If these waters could talk: Discover Bangkok through its River of Kings

It's often said that a river is the lifeline of a city and in Bangkok, a metropolis crowded with concrete and stifled by heavy heat, this is all too true. The city never ceases to pulse with life; it's home to 11 million people and almost as many registered vehicles, and often seems as though it's bursting at its seams. At the very heart of Bangkok, however, the wide Chao Phraya River brings a sense of space and openness as its choppy waters arc and flow through the urban chaos that surrounds it.

Along its banks Bangkok's past and present intertwine. Historic temples like Wat Pho and Wat Arun stand as silent sentinels, their spires and statues a testament of devotion and craftsmanship that stretch back for generations. Crumbling old warehouses and sleek glass buildings rise almost from the water. The riverbanks themselves - and the network of khlongs (canals) that spread around them - are a living museum, where traditional stilted wooden houses juxtapose with modern skyscrapers, bridging the gap between antiquity and progress.

The Chao Phraya - the River of Kings - was named by Rama I (first king of the Chakri dynasty, which still reigns today), who established modern Bangkok on the waterway's eastern bank in 1782. Although its name conjures images of a demure river and elaborately decorated barges (which you can see in the National Museum of Royal Barges), the Chao Phraya was also frequented by the hard-working trading ships, laden with spices and treasures, that plied the maritime Silk Road. These days its waters are churned into turbulent waves by the taxis and coal barges that plough the waterway during daylight hours, while after dark large cruising restaurants, bedecked with neon lights and pulsing music, ply its waters.

The course the river runs today is not as it's always been. Just as the Chao Phraya has shaped the development of modern Bangkok, so too have those who've lived and worked along its banks shaped the river itself, and this aquatic artery is a product of its own history: it has been shaped to serve the city.

Almost 500 years ago when Ayutthaya, 80 kilometres north of Bangkok, was the Siamese capital, the Chao Phraya River was altered for the first time when a wide canal was built to shorten the distance between the capital and the Gulf of Siam. That diversion, which shortened the river by 14 kilometres, now forms the primary course of the Chao Phraya and is flanked by Rattanakosin Island, where the elaborate Grand Palace now stands. The original course is now called Khlong Bangkok Yai and Khlong Bangkok Noi, which enters the river's mainstream beside the National Museum of Royal Barges. Take a long-tail boat tour of the khlong and its arteries (get your tickets at Phra Arthit Pier) or book a bicycle tour with Ko van Kessel (covankessel.com) and explore the quiet neighbourhoods around this historic part of the city.

After the dramatic fall of Ayutthaya to the Burmese in 1767, Taksin the Great established a new capital at Thonburi on the west side of the river. He set about building a network of khlongs that Rama I expanded when, 15 years later, for strategic reasons, he established a new capital on the eastern bank of the Chao Phraya. Both leaders had wanted to emulate Ayutthaya, which was surrounded by two rivers, and so a sophisticated system of canals and moats was created to drain and protect Bangkok.

The city's past is well documented in its various museums. Although it's set a few blocks back from the river, the Yaowarat Chinatown Heritage Centre pays homage to the immigrants who were instrumental in establishing Bangkok - both the physical city and its economy - and it's well worth spending time in this small but comprehensive museum, which is next to Wat Traimit (or, Temple of the Golden Buddha). The Rattanakosin Exhibition Hall details the art, history and culture of old Bangkok; it really is a must-visit for those who use history and geography to build an understanding of a city.

In Bangkok's early years life was lived on the water. Raft houses and stilted houses rose from the network of waterways and it was only the city's elite who lived on dry land. In fact Bangkok had already been established for 82 years when Charoen Krung, the very first road suitable for use by horse-drawn carriage, was built.

The raft houses once so common along the waterways of Bangkok were outlawed in 1900 but stilted houses do remain, standing as resilient observers of the city's evolution. They exist in pockets along some of the canals; some well preserved and still home to families, while of others only the rotting skeletons remain. Ban Krasao is one of Bangkok's last remaining stilted village communities. A labyrinth of about 500 stilted houses - home to a Muslim community - is connected by a network of wooden walkways that weave between them. The pace of life is slower here, and a quiet walk around the neighbourhood is an opportunity to glimpse everyday life almost as it was in the early days of the city.

Another neighbourhood still rooted to Bangkok's past is Kudi Chin, on the west bank of the Chao Phraya River. In 1770 the Portuguese community that had established itself here was granted permission to build a church, and the Santa Cruz Church remains the centre of this unexpected quarter. Within the tangle of alleyways traces of Portugal remain, and streetside stalls and Portuguese-style bakeries sell cakes and crumbly pastries. Baan Kudichin Museum, set in an old family home and still family-run, offers wonderful insights into the arts, traditions and cuisines of the Portuguese descendants who live here.

While there are no stilted houses along Khlong Banglamphu, an early-morning walk along the canal's edge is an evocative way to begin a day. Should you walk here, you will be tracing what once was Bangkok's city limits as this waterway was constructed by Rama I as the protective boundary east of Rattanakosin, where the Grand Palace stands. If you're wanting to trace Bangkok's history then begin your walk in the peaceful park at Phra Sumen Fort, which stood guard of the city's north-western corner, and follow the canal. You'll need to cross to its north side at Samsen Road, and over the next 1.5 kilometres you'll pass a shrine dedicated to Taksin the Great (the forefather of Bangkok), and walk through a small neighbourhood market, where residents stock up on fresh produce for the day. Stop here for an iced kafae boran (fat-roasted coffee filtered through cloth) and fresh pa thong ko (Thai donuts). You will pass potted gardens and elaborate shrines, and a foot bridge where people make merit (acts of "kindness" that will bring good karma) by throwing food to the large catfish that gather here; you might also witness sai baht, people giving alms to monks on their barefoot dawn pilgrimages.

You'll see Wat Saket - also known as Golden Mount - reflected in the waters of the khlong long before you reach it. This temple once stood just outside Bangkok's walls and is a good vantage point from which to look out over the flat city. You won't be able to see the Chao Phraya from up here, choked as it is by the city that surrounds it, but if you use your imagination you might just conjure the image of a demure river and a fleet of elaborately decorated barges.

Praya Palazzo: This riverside boutique hotel is set in a mansion that was built 100 years ago, during the reign of Rama V. That time is considered to have been the golden age of art and architecture in Bangkok, and the mansion's design was influenced by the Palladio style chosen by many of the Italian architects who were working in Bangkok back then. The mansion was built as a home for a Thai-Chinese millionaire, a nobleman who worked for the Royal Custom Department. By 1946, boats were no longer the main form of transportation in Bangkok and, since the mansion had no road access, the family moved away. The house then served as a school for five decades. By 2006, when it had fallen into decay, it attracted the attention of the late Wichai Pitakvorrarat, a professor of architecture, who carefully restored the building. As a tribute to the region's past, Praya Palazzo's restaurant features a selection of dishes that represent different eras of Siamese history, on both an a la carte and a set menu. The menu itself details the foods that were commonly available and used throughout Siamese history, as well as where and how the recipes used for each dish originated. prayapalazzo.com

My Grandparents' House: Tucked up against a Chinese temple and right on the west bank of the Chao Phraya River, My Grandparents' House is an almost-100-year-old building that started out as the office for a company that made and distributed fish sauce. After he'd rented the building for 39 years, the Chinese owner of the company, Mr Thungsombat, bought the building and would often host as many as 50 Chinese visitors to the city. The building is still owned by the Thungsombat family, and has been converted into a characterful cafe that houses vintage tins, fans, teacups and radios. The aged wooden shutters along the riverfront set the tone. Sip on an iced coffee as you watch the river ferries and tugs ply their trade. bangkokriver.com

Chakrabongse Villas: Not far from the walls of the Grand Palace is Chakrabongse Villas, once the home of Prince Chakrabongse, a son of Rama V, and now a boutique hotel that is owned by the prince's granddaughter. It's a beautiful property that pays homage to Thai art, culture and literature, and its riverside restaurant serves a set dinner menu featuring "royal Thai cuisine" that's prepared from original family recipes from the palace kitchens. The view over the river to Wat Arun - Temple of Dawn - is enchanting. chakrabongsevillas.com

Lhong 1919: Lhong 1919 is the beautifully preserved headquarters of Chen Cihong, a 19th-century Mandarin mogul who came to Bangkok as a rice trader. The compound, now owned by fifth-generation descendants of Chen Cihong, gives visitors the chance to explore the Sino-Siamese port where thousands of immigrants would first have set foot on Siamese soil. There is a wonderful cafe here, which serves local culinary specialities including luk khrueng ("half-breed" coffee, which combines old-style Thai coffee brewing with international coffee beans). It's set in Plearnwan Panich (Merchants' Pier), which has been very sensitively renovated to look like an old-style Chinese teahouse. facebook.com/Lhong1919

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Getting there: Thai Airways (thaiairways.com) flies direct to Bangkok from Sydney and Melbourne.

Getting around: Taxi boats are not only a convenient way to get around the city, but they also make for great sightseeing. The Chao Phraya Express Boats (chaophrayaexpressboat.com) work on a flag system, with each "line" being indicated by a coloured flag on the boat, much like London's Underground. These local taxi boats are very affordable - from just 16 baht (less than 70c); the pricier hop-on hop-off Chao Phraya Tourist Boat service (chaophrayatouristboat.com) departs every 30 minutes from 11 piers.

Staying there: Bangkok's iconic Mandarin Oriental (mandarinoriental.com) hotel has hosted literary greats including Joseph Conrad, Barbara Cartland, Somerset Maugham, James Michener, Noel Coward and Graham Greene.

Praya Palazzo (prayapalazzo.com) is a riverside mansion that has been restored to its former glory days. It is now a 15-room boutique hotel.

New Siam Riverside (newsiam.net) is a budget hotel that's conveniently close to Phra Arthit Pier, from where you can take river taxis.

Pictures: Getty Images; Shutterstock; Unsplash