The World Port

Best Time to Visit

Come early in the morning, ideally by eight or nine, when the riverside air is coolest and the temples have just opened. The stretch between mid morning and mid afternoon is the hottest and most humid, so an early start lets you finish the outdoor excavation sites and memorial parks before the sun is at full strength. Late afternoon light on the rivers is lovely if you would rather start after three, but note that most temples and museums close around five. Avoid the peak of the rainy season downpours, which tend to arrive in the afternoon from about June through October.

Pro Tips

• •Dress modestly for the temples: cover your shoulders and knees, and carry a light scarf or sarong you can throw on at Wat Phanan Choeng, Wat Phutthaisawan, and St Joseph's Church.
• •Slip on shoes are your friend here. You remove them before entering temple halls and the church interior, so sandals you can step out of quickly save real time.
• •Carry small baht notes and coins for entry fees and donations. Wat Phanan Choeng is twenty baht, Baan Hollanda and the Japanese village charge modest museum tickets, and the Portuguese site, Wat Phutthaisawan, and St Joseph's are free or donation based.
• •Bring more water than you think you need and a hat. Several stops, especially the Portuguese excavation and the memorial parks, are open and shadeless.
• •The rivers separate the east bank stops from the west and south bank ones, so plan a short local crossing after the Japanese village. A cross river ferry or a bridge loop connects the two sides, and it is worth pausing on the water to feel the geography the whole tour is built on.
• •Go at your own rhythm. Any single stop stands on its own, so if the heat wins or your feet give out, you can skip ahead or come back another day without losing the thread.