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 on the left 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, and it does. Its modern, well-equipped cruise ship, which leaves the popular five-star hotel at 7.30pm daily from Shangri-La’s own pier, travels north along Bangkok’s storied and majestic river at a leisurely pace with myriad historic landmarks sailing into view on both banks.
First, on the right-hand side, 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 (also known as King Rama I), it’s one of the city’s oldest churches and stands faintly lit against a pitch-dark background, like the setting of some Gothic mystery. On the opposite bank, in a pleasant architectural and cultural contrast, stands the Guan Yu Shrine, a pagoda built by early Chinese immigrants to Siam and dedicated to the ancient Chinese God of War.
Next up, in another left-right visual combo, are Wat Pho (The Temple of the Reclining Buddha) on one side and Wat Arun (The Temple of Dawn) on the other. They are simultaneously vying for your attention while you sip a Chao Phraya Breeze, a refreshing cocktail with lychee syrup, lime juice and mint and one that is perfectly named for the occasion. 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, inviting your gaze 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 also 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 offers a veritable feast. Aboard the ship is a spacious and 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 — the onboard restaurant 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.
And of course there are the desserts: blueberry tart, Thai tea panna cotta, baked orange yoghurt, almond raspberry slices. Several fine wines and cocktails are just the icing on the cake.
How often does it get better than this? Not very.
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 landlubbers having their evening meals back on shore. The dinner cruise is priced at Bt2,400 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.
A glance at the watch. It’s only 9.30pm. The night is still young, as they say.
Beckoning you as you step off the boat awaits NEXT2, a trendy alfresco cafe with a large selection of beverages and a choice of nine different interactive cooking stations in an exotically laidback setting. It is unlikely you will still be feeling peckish after that nautical feast aboard the cruise ship, but what better way to conclude a nice evening under the skies of Bangkok than sipping a glass of wine riverside while watching boats, large and small, ply the city’s undyingly picturesque waterway?
