposition is stark.
- Make sure someone in your boat is operating the plastic splashguards! There are ropes on either side of the boat which passengers must pull down to ensure that everyone doesn’t leave the boat wet and smelly.
- If you easily get seasick, this is not for you. Because the canal is narrow and boats going both directions stop on the left and right banks, there’s a lot of engine cutting and bouncing around in the water.
Anyway, I jumped off the boat at Phan Fa and then rode behind the motorcycle man to Khao San. I quickly discovered that jumping on and off the waterbus taxi was not half as dangerous as the motor man. The guy weaved in and out of traffic like there was no traffic. We were literally one inch away from vehicles on either side. I wore the stale helmet he provided and clung to him for dear life.
But I finally made it in approximately forty-five minutes. It might have been the fastest and cheapest route but I would have to say that it definitely wasn’t the safest.
1 comment:
Interesting to know.
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