Many people who visit Bangkok choose to stay in the main touristy areas of Sukhumvit and Silom, while folks on business find the Sathorn area convenient.
While the Sukhumvit and Silom areas are very close to many of Bangkok's prime shopping areas, and Sathorn is near many foreign embassies in Bangkok, if you confine yourself to these areas you are missing out on one the the most culturally relevant areas of Bangkok.
This "River of Kings" was the lifeblood of the Thai capital for generations, and carried people and goods and vendors on ferries, barges and boats along it's banks as well as the myriad of "khlongs", canals that used to criss cross Bangkok, giving it the title of the "Venice of Asia".
Barges and water taxis still ply the river, along with dinner and show boats, tour boats and commuter boats. You can take one of the many tours on offer and even take an overnight voyage up the river to historical Ayuthaya, which is certainly a classy way to go.
For people with a little less time, a dinner on one of the beautifully restored teak boats is a very pleasant way to spend the evening. While if you are looking for a little bit of adventure, try mixing it up with the locals and hopping on and off one of the very cheap river ferry boats. The boats hardly stop at each pier and the dexterity with which even elderly Thai people jump on and off the boats is nothing short of amazing.
There are also a number of Bangkok riverside hotels that offer fantastic views of the river and the city, including The Peninsula, The Shangri-La, The Mandarin Oriental and the Royal Orchid Sheraton, as well as the newest star on the riverfront, the Millennium Hilton, which soars into the sky.
The Hilton has spectacular views of not just the river but also the city, and not just from the rooms, but also from the rooftop infinity pool.
The Pen and the Sheraton were built in a way as to afford views of the river from every room.
While all of the hotels are accessible by car, they all have their own private pier with free shuttle services to Saphan Taksin pier, which connects to the BTS Skytrain.
