Right, bookworms, this is not a drill. That brilliant floating bookshop everyone's been banging on about, the Doulos Hope, is finally sailing back to Bangkok. From November 7-30, you'll find her moored at Khlong Toei Port, doors open from 1pm-8.30pm daily. She's just wrapped up a stint in Sattahip, and now it's our turn.
If you missed her last visit in 2023, here's the deal: this isn't your average bookshop. The ship belongs to GBA Ships, a German non-profit on a mission to deliver knowledge and hope to communities worldwide. But they've got the goods to back it up.
Once aboard, you'll find yourself wandering through more than 2,000 titles in English and various languages – science, art, cookery, sport, children's books, academic texts, dictionaries, maps, the lot. Everything's priced to actually buy, not just admire, which makes a refreshing change.
What makes the whole experience rather special, though, is the crew. These aren't your typical retail staff – they're volunteers from over 35 countries who actually live aboard. Chat them up about their travels, how they ended up here, what life's like at sea. It's the sort of cultural exchange you'd normally have to leave the country for.
Entry costs B20 (kids under 12 and seniors over 65 get in free). If you fancy discovering your next great read whilst standing on the deck of a genuine seafaring vessel, get yourself down to Khlong Toei Port before she sets sail again.