Bangkok has a pulsating night life which can be compared to Singapore, but the better thing is that alcohol in Thailand is much cheaper. So there is a good reason to celebrate every night.
The concept of sky bars has been quite popular because people like to enjoy the panoramic views of the city from the rooftop or a high vantage point. Away from the noise and traffic of the city down below, visitors to sky bars can enjoy some tranquility in the sky. They can dance the night away in an open-air environment, filled with fresh air, dim lights and a resident DJ spinning some house music.
In this post, I will review on Cielo and Octave sky bars.
Cielo Sky Bar
Address: 1595/ 500 ถนน สุขุมวิท พระโขนงเหนือ วัฒนา Bangkok 10110, Thailand
Nearest BTS: Phra Khanong
Perched atop the tallest high-rise building in the area, the laid-back Cielo Sky Bar & Restaurant offers spectacular, unrestricted views of Bangkok. However, when we were there, only half of the rooftop was open because the other portion was undergoing renovation. There was not much of a crowd, so it was quite chill. The view of the city from Cielo was not that great because it is situated in a residential area, quite far from the city centre. The drinks were normal, priced around 250-350B for a cocktail or glass of wine. The staff was friendly and they apologised to us that there was no wifi and that the other half of the rooftop was not accessible.
Next, we decided to bar hop over to Octave which is located in Marriot hotel.
Octave Rooftop Lounge and Bar
Address: 2 Sukhumvit Road Soi 57, Bangkok 10110, Thailand
Nearest BTS: Thong Lo
Octave Rooftop and Lounge is more than a place for watching the sunset or having a romantic meal. No rooftop bar in the city has a 360 degree view of Bangkok that matches this, and the top floor of this three level venue is the highest spot in the city for a party.
I was impressed with the views and the chill vibes of Octave bar. It was bathed in a warm, blue glow when we went to the highest floor, with the bar in the middle of all the seats. Prices here are slightly more expensive, starting from 270B-400B for a cocktail. There were significantly more tourists here, but not too crowded for our liking. There are plenty of seats, so you do not have to stand around. We also saw single white guys chatting up the waitress at the bar. Due to the nicer views of the city with its bright lines and the main avenue shining brightly like a star, we stayed here for more than an hour.
Bangkok is home to more than 20 sky bars due to a development boom in skyscrapers, so it is not difficult to find a sky bar that suits your tastes. Thanks to my local friend, he brought me to the less touristy ones as I did not want to jostle with other tourists to take photos and also I would like to enjoy my drink in peace. Of course, it is possible to go up to a sky bar to take photos and not order any drinks, just like some people that we saw. That is if you don’t mind appearing cheap.
Moving on, I would like to introduce two other areas which are also popular for the nightlife. They might not be situated on a high elevation, but these two places have a distinct atmosphere. I am sure most of you have heard of Khao San Road or even stayed here as a backpacker. The street is filled with nondescript bars and cafes, which come alive at night. There is no dress code, you can go to the club in your backpacker wear (slippers, shorts) to party the night away. The music that they play is jarring and the party even spills onto the street, but it is the beauty of this chaos that made me like the Khao San area too. With its carefree, anything-goes vibe, you are unlikely to find this kind of place anywhere else in Bangkok. It is also popular with locals, especially young hipsters and art students.
Lastly, along the Chao Phraya lies Asiatique, an expansive open-air mall with river views and a cutting-edge ‘festival market and living museum’ concept. At night, you can take a ferry shuttle from Saphan Taksin BTS station to Asiatique. It reminds me of Clarke Quay due to its waterfront location and bright neon lights. This entertainment complex is quite new, having opened about 3 years ago. Several bars were offering happy hour promotions (4-7pm) or after that they would have other offers, such as the buy-one-get-one-free-drink at Brew Beer & Cider. Apparently, Thais do not like to drink dark ale, so they had this promotion only for the dark ales. We had a pint of Leffe dark and Kilkenny.
In all, Bangkok is the city that never sleeps. With so many options to choose at night, there is no one night that will pass without a drink in hand and new friends to be made. I can’t wait to go back to Bangkok again!
