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Enjoy your dinner under candlelight with Thai Food and excellent view along Ping River

This is the highlight of romantic couples stay in Chiang Mai.  It is a delicious Thai dinner while you slowly explore the riverside in the evening and after dark hours.  The bright lights of the center of town offer a contrast flickering lights of outlaying areas.  A beauty that must be seen to be known.

River Cruise Seafood Restaurant, Mae Ping Dinner Cruise
Dinner Cruise
Mae Ping River Cruise
Romance-Scorpion Tail River Cruise


River Cruise Seafood Restaurant, Mae Ping Dinner Cruise
144 Chiang Mai - Lumphun Rd., Chiang Mai 50000
Tel. 053 249371
Operate hour: 07.00-09.00pm
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Dinner Cruise

Mae Ping River Cruise

River Cruise

Leave the city behind and relax awhile, carried along the cool waters of the River Ping.  Enjoy the ever-changing river scene: resplendent teak houses, rural greenery and sunny - faced kids scrambling into the water with shouts of glee.  Stop at a local farmer's house and see for yourself the cultivation of jasmine rice and a variety of herbs for use both in medicine and cookery.  Enjoy a snack of seasonal fresh fruits and savour there refreshing taste of lemon-grass and other herb juices.

Dinner Cruise
Dinner Cruise at 7.30 p.m. each evening the Maeping Dinner Cruise leaves the restaurant jetty and a delicious Thai dinner served aboard the special 30 seater craft.  Cruise slowly along the River Ping and experience the romantic magic of Chiang Mai by night.  Set menu or your own choice of Thai dinner is served.  Return to the jetty at 9 p.m. (Special lunch cruise also undertaken for group or party bookings)
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History of the Ping River
The Ping River, which flows through Chiang Mai province, is 600 kilometers long.  It originates from Doi Tuey in Chiang Dao district, and many other brooks and creeks in the mountain ranges join the Ping River.  The combination of these streams becomes the Ping River, flowing past Muang district, and through other districts in Chiangmai.  It further streams through the provinces of Lamphun, Tak, and Kamphaeng Phet and finally merges into the Chao Phraya River at Paak Naam Pho in Nakorn Sawan (literally: Heavenly City)

The origin of the Scorpion-tailed boat
The concept of the Scorpion-tailed boat was created out of imagination of a shipwright during the 18 th century.  The ship builder happened to come across a coconut husk, floating in the river during the rainy season.  The husk was like a vessel for several insects, sitting on it, but what caught his eye, was a scorpion.  The scorpion’s instinct makes that it holds up its barbed tail all the time. The builder then made use of what he saw, to build a ship with a raised tail, like the scorpion’s, and decorated it.  On top of the tail of the ship, a bamboo cylinder filled with coconut oil, was placed.  As it was put above head level, the helmsman could steer the boat with ease, as the river path was lighted.

History of the Scorpion-tailed boat
Before the construction of the Northern Region railway, transportation and communication between Chiang Mai and Bangkok depended mainly on boats.  The largest boat at that time was the Scorpion-tailed vessel.  A few outstanding characteristics of the boat are its tail, which curled up like a scorpion’s, and the fact that it can load up to three tons of cargo.  A river journey down to Bangkok took about six months, and the return trip about seven to eight months.  The Ping River at that time was full of islets.  As a result, a voyage on Ping River had to be done in columns, to prevent raids, and to help one another in difficult times.  The owners of the Scorpion-tailed boats were mostly Chinese merchants, and the steersmen were native Cambodians.  The important ports, or landing places, in Chiang Mai in those times were: Tha Wat Ket, Tha Pae ( Nawarat Bridge port), Tha Sri Khong, and Tha Rong Pak Mae Ping. The goods transported downstream were all natural products from the forests, while the merchandise transported upstream were dried fish, mirrors, salt, candles, textiles, kerosene, matches, etc.  Aquatic transportation decreased after completion of the railway track ti Chiang Mai in 1921, and after construction of the Bhumibol Dam in Tak province. From that time onwards, the legend of the Scorpion-tailed boat came to an end.

The Scorpion-tailed River Cruise was born
And now the legend has been revived by Ms Songsri Wongvech, a tourism industry post graduate of Chiangmai University, with the support of Mr Samak Laosatirawong. He built the small fleet that now takes tourists along the Ping River, explaining the problems he had reconstructing the boats from old pictures and documents.  The model of the Lanna style boat, which was used as means of transport between Chiang Mai and Bangkok for almost 300 years, formerly called “Scorpion-tailed boat”, was modified to transport tourists. These tourists come to enjoy the views of the banks of the river, to help conserve the river, and to study the history of Chiang Mai.

Scorpion-tailed boats are the most environmentally friendly: their engines use benzene as opposed to diesel, which pollutes the river, they have no toilets on board (so, go before you embark!), again avoiding pollution, are much quieter than their long-tailed counterparts, and are, to the best of our knowledge, the only river boats in Thailand with buoyancy compartments, making these boats among the safest afloat. The transportation on Ping River is very safe; the river is only 80 cms to 2 meters deep.

Tourists will experience the atmosphere of the past, learn the story of the banks of the river, hear some of the clever fishing techniques of Thai fishermen, and see pictures from a century ago until the present, explained by staff who specialized in this field.  The trip takes between an hour and a half to two hours. Delicious desserts shall be served for free during a short break at the Scorpion-tailed boat Village.

Cruising down the Ping River
Transfer to Wat Sri Khong boat landing, Tourists are given a briefing about the history of the vessel.  (Using a video tape available in 3 languages-English, Thai and Chinese. French, Spanish and German versions will be available soon). During the cruise, the vessel passes through the Chiang Mai's biggest wholesale market before approaching the peaceful scenic beauty of Chiang Mai's outskirt.  The boat stops at the important historical landmarks. First stop at the Wat Gate area, Chiang Mai's oldest trading and commercial center.  Visit Wat Gate and its historical museum and see several old buildings on Charoenrat road.(Tropical fruits in season and drink will be serve on board) Boat information: there are 3 different boat sizes for passengers from 15-30-50 persons. Life vest are provided.

Other services from Scorpion-tailed Boat Company
Meetings, seminars during a boat trip on Ping River.
Birthday parties, Christmas, New Year, Graduation, and Wedding parties:
(like a “ Legendary Chiangmai Wedding Ceremony ” . February 26-28, 2005)
Special boat trips to promote new products, for shops and businesses.
Special tariff for children: a way of studying outside the classroom.
Special trips for tourism students, a very practical way of studying tourism.

Information about boats:
Capacity: there are three different boat sizes, for 15, for 30, and for 50 persons.  Life vests and Insurance are provided.

Duration: one and a half to two hours

Daily departures: 9.00 AM, 11.00 AM, 13.00 PM, 15.00 PM, 17.00 PM

Price (tariff): 400 baht per person (minimum 2 persons)

English speaking guide.

Leaving from: Wat Sri Khong (near Nakorn Ping bridge), boat landing.  That is opposite Sri Khong Temple, Charoenrat Road, Watket, Muang, Chiang Mai 50000

Please note :
Private tour is available in anytime between 08.00-17.00 / Join tour(minimum 2 persons) at 09.00, 11.00, 13.00, 15.00 and 17.00

For more information: Please contact 053 260299, 01 9609398, 01 9510791
Fax: 053 245888

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