On no other half-day tour can the differences in Bangkok be seen so well. Those between the relative simplicity of the people living on and around the canals in the oldest part of the Thai capital, and the gleaming wealth of the Grand Palace, home to centuries of Thai kings, and Wat Pho, one of the country's largest temples.

GRAND PALACE

When construction of the new capital Bangkok began in 1782, the Grand Palace had every priority. This is where the king would live, it would become the centre of government and the temple within the palace walls would house Thailand's most important statue, the Emerald Buddha. Still today, the Grand Palace plays an important role in the life of the Thai king. The Grand Palace is where important guests are received and royal ceremonies take place. Only the king is allowed to change the clothes of the Emerald Buddha at Wat Phra Kaew temple three times a year. On this tour, you get to take a look inside that temple and see the overwhelming grandeur of the rest of the Grand Palace.

WAT PHO

If you only visit one temple in Bangkok, choose Wat Pho. The vast complex has more than a thousand Buddha statues, of which the impressive 46-metre-long Reclining Buddha is the most eye-catching. Next to the Reclining Buddha, you will see the temple's four main stupas. Each was placed by kings and contains relics of Buddha and ashes of the first monarchs of the Chakri dynasty.

BOAT TOUR

After a local lunch, we take a one-hour long-tail boat ride through Bangkok's oldest district: Thonburi. Thonburi is now in the heart of the city, but still has the feel of a waterfront village. The whole neighbourhood is held together by narrower and wider canals, and was originally inhabited by a mishmash of people. Christians, Muslims and Buddhists lived together peacefully here.

Bangkok, Thailand's sprawling capital, originated on the banks of the Chao Phraya River. Until the 18th century, there was little life here. Some people lived in the marshlands around the river, but not many. Much of life took place on the water, and that is still very much in evidence.

You will be picked up at your hotel for this tour and brought back afterwards.