Khlong Bang Luang Artist House
Khlong Bang Luang Artist House
4.5
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Monday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Saturday
9:30 AM - 6:00 PM
Sunday
9:30 AM - 6:00 PM
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Neighborhood: Bangkok Yai
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
189 reviews
Excellent
106
Very good
65
Average
14
Poor
3
Terrible
1
kanyapat p
7 contributions
Aug 2023 • Friends
Last year, I visited Khlong Bang Luang with my friends. It was an easy trip and filled with good memories for all of us. It was quite convenient to travel, so we hopped on the MRT to Bang Phai station. However, since the Artist House is located in the middle of the village, we walked around 10 minutes more to get there. This part can be confusing for a first-time visitor. If you don’t feel like walking, the other way is by motorcycle taxi at the entrance to the side street. And if I remember correctly, it would cost around 15 baht. (I recommend this way better if you are a newcomer.)
When we arrived, it was a little bit smaller than we expected. There were several shops open for tourists, but not all of them were on weekdays. We were there early that morning. So we had no problem with overcrowding, unlike on weekends. There are several activities for us to do. For example, feeding the fish, painting on a canvas, learning how to make gel candles, and various handcrafts. If you are interested in artistry, you can buy many beautiful souvenirs from this place. We decided to spend our morning and afternoon painting some pictures and beading bracelets at the artist house while admiring the view of the canal with the long-tail boats passing by.
Overall, the experience at this place was pleasant nonetheless. If you are looking for some artistic gifts alongside a peaceful canal, then Khlong Bang Luang Artist House might be a great choice for you!
When we arrived, it was a little bit smaller than we expected. There were several shops open for tourists, but not all of them were on weekdays. We were there early that morning. So we had no problem with overcrowding, unlike on weekends. There are several activities for us to do. For example, feeding the fish, painting on a canvas, learning how to make gel candles, and various handcrafts. If you are interested in artistry, you can buy many beautiful souvenirs from this place. We decided to spend our morning and afternoon painting some pictures and beading bracelets at the artist house while admiring the view of the canal with the long-tail boats passing by.
Overall, the experience at this place was pleasant nonetheless. If you are looking for some artistic gifts alongside a peaceful canal, then Khlong Bang Luang Artist House might be a great choice for you!
Written April 1, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sivan M
Dallas, TX529 contributions
Jul 2024 • Couples
This is definitely worth a visit for a tourist attraction as the market has plenty of local made goods and vendors where you can relax and have drinks. If you but the fish food (10-20 baht) you can also feed the catfish in the canal as so many will surface to feed. This definitely makes for amazing photos, this is secret tourist gem.
Written July 12, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
atmSydney
Sydney, Australia113 contributions
Jan 2020 • Couples
What a great find! If you need a break from the hustle and bustle this makes for a lovely trip. From Bang Phai train station it’s a 10 minute walk. Beautiful ambiance and there was a New Year’s Day puppet show. Call ahead and try to visit when they have a show, usually on the weekends. We thoroughly enjoyed it!
Written January 1, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Nat N
London, UK57 contributions
Aug 2024 • Family
Worth a visit. We visited as part of a package. It was fun. U have to remove yr shoes B4 entering..there is lots of art and books and things to look at... We made bracelets which was fun.. 1000s of beads to choose from. The whole environment was calm and nice. Id recommend.
Written September 8, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Petra
Hong Kong, China38 contributions
Mar 2023 • Family
We had high expectations reading how popular the place was. In reality, nobody cared about customer service there, there was nothing much for sale, we were also told the puppet show no longer takes place here. It was totally ordinary and not worth the travel time. Sorry.
Written March 31, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
PRMandWEN
Sydney, Australia106 contributions
Mar 2017 • Couples
Visited 19-Mar
The Artists house is a traditional wooden Thai house situated along one of the klongs (waterways) on the Thon Buri (western) side of the Chao Praya River. It is here, at 2 p.m. each day except Wednesday, that you can witness a traditional Thai puppet show.
The show uses large ornate puppets, each controlled by three people dressed in black who operate the head, arms/hands and legs/feet respectively. When the performance starts, you see the puppeteers moving in perfect unison with each other and the puppet, so that they become at one with the puppet then they start disappearing from your consciousness with the result that the puppets themselves dominate. Absolutely spell bounding is the only way to describe the performance. The shows take place in the lower level of the house with the 600 yr old Buddhist chedi built in its backyard acting as the backdrop for the show.
Shows are currently shorter than usual due to Thailand still being in mourning for the King and ran for about 30 minutes. The performance we saw introduced two characters from the “Ramakien” (the Thai version of the Indian Epic “Ramayana”) and enacted a small scene from the story as well as having the puppets interact with the audience. The performance is suitable for children and adults of all ages and the narrator (speaking mainly in Thai) had the Thai children present literally squealing in delight with his humour.
The location of the house itself is very peaceful and you can wander along the waterfront along a covered wooden walkway (which seems to double as the veranda for all the houses on that side of the klong) and watch the boats go by, feed the fish, observe people going about their daily routines, enjoy a drink whilst sitting and doing nothing. This is really a little oasis amongst all the hustle and bustle of Bangkok. The Artists House also has a small café which serves small meals/snacks and tea/coffee. Can highly recommend the “Miang Khum” (a snack made up of dried shrimp, peanuts, lime, coconut chilies and sweet sauce wrapped in “cha phlu” leaves). We couldn’t help ourselves and ordered seconds.
Getting to the Artists House is not simple, but well worth the effort. Your best friend to achieve this will be Google Maps. Firstly we took the BTS Skytrain to “Bang Wa” Station then caught a taxi. It took three attempts to find a taxi driver who could read a map, but we eventually succeeded and got exactly where we wanted to go. The location is a bit remote so don’t expect any taxis hanging around when you leave. We walked the small lanes using Google maps until we reached a main road (about 15 mins) then caught a taxi without any problems. If we had of known this in advance we would have asked the staff at the Artist’s House to order a cab for us before we left. Having said that, at no time did we feel unsafe walking around these small lanes.
The Artists house is a traditional wooden Thai house situated along one of the klongs (waterways) on the Thon Buri (western) side of the Chao Praya River. It is here, at 2 p.m. each day except Wednesday, that you can witness a traditional Thai puppet show.
The show uses large ornate puppets, each controlled by three people dressed in black who operate the head, arms/hands and legs/feet respectively. When the performance starts, you see the puppeteers moving in perfect unison with each other and the puppet, so that they become at one with the puppet then they start disappearing from your consciousness with the result that the puppets themselves dominate. Absolutely spell bounding is the only way to describe the performance. The shows take place in the lower level of the house with the 600 yr old Buddhist chedi built in its backyard acting as the backdrop for the show.
Shows are currently shorter than usual due to Thailand still being in mourning for the King and ran for about 30 minutes. The performance we saw introduced two characters from the “Ramakien” (the Thai version of the Indian Epic “Ramayana”) and enacted a small scene from the story as well as having the puppets interact with the audience. The performance is suitable for children and adults of all ages and the narrator (speaking mainly in Thai) had the Thai children present literally squealing in delight with his humour.
The location of the house itself is very peaceful and you can wander along the waterfront along a covered wooden walkway (which seems to double as the veranda for all the houses on that side of the klong) and watch the boats go by, feed the fish, observe people going about their daily routines, enjoy a drink whilst sitting and doing nothing. This is really a little oasis amongst all the hustle and bustle of Bangkok. The Artists House also has a small café which serves small meals/snacks and tea/coffee. Can highly recommend the “Miang Khum” (a snack made up of dried shrimp, peanuts, lime, coconut chilies and sweet sauce wrapped in “cha phlu” leaves). We couldn’t help ourselves and ordered seconds.
Getting to the Artists House is not simple, but well worth the effort. Your best friend to achieve this will be Google Maps. Firstly we took the BTS Skytrain to “Bang Wa” Station then caught a taxi. It took three attempts to find a taxi driver who could read a map, but we eventually succeeded and got exactly where we wanted to go. The location is a bit remote so don’t expect any taxis hanging around when you leave. We walked the small lanes using Google maps until we reached a main road (about 15 mins) then caught a taxi without any problems. If we had of known this in advance we would have asked the staff at the Artist’s House to order a cab for us before we left. Having said that, at no time did we feel unsafe walking around these small lanes.
Written April 6, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lusy K
Penang, Malaysia42 contributions
Oct 2014 • Friends
Review
This was a wonderfully chilled place, with different art workshops appealing to different people.
We found it just in time before the rain hit and stayed there all afternoon.
There's a ruined temple in the middle and a free puppet show every day except Wednesdays.
Suitable for all ages.
I would have stayed there longer if they had sold food but they just sold coffee, art, and workshops.
Wonderful place to sit and watch the world go by and the area it's in is safe and beautiful and really lovely to wander around.
Please not: Asian style toilets.
Directions
Train to wongwian Yai station
Taxi to charan sanitwong 3 (70baht) (see photo of street sign)
Drive to the end and there is a 7/11 (the second one on the road)
Facing the 7/11 there is a couple of little alleys on the left
Go down the one with the bridge, and over the bridge.
The stretch of stilt houses immediately on your left is it!
It might not look like it but walk along the waters edge passed the first few houses... You'll see a a massage place, a hairdressers, etc. on the other side of the canal you'll see a building that says bang luang house on it... That's just the rooms they rent out.
Right at the end, you'll need to take your shoes off... That means you are there!
Make sure you buy something and support them... It's such a great place!
This was a wonderfully chilled place, with different art workshops appealing to different people.
We found it just in time before the rain hit and stayed there all afternoon.
There's a ruined temple in the middle and a free puppet show every day except Wednesdays.
Suitable for all ages.
I would have stayed there longer if they had sold food but they just sold coffee, art, and workshops.
Wonderful place to sit and watch the world go by and the area it's in is safe and beautiful and really lovely to wander around.
Please not: Asian style toilets.
Directions
Train to wongwian Yai station
Taxi to charan sanitwong 3 (70baht) (see photo of street sign)
Drive to the end and there is a 7/11 (the second one on the road)
Facing the 7/11 there is a couple of little alleys on the left
Go down the one with the bridge, and over the bridge.
The stretch of stilt houses immediately on your left is it!
It might not look like it but walk along the waters edge passed the first few houses... You'll see a a massage place, a hairdressers, etc. on the other side of the canal you'll see a building that says bang luang house on it... That's just the rooms they rent out.
Right at the end, you'll need to take your shoes off... That means you are there!
Make sure you buy something and support them... It's such a great place!
Written October 24, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Harry K
Dublin, Ireland109 contributions
Oct 2014 • Solo
I found this place when on a long tail boat touring the klongs to photograph monitor lizards. From the water this is a wonderful stretch of theatre, cafe, art gallery and artisan shops. I made my way back - it was hard to find - and spent a terrific late afternoon, admiring the art shop and puppet display, watching dancers practice, sitting on the wharf snacking and feeding the fish. The people there are easy to talk to, this is by far the best place to buy souvenirs - quality art pieces and quirky oddities made by local artists.
Written October 30, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
DavidWGrant
Dallas, TX134 contributions
Apr 2014 • Business
A review I did of the Artists' House long before it was a listed attraction on Trip Advisor seems to fit today as well as it did a few years back. A late-April show was a bit more formal, had a bit more audience interaction, and had more puppets on display, but easily preserved the original appeal of the place. The Artists' House is a must-see experience, and fun for all ages! Go!
One of Thailand's most significant cultural contributions is the art of traditional Thai Puppetry. This form uses fully-costumed one-half-scale wooden puppets, each controlled by three "invisible" handlers. Most often performed are scenes from the Ramakein, with its fantastic, other-worldly characters in gold and silk costumes.
There are four places in Thailand to see authentic pyuppetry. If you can't pay five hundred bucks for bad seats to go to the National Theatre for its once a year reproduction of the full Ramakein, and can't get into sold out monthly (maybe) shows at the Aksa Theatre, and you're still waiting for the new location of the Joe Louis Theatre to re-open (maybe someday!) in Aisiatique, you're in luck! In the canal section of Thon Buri, just across the Chao Praya from BKK on Khlong Bang Na is the lovely intimate setting of The Artist's House, a canal home/museum/training center/conservatory for Thai Puppetry. Four days a week, at 2:00pm (come early for a great lunch!), you can be one of the two dozen attendees at a ninety minute show featuring a scene or two from the Ramakein. Here, you can get a backstage perspective and watch the handlers meditate on the charaterrs they will depict before the show, and even see them rehearse the complicated "Katas" needed for eacxh scene. You can watch the handlers' black plaster masks being made, see puppet repair/maintenance/costuming, and even talk to performers, touch puppets (selectively and carefully) and have your picture taken after the show with handlers and their puppets.
The stage is rough wood, set directly in front of an overgrown abandoned Theravada Buddhist temple, just perfect for (non-flash) photography if you have a 3200 speed setting or better. Families love the show; bring the children if you like...they'll love it no matter their age. English translation depends on which announcer is working your day, but the story needs little verbal interpretation. The house itself is a magnificent specimen of canal homes, and you can arrive by water taxi if you like, to add to the experience of canal life. Several canal tour operators stop here, I'm told, but you can arrive by land easily if you can walk maybe 400 yards over little bridges and along wooden porches.
To understand Thai puppetry fully, you must go to the Artists' House! you will love it! Donations expected...500baht per person seems about right.
One of Thailand's most significant cultural contributions is the art of traditional Thai Puppetry. This form uses fully-costumed one-half-scale wooden puppets, each controlled by three "invisible" handlers. Most often performed are scenes from the Ramakein, with its fantastic, other-worldly characters in gold and silk costumes.
There are four places in Thailand to see authentic pyuppetry. If you can't pay five hundred bucks for bad seats to go to the National Theatre for its once a year reproduction of the full Ramakein, and can't get into sold out monthly (maybe) shows at the Aksa Theatre, and you're still waiting for the new location of the Joe Louis Theatre to re-open (maybe someday!) in Aisiatique, you're in luck! In the canal section of Thon Buri, just across the Chao Praya from BKK on Khlong Bang Na is the lovely intimate setting of The Artist's House, a canal home/museum/training center/conservatory for Thai Puppetry. Four days a week, at 2:00pm (come early for a great lunch!), you can be one of the two dozen attendees at a ninety minute show featuring a scene or two from the Ramakein. Here, you can get a backstage perspective and watch the handlers meditate on the charaterrs they will depict before the show, and even see them rehearse the complicated "Katas" needed for eacxh scene. You can watch the handlers' black plaster masks being made, see puppet repair/maintenance/costuming, and even talk to performers, touch puppets (selectively and carefully) and have your picture taken after the show with handlers and their puppets.
The stage is rough wood, set directly in front of an overgrown abandoned Theravada Buddhist temple, just perfect for (non-flash) photography if you have a 3200 speed setting or better. Families love the show; bring the children if you like...they'll love it no matter their age. English translation depends on which announcer is working your day, but the story needs little verbal interpretation. The house itself is a magnificent specimen of canal homes, and you can arrive by water taxi if you like, to add to the experience of canal life. Several canal tour operators stop here, I'm told, but you can arrive by land easily if you can walk maybe 400 yards over little bridges and along wooden porches.
To understand Thai puppetry fully, you must go to the Artists' House! you will love it! Donations expected...500baht per person seems about right.
Written August 31, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
pdrey
Dallas, TX307 contributions
Feb 2019 • Couples
This was one of our top items to see while in Bangkok, but we knew it would not be easy to locate or any guarantee that the puppet show would perform during our visit. It was our lucky day and it was so worth the effort.
It is located in a quiet and picturesque neighborhood. We had a local Thai guide who directed our taxi driver with many directions from staff at the Artist House to the spot where we had to continue with walking.
Even though our local guide had visited twice before, as we walked, we still needed directions from the locals which passage to take.
Once there, we greatly enjoyed this old home on the canal with many different photo opportunities. Nice coffee shop with snacks.
We were able to see the puppet show which was breathtaking. The mastery involved in operating the puppet was very impressive especially since it was done in sync by three people. We do not understand Thai, but the performance was still wonderful.
Afterwards, we hopped on a canal boat which dropped us off 10 minutes later at Bang Wa station.
Highly recommended.
It is located in a quiet and picturesque neighborhood. We had a local Thai guide who directed our taxi driver with many directions from staff at the Artist House to the spot where we had to continue with walking.
Even though our local guide had visited twice before, as we walked, we still needed directions from the locals which passage to take.
Once there, we greatly enjoyed this old home on the canal with many different photo opportunities. Nice coffee shop with snacks.
We were able to see the puppet show which was breathtaking. The mastery involved in operating the puppet was very impressive especially since it was done in sync by three people. We do not understand Thai, but the performance was still wonderful.
Afterwards, we hopped on a canal boat which dropped us off 10 minutes later at Bang Wa station.
Highly recommended.
Written February 17, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Can you get here from the water? Is there a water taxi? I've never been to Bangkok before; sorry if this is a stupid question.
Written November 22, 2022
Is it true that there's no performance in weekdays?
Written May 4, 2018
There is performance everyday.
But there will not be a full team as the children have to study and some members have to work. Please if there is any urgent matters, the show can be cancelled too. :)
Written January 15, 2019
I want to check in at 8:30 a.m. on April 18 and check out same day at 6:00 p.m. What is a low double room rate?
I will be arriving from Bangkok at 6:30 a.m. on April 18.
Written January 7, 2015
What's the best way to get there by public transport?
Written January 6, 2015
Narahda's answer is correct but the entire length of Charansanitwong is under construction with skytrain, subway and intersection under pass's..Best to take a taxi from Bangwa skytrain station
Written January 10, 2015
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