Travel Tip of the Day: My Favorite Thing to Do in Bangkok

I just returned from an incredible week in Bangkok. I was there for the first annual TBEX Asia conference (next year it will be in the Philippines). While we were there, the good folks from Anantara Hotels (I’ve stayed at their incredible properties many times including at Qasr Al Sarab, in Chiang Rai, and near Angkor Wat, just to name a few) invited me and a handful of travel bloggers to go on one of their incredible dinner cruises.

This was my third dinner cruise on the Chao Phraya River and I absolutely loved it. It’s so relaxing, the food is good and the sights are surreal. The Chao Phraya River is nothing special during the day but it’s magical at night when all of the temples and churches lining its banks are lit up.

A number of companies offer these cruises, but Anantara’s Manohra Cruises are top notch. Their boats are restored wooden rice barges, so the experience really channels feelings of old world splendor. Reservations are a must as each boat can only accommodate a couple dozen passengers. The boats depart at 7:30 pm sharp from Anantara Bangkok Riverside Resort and the cruise lasts for two hours.

They serve a multi-course meal of fine Thai cuisine, which consists mainly of seafood (if you don’t eat seafood, just let them know in advance). The Silver set menu features:

To begin

• Miang kam — Assortment of fresh herbs and spices wrapped in wild betel leaves and topped with sweet tamarind sauces

Starters

• Goong yang ta-krai — Grilled lemongrass marinated prawns skewer, served with chili sauce
• Yam som-o hoy shell — Pomelo salad with grilled US scallops
• Tom yum goong — Tiger prawn soup with Thai herbs and fresh lime juice

Main courses

• Massaman nong gai — Slowly cooked chicken drumsticks in Massaman curry with sweet potatoes and shallots
• Pla tord gra-tiam — Deep fried sea bass with garlic and pepper sauce
• Khao song see — Steamed Jasmine rice and organic brown rice

Dessert

• Khao niew mamuang — Mango and sticky rice with coconut sauce and sesame

The cost is $75 USD per person. There’s also a Gold set menu available, which can be found here. For more information, visit check out this page or call +66 2 476 0022.

FYI: If you’re staying in the middle of the city and there’s bad traffic as there usually is in Bangkok, then take the BTS/SkyTrain. Get off at Saphan Taksin station, stay to the left and then jump on the complimentary shuttle boat to the Anantara Bangkok Riverside Resort that leaves every 30 minutes on the hour. If you get there early, which you should, have drinks at the hotel’s outdoor bar before starting your cruise.

More photos:

Anantara Dinner Cruise Bangkok Thailand Oct. 2015. Credit: Johnny Jet

____________________________________________________________

Tried this tip? Let me know in the comments!
Have your own tip? Email it to whitney@johnnyjet.com!
Want to see more tips? Click here for all 535!

Want even more travel tips? Subscribe to the Daily Travel Tip newsletter! All you have to do is sign up for the weekly newsletter by filling in your email address and checking the Daily Travel Tip box in the top-right corner of the homepage.

If you already subscribe to the newsletter, fill in your email and check the Daily Travel Tip box in the same top-right corner of the homepage and you’ll receive an email with a link to update your JohnnyJet.com preferences. On that page, just click the Daily Travel Tip box and Update Profile and you’ll have Johnny’s best tips, straight to your inbox each day. And don’t worry—it’s easier than it sounds!