Cruising down to Old Siam

Cruising down to Old Siam

Shangri-La Hotel's nightly boat trip on the Chao Phraya River lets you rediscover a different side of Bangkok

SOCIAL & LIFESTYLE
Cruising down to Old Siam

The day-long din of a thriving modern metropolis has died down, and the Chao Phraya River, now shrouded in relative darkness, has taken on an almost timeless quality. An ancient rice barge that passes down river only adds to that ambience. So does an old tugboat chugging its way in the opposite direction. The quaint rust-bucket emerges from under Phra Buddha Yodfa, which is appropriately known in English as Memorial Bridge and was inaugurated in 1932 to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the reigning Chakri Dynasty.

The Shangri-La Hotel's nightly Horizon Cruise seeks to take you back in time, if only for a couple of hours, to Old Siam fast-forward to IconSiam! Its modern, well-equipped cruise ship, which leaves at 7.30pm daily from Shangri-La's own pier, travels north along Bangkok's storied and majestic river at a leisurely pace with multiple historic landmarks sailing into view on both banks.

First, on the right, comes the Catholic Holy Rosary church with its distinctive arched doors and pointed spire topped by a crucifix. Built by Portuguese traders in 1786, a mere four years after the establishment of Bangkok by Phra Phutthayotfa Chulalok (King Rama I), it's one of the city's oldest churches and stands faintly lit against a pitch-dark background. On the opposite bank, stands the Guan Yu Shrine, a pagoda built by early Chinese immigrants to Siam and dedicated to the ancient Chinese God of War.

Which brings us to the much ballyhooed IconSiam mega multi-facet complex illuminated with the wattage of several soccer stadiums, a worthy new addition to the pageant of riverside landmarks.

Next up, winding back the clock again, are Wat Pho (The Temple of the Reclining Buddha) on one side and Wat Arun (The Temple of Dawn) on the other. They vie for your attention while you sip a refreshing Chao Phraya Breeze cocktail with lychee syrup, lime juice and mint, perfectly attuned to the ambience. Then, you cruise past the city's world-renowned Grand Palace, a visual symphony of tiered spires and pitched roofs lit artfully with an almost holographic intensity.

Presently, on the opposite bank is Wat Rakhang Kositaram (The Temple of the Bell), so named for a melodious bell reportedly found on the premises in times past. En route you pass the 18th century Santa Cruz Church, the Wichai Prasit Fort, Wat Kalayanamitr, and myriad other pleasingly lit riverfront sights.

Then again, the Horizon Cruise offers more than mere sightseeing. It also presents a veritable feast. Aboard the ship is a spacious air-conditioned dining cabin, tempting guests with an international buffet that features a daily rotating selection of fine dishes straight from Shangri-La's high-end restaurants.

Seafood on ice, international cuisine, Japanese, Thai. Indeed, the onboard spread has it all.

International: spinach ricotta ravioli, grilled salmon with cherry tomatoes and lemon cream sauce, beef stroganoff with dill gherkins. Japanese: deep-fried sea bass, sushi, sashimi. Thai: yam pla (spicy fish salad), somtam with river prawn, poa pia sod (fresh spring rolls). There's also a well-stocked salad bar, a smoked station, and a selection of cold cuts and cheeses.

The desserts are equally delicious such as: blueberry tart, Thai tea panna cotta, baked orange yoghurt, almond raspberry slices. Several fine wines and cocktails are just the icing on the cake.

On both the fore and aft decks are open-air tables so you can partake of your dinner in style while admiring the scenery and feeling a bit sorry for all those having their evening meals back on shore.

The dinner cruise is priced at Bt2,500 net per person from 7.30pm-9.30pm, and the hotel also offers private cruising and special VIP parties aboard its Horizon Cruise for groups of up to 150 people. A la carte selections of dining and cocktail menus are available for all types of private charter events.

There are few better ways to spend a fine evening in Bangkok than cruising down the Chao Phraya, but time flies. You might find yourself still admiring the view with a glass of wine in hand and a calming breeze in your hair on the fore deck when the boat begins to get ready for docking at Shangri-La's private pier.

Guests can enjoy and share the gastronomic journey along the Chao Phraya River with their loved ones on board the Horizon Cruise. While passing some of Bangkok's most renowned landmarks along the River of Kings, indulge in a savoury international buffet on a dazzling night.

All this will step up a gear for New Year's, naturally. We're promised 1.4 kilometres of fireworks lasting at least 20 minutes and a special Horizon Dinner Cruise will set sail to give its voyagers front-row seats. An extravagant gastronomic buffet is being laid out aboard, on this occasion priced 4,400 baht net for adults and 2,200 baht net for children.

SHANGRI-LA HOTEL BANGKOK 89 Soi Wat Suan Plu. Tel. 02 236 9952 or 02 236 7777 or email restaurants.slbk@shangri-la.com or book directly via http://www.shangri-la.com/bangkok/shangrila/dining/.

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