The riverside location of Anantara Bangkok Sathorn, with its proximity to the Sathorn boat pier makes it one of perfect hotels Bangkok to experience the city via the Chao Phraya River. As a prominent luxury hotel in Bangkok Thailand, guests are offered an amazing selection of accommodation, facilities and amenities and the opportunity to join some of the most adventurous and captivating night cruises in the city.

One of the highlights of a visit to Bangkok is taking a boat on the Chao Phraya River or exploring the many big and small canals around Thonburi. Doing this in the evening has its own charm as many of Bangkok’s great temples and historic sites are located along the water and these beautifully illuminated buildings offer the perfect opportunity to experience the city’s history through its monuments. Among the many ways to cruise Bangkok’s water are dinner cruises that are probably the best known option to see the city by night and overnight cruises on converted rice barges. Piers along the river ensure visitors have easy access to night cruise boats and to many attractions.

Good food, traditional Thai dancing and music and even a disco on board in addition to fabulous views of Bangkok’s famous historic landmarks are a part of many cruises. Potential passengers can choose from several types of vessels to suit their mood; from large modern boats with hundreds of other guests that are literally moving restaurants to private boats with a luxurious ambience and candlelit dinner thrown in and cruises on converted old teak barges that serve a limited number of guests. The choice of the cruise would naturally depend on the passengers. Those in a hurry can opt for the fast modern boats while others with time to savour the beauty of a river trip in the evening can make their way leisurely along the river in a converted rice barge enjoying the passing scene silhouetted by the setting sun or illuminated and gleaming in the water. The play of light on polished teakwood, savouring beautifully presented Thai food while listening to traditional music in an elegant environment are some of the advantages of cruising on a luxuriously appointed rice barge. As the sides of the barge are open, every table is guaranteed unimpeded views and the feel of cool evening breezes. For those who wish to experience longer leisurely journeys, overnight private and shared cruises are also options on converted rice barges that take passengers past the Bangkok sites further along on the Chao Phraya River.

Thanuja Silva is a travel writer who writes under the pen name Auburn Silver. She has a passion for fashion and a deep interest in admiring new and exotic attractions around the world. Google+