Word: phraya
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...King? Well, for a prince certainly. Built in Bangkok in 1908 by Prince Chakrabongse Bhuvanath and converted into a boutique hotel in 2003 by his granddaughter, Narisa, the Chakrabongse Villas may well be one of the Thai capital's best-kept secrets. Located on the banks of the Chao Phraya river, smack in the heart of old Bangkok, the complex consists of three villas - the Riverside Villa, the Thai House and the Garden Suite - constructed in an architecturally sympathetic style around the original residence. The villas offer exquisite views of the Temple of Dawn and are serviced by 12 staff...
...Bangkok stuck in crosstown traffic. With precious vacation time ticking away, I swore off wheeled transport and decided to take boats from then on. For most of Bangkok's 220-year history, boats were the only way to get around the Thai capital, which straddles both the Chao Phraya River and a tangled network of klongs, or canals. Even though many of the old waterways have been paved over, most of the city's major attractions can be reached by boat. The Chao Phraya Express serves the river like a public bus, stopping at selected piers, like Tha Tien...
...couldn't get a water taxi to take me out of town, however. That required a bit more planning. Once again I used history as my guide. For hundreds of years the Chao Phraya served as the main entrance to central Thailand. Immense wooden barges patrolled its banks, exchanging cargos of teak and rice for gold, precious stones and imported goods from abroad. The ancient Thai capital of Ayuthaya was considered to be the entryway to Asia and ambassadors from as far away as France, Portugal and Japan camped at its doorstep seeking concessions and passage from the Thai Kings...
...shoes back on and leave the Mekhala for a tour of the royal family's summer palace. Taken in hand by a quick-talking guide who hustled us through the rococo and Victorian follies of the Disney-esque architectural park, I longed for the tranquil pace of the Chao Phraya. We eventually returned to the river, but the Mekhala II was already on her way back down to Bangkok. Instead we boarded gaily colored longtails and were whisked off to Ayuthaya in a roar of engines...
...BARGE Not enough time for an overnight jaunt? For a predinner cocktail with panache take a leisurely sunset cruise down the Chao Phraya in the Marriott's Manohra Moon. Nursing a cool drink in the comfortable embrace of rattan chairs, you can enjoy the City of Angels tinted pink by the setting sun. The daily cruise lasts about an hour and floats by some of the river's loveliest sights, from the serpent-shaped finials of the Grand Palace to the phallic silhouette of Wat Arun. At $8 for a glass of wine and another $11 for the cruise...