ANANTARA CRUISE   -   Code:

The Ayutthaya Cruise Tour begins on the west bank of the river in Thonburi, at one of Bangkok’s best known landmarks, the Temple of Dawn. Climb to the top of the uniquely decorated central pagoda for views of the city. Back on board, the vessel will chart a northward course, stopping at the Royal Barges Museum and then passing the island of Koh Kret in Nonthaburi Province.

Spend the afternoon of Day Two engaging in an enthralling tour of Ayutthaya in the company of an expert guide. See the inner ruins of this UNESCO World Heritage site from the back of an elephant and tour the outer areas of the ancient city in a private car. Enjoy fresh breakfasts, high tea, and sumptuous dinners on board as our Ayutthaya River Cruise takes you on a journey back in time.

Day 01

Bangkok - Nonthaburi. (L, D)

Pick up at the hotel and schedule as below:

10:00 am: Depart from the pier located in front of Anantara Bangkok Riverside Resort & Spa. Once on board, your experienced crew will serve a welcome chilled herbal drink.

10:50 am: Arrive at the Temple of Dawn, or Wat Arun. This is one of the best known temples in Bangkok and dates back to the ancient Ayutthaya period. We will stop here for a short guided tour and depart at 11:30am.

11:50 am: Arrive at the Royal Barges National Museum. This is one of Bangkok’s most fascinating sites, not seen anywhere else in the world. The museum is home to an incredible collection of gilded and ornately decorated boats with magnificently carved prows, including his Majesty the King’s personal barge, Suphannahongse. Built in 1911 to resemble a mythical swan, the boat is 46 metres long and was carved from a single tree. All the barges kept here are unique in their portrayal of incredible craftsmanship.

1:00 pm: Lunch is served. Shortly after your lunch, Anantara Song will pass the manmade island of Koh Kret in Nonthaburi Province which is populated by one of Thailand’s many ethnic minority groups, the Mon people, who use the river’s fine clay to produce earthenware pots.  Then as we continue our journey, spend the afternoon relaxing on board, watching vivid snapshots of river life unfold.

4:00 pm: Tea Time. A traditional English afternoon tea will be served.  Sip on a selection of teas, accompanied by tea sandwiches, fruit and chocolate cakes, scones with whipped cream and jam, as well as delicious cookies and pastries.

4:30 pm: A quick stop at Wat Pathum Khong Ka to feed the fish which offers a simple way of gaining merit and good luck. This promotes the Buddhist cycle of life by feeding the fish so they in turn can produce life. Some of these carp fish are giants!

5:00 pm: Arrive at Wat Samakkiyaram in time to watch sunset and moor for the night.

7:00 pm: Relax and freshen up in your private en-suite stateroom, before returning to the deck for aperitifs and Thai canapés.

7:30 pm: With Wat Samakkiyaram as a dramatic backdrop, a traditional Thai dinner will be served, after which you can relax on deck with a glass of wine or nightcap before retiring to your stateroom for your first night on the river.

Day 02

Nonthaburi - Ayutthaya. (B, L, D)

8:30 am: An early start and wonderful chance to make merit with the Monks of Wat Samakkiyaram, followed by a tour of the temple. Thai Buddhists believe that by making merit they earn happiness, peace and the chance to progress in their next life, while this sacred experience creates a harmonious way to start the day for all.

9:00 am: Enjoy your freshly prepared breakfast. Recline on a deck lounger and watch river life float past as you cruise up the Chao Phraya River through the Thai countryside.

1:00 pm: Mediterranean set lunch is served.

2:00 pm: Anantara Song arrives at Wat Panancherng for a tour of this old monastery which houses Thailand’s largest ancient Buddha image. This image, known as Luang Po To, was made in 1344 and is revered as the God Protector by the Chinese, who made up the majority of sailors at this time.

A limousine with guide will then transfer you to the UNESCO World Heritage site of Ayutthaya. This ancient capital was founded in 1350 by King U-Thong and it was from here that the Siamese ruled their Kingdom for 417 years.

Spend the afternoon exploring Ayutthaya in the company of an expert guide.  Enjoy the chance to ride an elephant, and as Ayutthaya is such a large area, your limousine driver will wait for you and provide a tour of the city’s outer areas.

5:30 pm: Take a limousine transfer to Bang Pa In, one of the 16 districts of Ayutthaya, where you will rejoin Anantara Song. Along the way you may wish to buy a bag of fish or a cage of small birds for you to release back to nature in a local gesture of making merit.

Across from Bang Pa In is Wat Niwet Thammaprawat - one of the most intriguing Buddhist temples – and this is where we will moor for the night. Wat Niwet Thammaprawat was constructed at the command of King Rama V in 1878 in the style of an English Gothic church. The temple’s stained glass windows and unusual architecture makes it one of the most distinctive Buddhist temples in Thailand.

7:00 pm: Relax and freshen up in your private ensuite stateroom and then return to the deck for aperitifs and Asian-inspired canapes.

8:00 pm: For your second night on the river, we'll serve an Ayutthaya-inspired Thai dinner.

Day 03

Ayutthaya - Bangkok. (B, L)

8:00 am: Enjoy your freshly prepared breakfast.

9:00 am: Your personal guide will meet you at Anantara Song and begin the tour of Wat Niwet Thammaprawat.

9:30 am: From Wat Niwet Thammaprawat we will take a short walk to the Bang Pa In Summer Palace.  The original palace was built by King Prasat Thong on the island and was used as a country residence for the later kings of the Ayutthaya period.  However, after the capital moved to Bangkok, Bang Pa In was abandoned for 80 years to be revived by King Rama V, who commanded the construction of additional theatres, temples and monuments in a mixture of European, Chinese and Thai styles.  We will explore the palace grounds by electric carts, although the site can also be easily walked.

10:30 am: Travel to Bang Sai Royal Folk Arts and Crafts Centre with a limousine transfer and guide to enjoy the patronage of Her Majesty the Queen. Here you can see a variety of Thai houses in regional styles and discover how Thailand’s rural people make handicrafts such as fern basketry, silk flowers, hand woven silk and cotton, silk dyeing, wood carving, miniature hand modeled dolls and traditional furniture, which make it a great place to shop. After a short guided tour, we will depart at around noon.

12:00 pm: Rejoin Anantara Song at the Bang Sai Royal Folk Pier.

1:30 pm: A light Thai set lunch will be served as we head back to Bangkok.

4:00 pm: Tea time. A traditional English afternoon tea is served. Sip on a selection of teas, accompanied by delicious cookies and pastries.

5:30 pm: Arrive at the Anantara Bangkok Riverside Resort & Spa Pier.