Chao Phraya Cruise and Bangkok's largest aquarium

Siam Ocean World, the city's largest aquarium

Q: What can my six-year-old daughter get up to in central Bangkok while I do some serious shopping? - Susan

A: Siam Paragon, Bangkok's biggest shopping mall, should be your destination. It has Siam Ocean World, the largest aquarium in Southeast Asia, with 400 species including sea dragons, octopuses and sharks.

Three of the big malls have ice-skating rinks. Imperial World Samrong and Imperial Lad Phrao aren't exactly "central", but the Sub Zero Ice Skate Club at the Esplanade is right downtown - although it turns into a nightclub later in the day.

How about the video-game arcades and cinemas at the malls? And The Mall Bangkapi has one of the city's largest playgrounds for kids.

Otherwise, consider heading further afield to Dream World, a huge amusement park in Rangsit, to the Sampran Elephant Ground and Zoo in Nakhon Pathom, and to Ancient City, the history theme park in Samut Prakhan.

Q: We'll be in Bangkok for three days in September. Can you recommend a river cruise with good food and Thai entertainment? - Ross

A: There are many different dinner cruises on the Chao Phraya River that can be easily booked online or through a travel agency near your hotel. Many cruise operators will pick you up at the hotel.

Enjoying a lovely feast will puttering past the sights on the riverbanks is a unique and charming experience. The Chao Phraya cruises pass the Grand Palace, the Temple of Dawn, Wat Po, Sapan Phut and the Rama VII Bridge, all of which are illuminated at night.

There are hotel-operated and restaurant-operated cruises, with little difference between them.

If the meal is a la carte, you have to choose from the menu before leaving the pier, since usually there's no kitchen on the boat.

But most cruises involve buffet dinners, with a good selection of Thai and foreign dishes, as well as onboard entertainment.

Most cruises leave the pier at 7pm and last about three hours, with prices ranging from Bt1,200 to Bt2,500.

As soon as you leave the pier, the buffet is unveiled, and during dinner you'll see classical Thai dancing, a solo sax player or perhaps a singing group, with a guide occasionally interrupting the entertainment to point out places of interest.

The Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok Marriott Resort and Spa, Banyan Tree, ShangriLa and Montien Riverside, all five-star inns, run dinner cruises on converted barges.

The Ramada Plaza Menam Riverside offers a pre-dinner canape cruise. Then there are the independent boat companies like Loynava and Wan Fah, and the large, modern craft operated by Grand Pearl, Chaophraya Cruise and Chaophraya Princess.