Ayutthaya Thousand Golden Temples

Depart from the pier at Anantara Riverside Bangkok Resort. Once on board, we are pleased to welcome you with a glass of champagne. For your added pleasure, a complimentary bottle of Champagne will be arranged for your trip. After a brief introduction of the crew we set sail on a journey of fascinating discoveries.

Arrive at Wat Kanlayanamit, a relatively newer temple built in the reign of King Rama III (1824 – 1851). Kalayanamit means “good friend“ in Sanskrit.

Arrive at the magnificent Temple of Dawn, or Wat Arun, one of the best known temples in Bangkok which dates back to the ancient Ayutthaya period.

Arrive at the Royal Barges National Museum. This is a fascinating site, 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 here are unique examples of the Kingdom’s incredible craftsmanship.

1.00 pm

Lunch is served. Shortly after lunch, we will pass the manmade island of Koh Kret in Nonthaburi Province. Koh Kret is home to one of Thailand’s many ethnic minority groups, the Mon, who use the river’s fine clay to produce earthenware pots. Then we continue our journey, spending the afternoon relaxing on board, watching vibrant river life unfold.

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.

A quick stop at Wat Pathum Khong Ka to feed the fishes as a simple way of gaining merit and good luck. It is amazing to see that some of these carp are giants!

Arrive at Wat Samakkiyaram in time to watch the sunset and moor for the night. Relax and freshen up in your private en-suite stateroom, before returning to the deck for aperitifs and Thai canapés.

Participate in a simple Thai cooking class with the chef, where some authentic flavours and aromas are experienced.

With Wat Samakkiyaram as a dramatic backdrop, a traditional Thai dinner will be served, including what you cooked with the chef earlier, 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.

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.

We will stop briefly at Wat Bote for a wonderful chance to make merit with the monks, 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.

Lunch is served.

We arrive 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 built 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 a knowledgeable guide. Enjoy the chance to ride an elephant OR to visit Ayutthaya Floating Market.

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

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

A traditional Thai dinner will be served on deck.

Enjoy your freshly prepared breakfast.

Your personal guide will meet you at Anantara Dream and begin the tour of Wat Niwet Thammaprawat - one of the most intriguing Buddhist temples – 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.

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 later 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.

Travel to Bang Sai Royal Folk Arts and Crafts Centre, which is under royal patronage, with a limousine transfer and guide. 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.

Rejoin Anantara Dream at the Bang Sai Royal Folk Pier.

A light Thai set lunch will be served as we head back to Bangkok.

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

Arrive at the Anantara Riverside Bangkok Resort pier.