Joanna James
As an activity every visitors signs up for during a holiday in Bangkok, a river cruise is a once in a lifetime experience. Here are some elements to consider before heading out on the River of Kings.
Tourists searching for a river cruise in Bangkok will most likely get overwhelmed with the sheer number of options at their disposal. River cruises on Bangkok's principal river, the Chao Praya are as varied as they are engaging so visitors really must weed out the undesirables to find the perfect cruise for their holiday experience. Varying from budget cruises to those hosted on board luxury yachts, the choices are endless so some online research is required to find out just what's on offer. Nearly all river cruises set out from the Charoen Krung's River City Shopping Complex so travellers who are hopping on a cruise on a whim will need to travel to the venue to find a cruise.
Those who have not purchased tickets for the river cruise beforehand can buy tickets upon arrival at the River City Shopping Complex. The prices will vary greatly as one will notice that there's no such thing as a fixed price for a river cruise on the Chao Praya River. The cost usually ranges from a mere 800 Thai baht to nearly 2000 baht and the cost will also depend on the duration of the journey as well as the services available on board the vessel.
The first point to consider before purchasing a ticket is the time available for the excursion. Depending on one's itinerary and the period of time one has in the city, a tour can last a minimum of half an hour to several hours. Dinner cruises are a popular option for business travellers and short stay visitors based in Bangkok as it allows one to wine and dine while enjoying a river cruise at the same time. Visitors will also find that most accommodation providers also organize their own river cruise but regardless of whether one chooses the Manohara Cruise or any other cruise in Bangkok, reading the fine print is a must. This includes what's included for the package price and what's not.
Unless one is travelling in an open air upper deck and lower deck cruiser, the seat selection is really about one's own preferences and comfort level. Most passengers will prefer a lower deck seat as the area is air -conditioned although the upper deck seats afford better views of the river banks and the many landmarks occupying the riverside. Some cruisers will have floor to ceiling glass windows to provide excellent views regardless of where one is seated.
As a river cruise, don't expect the vessel or boat to travel too fast, as the point of the exercise is to catch a glimpse of all the cultural highlights occupying the banks of the Chao Praya River. Some cruises will offer on board entertainment and traditional dance items such as Apsara recitals and some passengers may find this enthralling while others may find it distracting.
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