Take Me To The River

Thanks to a visit from our good friend William, we've revisited some of our favourite Bangkok haunts in recent days - especially places near the Chao Phraya River.

If you have time, a Chao Phraya water taxi (early morning or late afternoon) ride is recommended. A river trip provides an unfiltered snapshot of the city passing glitzy 5-star hotels, neighbouring slums, historic temples, a cathedral, the Grand Palace, local markets, schools, multi-million dollar penthouses, unfinished apartments (leftovers from the Asian financial crisis) and more. At just 25 baht or less, a water taxi ride is a terrific cheap thrill attraction.

Our recent river trip during Makha Bucha day (a buddhist festival) began with a late afternoon drink at Amorosa bar - four floors up from the popular Deck restaurant and Arun Residence boutique hotel (about a 10-minute walk from Tha Tien pier).

Since our last visit to Amorosa in 2007, the owners have extended the back bar and built a new staircase. The old staircase - while rickety (treacherous actually) and steep - added to the charm and fun.

Wish you were here.. 

But the bar's absolute best attribute is its location and the stupendous view it offers of the Chao Phraya and the magnificent Wat Arun (the Temple of Dawn). It's hard to think of a better venue and setting in Bangkok, or the rest of Thailand, to to sip a cold drink at sunset.

After drinks and many, many photos we walked to Tha Tien pier to catch a ferry across the river to Wat  Arun. Being Makha Bucha day there were thousands of people and many monks paying respect and participating in prayers at the temple.

With a burning candle, incense and lotus flower in hand we joined the crowd, and as is the custom, walked around the temple three times. At night, the fully-lit Wat Arun looked sensational - the dark sky and bright back lights accentuated the height of the temple towers (prang) and the colours of the porcelain tiles.

We stood in awe and mentally applauded the smarts, effort, innovation, devotion and bravery of the architects, builders and workers who built the temple - it was a privilege to be there.

The walking exploration of Wat Arun made us hungry and thirsty and we crossed back to Phra Athit Road for dinner.

Sitting near the river, behind Khao San Road (backpacker capital of the world) and close to Thammasat University, Phra Athit is a little enclave of small bars, eateries, music venues popular with students, office workers and travellers alike. 

We settled into a window side table at Good Story, a Thai eatery designed (decor wise) like a cross between an Irish pub and Parisian cafe. It's a cosy, charming place and besides a menu of Thai dinner and snack staples the bar owners have assembled a superb range of Belgian and international beers at affordable prices (between 170-190 baht) - it may offer the best beer selection in town.

Spoilt for choice - Good Story's super selection of Belgian and international beers.

To walk off dinner we strolled through Soi Rambuttri and Khao San which I always enjoy. Whenever we visit we try to identify as many of the languages heard as we can - I think we listed 10 that night.

Backpackers get a hard time from many local expats and snooty travel writers - a little unfairly in my opinion. I was also a wide eyed know-it-all when I travelled in my early 20s. However, those adventures sparked a passion for travel that remains. The journeys also helped make me the still wide eyed, and slightly more informed know-it-all that I am today.