Walk through the temple and hop on the two-baht river ferry to Ko Kret.

BBC: Take the boat out of Bangkok

Ko Kret feels worlds away from Bangkok: it is almost entirely green, there are no cars and the vibe is more rural Cambodia than urban Thailand.

BBC: Take the boat out of Bangkok

While most motorcycle taxi drivers in Bangkok hail from rural northern Thailand, the ladies who drive the motorcycles on Ko Kret are almost all locals.

BBC: Take the boat out of Bangkok

However, the real fun of Ko Kret is cruising through the tiny hamlets, enjoying the soothing rural views and stopping for a cool drink as the mood strikes.

BBC: Take the boat out of Bangkok

While Pakret has little to detain the traveller, it is the jumping off point for Ko Kret, a sleepy island in the middle of the Chao Praya River.

BBC: Take the boat out of Bangkok

However, if you catch the first northbound ferry of the day (which leaves Saphan Taksin at about 4:05pm), you will have enough time to reach Pakret, hop on the ferry to Ko Kret, explore the island and make it back to Bangkok in time for dinner.

BBC: Take the boat out of Bangkok