Apsara; Bangkok River Cruise
Relish the romance of an evening cocktail or dinner cruise aboard the Apsara, a classic teak rice barge from a bygone era. There is something about the Chao Phraya River; it could be the refreshing breeze that puffs its way down the river corridor towards the coast, or the presence of some of Bangkok’s most historic landmarks on its banks, or is it the chaotic river traffic?
It is probably a combination of all of these but as the sun descends in the late afternoon, Bangkok is bathed in a veritable palette of warm and glowing colours before darkness falls and the subtly illuminated landmarks blend seamlessly with the now twinkling surface of the Chao Phraya River. It is, in short, the best place to be in the city at this time of day, the most romantic, the most evocative and the most conducive to entertaining.
An assortment of boats offer sundown and dinner cruises to an assortment of budgets but one of the Chao Phraya River’s true gems is the Apsara I, a traditional Thai teak rice barge commissioned and launched by the Banyan Tree in 2007, a hotel group no stranger to providing unique and innovative dining experiences in Bangkok, given their ever popular Vertigo Sky Bar; Bangkok’s first open-air sky bar.
Bedecked in teak wood with an aura of nostalgia, Apsara I provides the ultimate Chao Phraya sundown drinks and dinner cruise experience in sumptuous, vintage-styled elegance. It is more than just another Bangkok dinner cruise; the service is trademark Banyan Tree, the food is quintessentially Thai and so are the sights and scenes enjoyed whilst on the cruise.
The Sunset Cruise
Departing at 5.30pm, the Apsara I Sunset Cruise is a feast of the senses gliding through the magical twilight interlude; drinks and canapés refresh and satiate as your eyes are treated to an array of spectacular, colourful sights and Bangkok riverside scenes.
The Sunset Cruise docks at 7.00pm whereupon you have the rest of the evening ahead of you.
The Dinner Cruise
The Apsara Dinner Cruise is an immensely satisfying culinary, visual and cultural journey involving a feast for the appetite and soul with the theatre of the Chao Phraya River as the visual backdrop. Departing at 7.45pm, the Dinner Cruise caters to the senses, Dinners have ample time to soak-in cultural scenes as they glide past riverside communities and richly entwined traditional Thai lifestyles.
In the meantime, top chefs from the Banyan Tree’s Saffron Restaurant are preparing an indulgent gourmet Thai dinner of contemporary Thai cuisine to compliment the visually spectacular panoramic feast. Accompanying the scenes, the food and the refreshments, Thai musicians quietly play traditional Thai folk music which drifts delicately on the evening air enhancing the magic of the occasion.
A sundown and evening river cruise is just one of those things that you have to do in Bangkok. Its an experience that touches the soul, its romantic and it is the ideal stage for entertaining. The Apsara I is an experience guaranteed to please and for those who prefer a greatly level of discretion and privacy, she can be chartered exclusively as well with sufficient warning for customized trips, corporate entertainment and special occasions.
ZiZ Asia is based in Bangkok with access to local travel rates . . .
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