I have been dreaming about doing a dinner cruise along the Chao Phraya in Bangkok ever since I visited the city a few years ago and heard that no visit to Thailand is complete without sampling its distinctive traditional cuisine, and no visit to Bangkok offers quite the same cultural tranquility as a journey along the historic “River of Kings”.
I decided to start my 2017 journey off on a great note by booking dinner on the Anantara Cruise line that takes off and sails north from the bougainvillea-festooned pier of the Anantara Riverside Resort.
The popular Thai luxury hotel chain recently took over the Manohra river-cruise brand, which once referred to itself as “the Orient Express of the River.”
In keeping with her traditional exterior, Anantara Dream’s mahogany interiors are complemented by solid teak furniture, Siamese antiques and spun silk.
During the cruise, the boat passes several interesting buildings including, Wat Arun, the Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaeo, the Royal Barges, Wat Pho and Santa Cruz Church. Many of these sights are beautifully illuminated at night and provide a lovely backdrop to the dining experience.
I spent two unforgettable hours sampling a culinary treasure trove of the best Thai delicacies I have ever tasted. The menu included sumptuous salads, seafood and meats rich in the freshest local flavours and delicious regional curries. I ended the evening off by having the ever so famous mango and sticky rice dessert, one of Thailand’s most renowned dessert choices.
