Best dinner cruises in Bangkok

One of the most memorable dining experiences in Bangkok involves cruising down the Chao Phraya while enjoying delicious Thai food. December is a good time to take in this experience—you don’t risk your booking getting canceled because of a downpour and the cool breeze makes dinner more enjoyable. There are tourist-targeted river cruises that take hordes of tour groups onto a massive vessel. Ignore those if you don’t approve of prosaic buffets and cheesy party anthems blasting into your ear, and instead opt for one of the more refined cruises offered by a few five-star hotels.

The Banyan Tree Bangkok operates Apsara, a floating restaurant that serves flavorful Thai fare from four regions in a fine-dining setting. The hotel also has Saffron, which offers a sunset cocktail cruise at its Moon Deck or a dining cruise serving an elegant five-course Thai meal.

If you want something more intimate, try the Supanniga Cruise, which offers a cocktail cruise or a dinner of the beloved restaurant’s classic dishes. In case you want to take your river appreciation to another level, Preuk Cruise (available every Saturday throughout December) offers a swanky 2.5-hour ride that starts off with welcome canapés and Champagne before moving on to a four-course Thai meal with free-flow cocktails and wine.

If you’d rather stay on dry land, there’s always the option to dine at a number of riverside restaurants such as Supanniga Eating Room Tha Tien, Rongros or Chakrabongse Villa (reservation required).