Chances are, if you ask where to take a river cruise up and down Chao Phraya river, people will point you towards River City. Increasingly becoming known as the hop on and off point of dinner, sunset, day excursion cruises (and also bike tours), River City actually has an important cultural past that most seem to have forgotten. And the clue to that is in its antique shops.
In 1984, with Baby Boomers coming of age with their taste for collectibles, River City opened its doors as the go-to antique market and auction house. Many antique shop owners were pioneers of antique trade and those remaining today can still tell you what is genuine and what is a reproduction. The monthly auctions still go on with die-hard collectors and traders still vying for pieces up until today. Over recent years though, River City has begun to draw in contemporary art shops to cater to the tastes of newer generations and continues to evolve and reinvent itself with the times.
River City, being on a prime riverside location, is not only a niche market but also a fantastic location for dining. The cluster of eateries on the side facing the river all offer terrace seatings, offering one of the city’s best views of sunsets. Definitely head there for a sundowner if you have the time. River City provides free boat shuttles that always make for pleasant journeys to Sathorn pier where you can easily connect to the skytrain.
