Nightlife · Bangkok · Thailand
Bangkok nightlife
Where the evenings happen in Bangkok, from early drinks to late nights.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: This Photo was taken by Supanut Arunoprayote . Feel free to use any of my images, but plea, CC BY 4.0
Quick answer
Bangkok has one of Asia's biggest nightlife scenes, from rooftop cocktail bars and speakeasies to backpacker bars, live-music venues and large clubs. Most venues close around 1–2am, with later hours in some designated entertainment areas. The main areas are Sukhumvit and Thong Lo, Khao San Road, Silom, Royal City Avenue (RCA) and Chinatown bars.
Key facts
- Nightlife areas
- 5
- Stay near the action
- Banglamphu and Khao San
- Local drink
- Thai iced tea
Where to go out
Sukhumvit and Thong Lo
Cocktail bars, craft-beer pubs, clubs and live music from Nana to Ekkamai, with a smarter crowd around Thong Lo.
Khao San Road
Inexpensive drinks, street bars and loud music with a young backpacker crowd until late.
Silom
Rooftop bars, the LGBTQ+ bars and clubs of Silom Soi 2 and Soi 4, and after-work drinks in the business district.
Royal City Avenue (RCA)
A strip of large clubs popular with young Thais, a short taxi ride from the centre.
Chinatown bars
Small speakeasy-style bars in old shophouses around Chinatown's Soi Nana, not to be confused with Sukhumvit's Nana.
Nightlife tips
- Carry ID; clubs check passports or photocopies at the door.
- Alcohol sales are restricted on major Buddhist holidays and election days, and some bars close.
- Use Grab, Bolt or metered taxis at night, and agree tuk-tuk fares before you ride.
Evening sights
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Neighbourhood · Chinatown
Chinatown and Yaowarat Road
Go after 6pm for the food, take the MRT to Wat Mangkon, and eat at stalls with queues of locals.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Food
- After dark
- Free
- Iconic
- Photo spot
Viewpoint · Silom
Mahanakhon SkyWalk
Book a slot shortly before sunset to see the city in daylight and after dark in one visit.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Views
- After dark
- Couples
- Kids
Experience · Riverside
Rooftop bars
Go just before sunset for both views, and expect cocktails to cost several times street prices.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Expensive
- After dark
- Views
- Couples
- Iconic
Religious site · Ratchaprasong
Erawan Shrine
Visit in the evening when it is busiest, and avoid standing directly in front of people praying.
- Time needed
- 20 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Iconic
- After dark
What to drink
- Thai iced tea — Strong black tea brewed with spices, sweetened with condensed milk and poured over crushed ice; bright orange and very sweet.
Evenings through the year
Sunset and the overnight low decide how long the outdoor part of a night lasts. April has the warmest evenings, with lows around 27°C (81°F).
| Month | Sunset (15th) | Overnight low | Rainy days |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | About 18:09 | 22°C (72°F) | 2 |
| April | About 18:31 | 27°C (81°F) | 5 |
| July | About 18:50 | 25°C (77°F) | 17 |
| October | About 17:58 | 25°C (77°F) | 17 |
Getting home late
- Metro — Buy single-journey tickets or cards from station machines; the BTS and MRT use separate ticketing.
- Taxi — Insist on the meter; if a driver quotes a fixed price, wave down the next taxi.
- Tuk-tuk — Refuse offers of very cheap sightseeing tours, which usually end at gem or tailor shops.
- Walking — Walking works within the old town and Chinatown, but pavements are uneven and crowded with stalls, and the heat makes long walks tiring.
Late-night bites
- Pad thai — Street carts and specialist shops across the city, especially in the old town around the Golden Mount.
- Boat noodles — Boat-noodle shops along the canal by Victory Monument.
Staying safe at night
Bangkok is generally safe for visitors, but well-known scams target tourists: the 'Grand Palace is closed' trick, cheap tuk-tuk tours to gem shops and unmetered taxis. Traffic is the bigger everyday risk — watch for motorbikes even on pavements — and the heat and humidity can cause exhaustion, so drink plenty of water.
- Emergency number
- 191 police; 1669 ambulance; 1155 Tourist Police
Where to stay for nightlife
$ · Best for budget, nightlife and solo travellers
Banglamphu and Khao San
Khao San Road is the city's famous backpacker strip of guesthouses, bars and street food, loud until late at night. The surrounding Banglamphu district is calmer, with Phra Sumen Fort and its riverside park, the lanes of Soi Rambuttri, old shophouses and river piers, all within walking distance of the Grand Palace.
- Good
- Inexpensive rooms and food; Easy to meet other travellers; Walkable to the old town
- Watch out
- Very noisy around Khao San; No skytrain or metro station
- Nearby
- Khao San Road, Phra Sumen Fort, Wat Saket, Democracy Monument
Questions travellers ask
+Where is the best nightlife in Bangkok?
Sukhumvit and Thong Lo, Khao San Road and Silom. Cocktail bars, craft-beer pubs, clubs and live music from Nana to Ekkamai, with a smarter crowd around Thong Lo.
+Which area of Bangkok is best for nightlife?
Banglamphu and Khao San: Backpacker street, guesthouses and old-Bangkok lanes near the river.