Bangkok Nightlife

Bangkok's nightlife has a reputation for being wild and rowdy. But at the same time it's relaxed, safe, enjoyable and great fun! Rapidly establishing itself as Asia's capital of cool, Bangkok's diverse nightlife scene features everything from excellent live music and good jazz clubs to ultra cool bars, trendy clubs and great restaurants - and go far beyond its once-upon-a-time sleazy and naughty image. Also have a look at our What's On guide to get the lowdown on exciting events and happenings during your stay in Asia's coolest capital.

Bangkok Nightlife Areas
After the sun wanes, Bangkok gets its second breath. The heavy traffic subsides, the mad rush is over. The city bustles with things to, be it shopping, clubbing, bar flying, fine dining, a cinema, bowling or a cultural show. Tracking these venues down can be a daunting task for first-timers and, so, here we've compiled five nightlife prime areas and descriptions of all that's found within each one. All these areas can easily be reached by using either the BTS (Skytrain) or MRT (underground system). Planning that legendary night out doesn't get any easier than this!

Sukhumvit: Nightlife

Drinking

Along it, and its many adjoining sois, are countless pubs and bars, many of them very popular with expats and tourists. Most are either American-style bars or European watering holes, with the selection of draught beers and foods on sale usually reflecting the adopted theme (and more often than not the nationality of the owner).

They usually close between midnight and 01:00, and many have live music and pool tables. See our Bangkok Pubs and Bars section for details. The perfect prelude to a big night out, many hotels here have upscale bars perfect for warm-up cocktails. These include the Westin Grande, Dream and Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit.

Dancing

Clubbers flock to Sukhumvit's sois. Hip beats, architectural flair and good-looking international crowds converge at clubs like Bed Supperclub (Soi 11), Q Bar (Soi 11) and Glow among others. To match the world-class venue design they often fly in top DJ'ing talent.

Those eager to see how the fresh-faced Thai nouveau riche like to get down, should head a little further out to the voguish sois of Thonglor (Soi 55) and Ekkamai (Soi 63). These neighborhoods have seen a severe outbreak of hip in recent years, with clubs and bars like Santika, Escobar and Ice jumping every night to hip-hop and Thai hits.

Debauchery

Sukhumvit is also notorious for being home to more than its fair share of girls, but not the kind you'd rush home to meet mother (do we need to spell it out?). Nana Plaza (Soi 4) is a tatty three-floor sex-mall filled with go-go bars and girls, ladyboys and the odd midget. Neon-lit lane, Soi Cowboy (off Soi 21, BTS Asok), is similar but a little more laid-back.

On top of the pole-sliding antics of the go-go bars, Sukhumvit is also home to many beer-bars, like Soi 4's Big Dogs and Hilary Bar II. These rather rundown looking establishments, typically contain little more than a pool table, a gaggle of girls, and an arsenal of cheap alcohol. Like Soi 4, Soi 22 is home to a staggering amount of them, while Soi 33 has many upscale hostess lounges staffed by girls dressed in long flowing ballgowns. However, the end game is still the same. Massage parlours and the odd after-hours joint can also be found scattered around Sukhumvit.
Learn more about Sukhumvit: Where to Stay, List of Sukhumvit Hotels, What to See and Do, Shopping, Where to Eat, Getting Around

Sukhumvit Clubs

City sophisticates just can't get enough of Sukhumvit's clubs. Venues include Bed Supperclub, Twisted Republic, Q Bar, Glow, Santika, Narcissus, Booze and Escobar.

Sukhumvit Bars and Pubs
Authentic Brit pubs, hip haunts strictly for cool kids and upscale hotel bars. Sukhumvit truly has it all. Venues include Bully's Bar, Bus Stop, Cheap Charlie's, Flava Lounge, Song Saleung, The Bull's Head, The Dubliner and Witch's Tavern.

Nana Plaza
Located in Sukhumvit Soi 4, Nana Entertainment Plaza is Bangkok's sleaze central. Notorious for its racy themed go-go bars - from school-girl and leather dominatrix to ladyboy - it's literally a 'sex mall', with three storeys of eye-popping activity all focused around a square-shaped central atrium. Unlike at the better-known Patpong, Nana is a 'strictly adult' scene. That means no families, no markets and few curious tourists strolling in for a look. It also means a lot more men hell-bent on renting bodies.

Soi Cowboy in Bangkok

Named after the cowboy hat-wearing African American who opened the first bar here in the early 1970s, this red-light district has a more laid-back, convivial feel to it than Patpong or Nana Plaza. Come dusk, garish neon signs light up a seedy streetscape comprised mainly of middle-aged expats, tourists and gaudily dressed working girls. With cries of 'hello, welcome!' and mock brute-force - a playful arm tug - the latter try to lure you into one of the 40 or so go-go bars that line its sides.

Khao San Road: Nightlife

Khao San Road takes off at night: neon signs flicker into life, music begins blasting from streetside sound systems, while the masses begin mapping out the long, alcohol-soaked night in front of them.

And there's no shortage of choices. From the (relatively) upscale Silk Bar and Cinnamon, to the quiet tranquility of the back-alley Hippie de Bar, or the crude charms of a kerb-side cocktail shack complete with plastic stools and ghetto blaster, there's something to suit every mood, taste, budget and state of cleanliness. Some of the truly thrifty even opt to purchase beers from the local 7/11 and drink on the street, hobo style.

Khao San Clubbing

At around 23:00, Khao San Road's clubs kick into life. These play mostly hip-hip, house and pumping pop, alongside a dash of indie, rock and reggae. Some of the most popular venues for dance music lovers include Lava Bar, The Club and Immortal, with locals DJ's working up a storm that pulls in a crowd most nights.

For those not partial to being pummeled by electronic beats, there are several pubs and bars with live music. Brick Bar and Shamrock are especially noteworthy for their slick bands and popularity among both locals and visitors. And a Moroccan themed newcomer on Chakrapong Road, Gazebo, is well worth checking out. Head here for a smoky shisha session while you sway to the live reggae band, followed by a late night cocktail and dance in the DJ room next door. Very eclectic, very Khao San.

Silom: Nightlife

Thailand's 'Wall Street' is by day a place of financial institutions, law firms and multinational corporations. By night however, Silom slips out of its suit, transforming into a bustling shopping street and frenetically paced hedonist's playground. Alongside a cramped but creatively stocked night market (think bootleg DVDs, tourist trinkets, T-shirts, fake watches), sit some of the city's most renowned and raucous streets, namely red-light district Patpong, Soi 2 and Soi 4.

From Live Soccer to Live Sleaze

With its great selection of pubs, clubs and bars, Silom rarely disappoints the party crowd. Fancy sipping a Guinness while watching the latest football match beamed live from Europe? Make your way to Molly Malone's Irish Pub (formerly The Irish X Change) in Soi Convent, or O'Reillys right underneath the Sala Daeng BTS station. Want to experience Silom's sleazier side? Head to world-renowned sex-district (and home of genital gymnastics) Patpong, where you'll find a procession of tightly packed go-go bars, touts flashing explicit menus, and promises of racy memories if only you follow them upstairs (read our Patpong Revealed feature for more insight and ideas).

Or perhaps you fancy more trendy, more wholesome? Then seek out one of the clubs with live bands or beat-spinning DJs strung along Patpong Road. These get very busy around midnight, and include Radio City, Twilo, Funky Dojos and Lucifers. Nearby Silom Soi 4 - something of an age-old institution among long-time Bangkok revellers - is also home to a few clubs pushing pulsating beats, including the grotto-like house music club, Tapas, and hip-hop den Luminous (go to Silom clubs for a listing of all venues).

Gay Silom: Pink Appeal
The gay community and visitors also find their feet here. Silom - especially Soi 2, Soi 4 and nearby Suriwong Road - is considered one of Bangkok's most gay-friendly stomping grounds. Rainbow boys come to flirt (and, yes, occasionally pick-up) at legendary gay bars like Balcony Bar and Telephone Pub, ogle dream boys at the gay go-go bars off Suriwong, or dance into the small hours at full-on gay clubs like G.O.D. and DJ Station.
Silom is conveniently accessible with the BTS (Sala Daeng station) and MRT (Silom station).

Ratchadapisek: Nightlife (including RCA)

Young partygoers, or those looking to recapture their misspent youth, should head straight for Royal City Avenue. More commonly known as RCA, this long, rather soulless road is one of a few government-designated nightlife zones. This means that the clubs found along it have the modest honour of being allowed to stay open, legally, until 02:00.
Even midweek it gets busy. However on weekends it's overrun with impeccably dressed young things, most of them locals in their late teens, early 20s. The vibe is young, the mood carefree, but with all the security and crowd management it feels a tad sanitised. Broadening the mix is a smattering of backpackers tired with Khao San Road and expats bored with Sukhumvit Road. Prices for entry and drinks are typically very reasonable, much lower than at many of Sukhumvit's trendier offerings.

Most clubbers attend one of the myriad venues playing hip-hop, R'n'B, house or trance, like Slim/Flix and Route 66. These are super-clubs by any standard, all vast sleek interiors, booming sounds systems, funky furniture, soft mood lighting and dazzling lasers. Many get so packed that all you'll see from outside come midnight is bodies squeezed up against the windows. Fortunately most have an enclosed seating area outside where you can find a table. Others like JazzIt push more than just hip-hop, regularly playing host to live bands and electro nights. And there's also Zeta, a girls-only bar catering to the city's blossoming after-dark lesbian scene.
In the old days RCA was a notorious magnet for underage teens, so today bringing ID is a must. All of the clubs will ask you for it as a matter of course - whether you look 17 or 27. Also bear in mind that, with the music volumes set ear-splittingly high, RCA may not suit if you want to chat long into the night with friends. Not unless you're especially good at lip-reading that is.
RCA's House Cinema is a more culturally enriching option. Screening films from all the corners of the world this is the place to catch that Korean, Japanese or arthouse flick the bigger cinema complexes wouldn't touch.

Ratchadapisek

Massage parlours with names like Poseidon, Caesars Palace and Emmanuelle are found scattered all along Ratachadapisek and cater mostly to those locals partial to a soapy rubdown or 'full service'. The reliably gaudy and garish neon signs mean you can't miss them. Then there's Ratchada Cabaret (opposite Soi 6), which offers a popular ladyboy show less well known to holidaymakers.

While famous for both of the above, Ratchada is also one of Bangkok's best-kept after dark secrets - a place where loud neon-lit drinking holes meet hordes of whisky sipping locals set on having a mostly wholesome time with their friends. Much of the action takes place within a tightly packed cluster of music pubs, bars and clubs found in Ratchada Soi 4. Highlights here include Dance Fever, Zaleng, Rad, Hollywood, Baku, Kokok Pub, Pure Bar, Ivre, Gig Club and the very popular and well-executed Snop. With no entry fees it's a great spot for bar-hopping, although it can get frenetically busy, especially on weekends.
Prices for drinks are very affordable and some places close later then elsewhere in Bangkok (though you may need to buy a bottle of whisky to partake). Worth bearing in mind is that foreigners may feel something of an oddity here, although the locals knocking back watered down Scotch will make you feel nothing less than welcome.

Close by on Ratachadipsek Road (near Thailand Cultural Centre MRT) is a beast of a club called Inch. Here eclectic futuristic and retro design touches combine to create two zones - both featuring the usual diet of mainstream hip-hop and live Thai music. Close by is another popular venue, The Baryan Tree, and a music pub called Pump Up.

Close by on Ratachadipsek Road (near Thailand Cultural Centre MRT) is a beast of a club called Inch. Here eclectic futuristic and retro design touches combine to create two zones - both featuring the usual diet of mainstream hip-hop and live Thai music. Close by is another popular venue, The Baryan Tree, and a music pub called Pump Up.

Siam: Nightlife

Shopping, cinemas, bowling, karaoke, some live entertainment and that's about it. Siam doesn't offer much in the way of nightlife. However, there are a few pubs, clubs and bars scattered around, most catering to young locals.

Siam Square has a Hard Rock Cafe that comes recommended for live music. Busy every night, nightclub complex Concept CM2 beneath the Novotel Hotel on Siam Square is worth a visit if you're looking for a boogie. There's a great live band playing every night, International DJ's playing from time to time, and a popular hip-hop room .
If you're looking for more nightlife alternatives, a short Skytrain (BTS) ride is all it takes to get to nightlife hotspots Silom and Sukhumvit. Have a look at our Bangkok Nightlife Areas for more ideas.

Chidlom - Ploenchit: Nightlife

This area's well heeled mix of post-office suits, expat executives and hi-so Thais makes for a nightlife scene that falls firmly in the upmarket bracket. Think high-class restaurants and lavish wine bars, with an atmosphere to match (see Thailand Tatler Best Restaurant 2007 Reviews for ideas). Don't come here if you're after the sensory overload associated with life in the city's more frenetic areas. There is no night market, few street-cart vendors and certainly no dens of sin.

The lack of a buzzing scene is made up for by the odd, tucked-away nightlife nugget. Langsuan Road's folksy music tavern Ad Makers and after-hours club The Tunnel, on Soi 5, are both worth checking out, the latter often not closing till 05:00. Nearby Sarasin Road is popular with the gay community and has a handful of bars including 70's Bar and Brown Sugar, one of Bangkok's top live jazz venues. On Ploenchit Road, Fogo Vivo is a Brazillian Churrascaria and bar that at 22:00 comes alive with pulsating Latin grooves, and offers free salsa and samba classes throughout the week.

There are also some of the city's finest hotel bars and lounges. The Diplomat Bar at The Conrad Hotel features sublime jazz in elegant surroundings (dancing also at 87Plus!), Syn Bar at Swissotel Nai Lert Hotel offers retro-future stylings and creative cocktails and, at the northern end of Ratchadamri Road, the Grand Hyatt Erawan Hotel has both Bar 494 and the well-known Italian restaurant Spasso, which at night morphs into a lively live music venue popular with Bangkok's affluent post-work crowd.