Getting drunk – Why not do it with some style?
Well, well, well, my dearest ladies and gentlemen. There is a time for wearing sweaty, beer-stained Chang tank tops and a time for being classy. Today it’s all about being high and I’m not talking about the stuff you would do on Tonsai Beach. No, today we visit the most popular and swankiest rooftop bars in Bangkok. But don’t worry, we won’t merely mention the kinds of bars that will seriously break your bank (and heart), but also the more affordable and backpacker-friendly ones. Bangkok nightlife’s reputation for having some of the world’s best rooftop bars is well earned. It’s a true feast for all your senses – the vistas for your eyes; the cocktails and cuisine for your nostrils and taste buds; and the suitable music for your ears.
Some say that you haven’t truly been to Bangkok if you haven’t visited at least one of the many diverse rooftop bars and we have to agree. We will try to highlight this diversity to the best of our capabilities, so you can choose the bar that tickles your fancy the most.
Word of Advice: The sun usually sets at around 6:30 pm, depending on the season, in case you want to take breathtaking pictures of the capital’s skyline. Make sure to come a little earlier, so no one can steal your best spot. Your Instagram followers will thank you. And you can thank us. The best rooftop bars lead to the best sunset photos after all.
Now, are you ready to wear your favorite shirt or dress and have a swell time “up so high, close to the sky”?
High-Class Bars (or just ridiculously expensive)
Sky Bar (Lebua Tower)
When I added the words “ridiculously expensive” in parentheses, I was thinking of this well-known rooftop bar. Yes, the riverside view is stunning and yes, Sky Bar was featured in The Hangover 2. It even created a signature cocktail (the Hangovertini made with green tea liquor, apple juice, Martini Rosso and rosemary honey) while the cast and crew were shooting in Bangkok. Without a doubt, Sky Bar on top of the Lebua Tower is the most famous of all the rooftop bars, but goodness gracious – the prices are as high as the bar itself.
The professional mixologists serve cocktails that cost around 800 Baht. That’s like, ten Pad Thais! Of course, they taste fantastic (they better…), but we will mention other bars, which in terms of quality are in no way inferior. If this is the end of your trip and you really want to see Bangkok from 820 feet in the air, then go for it. It gets pretty crowded though, so taking a proper selfie won’t be that easy.
- Opening hours: 6 pm – 1 am (Daily)
- Address: The Dome at lebua, 1055, Silom Road; 63rd floor Floor
- How to get there: Take the Skytrain (BTS Silom) to either Saphan Taksin or Surasak station. From there, it is only a five-minute walk.
Red Sky (Centara Grand in CentralWorld)
The Centara Grand Hotel, which is part of the enormous CentralWorld shopping mall, hosts two of the best upper-class rooftop bars in Bangkok. One of them is the Red Sky bar on the 56th floor with a phenomenal restaurant of the same name just below it. The biggest standout besides the self-evident 360° view is the huge arch glowing in vivid colors. It is an exceptional sight to look at and best appreciated from the comfortable space of the many sofas and beds. We haven’t even mentioned the Jazz band yet, that complements the relaxed atmosphere perfectly.
“Sipping a delicious cocktail in a bed situated on the rooftop of a 5* Hotel overlooking the skyline of Bangkok at sunset” should be on everyone’s bucket list. You might be delighted to hear that the cocktails at Red Sky are more affordable than the ones at the Sky Bar. They have a daily 2-for-1 Happy Hour from 4 pm – 6 pm for drinks and snacks. It even gets better with their latest promotion (as of February 2018), where you can buy one giant cocktail and get another one for free. And when they say giant, they mean giant.
These are incredible offers and the price of ~430 Baht per cocktail doesn’t sound too bad at all. But if you consider yourself more of a wine connoisseur and sommelier in the making, then you will be glad to see their extensive wine menu as well.
- Opening times: 4pm – 1am (Monday to Saturday); 4 pm – 12 am (Sunday)
- Address: 999/99 Rama 1 Road, Pathumwan, Centara Grand at Central World Mall; 56th Floor
- How to get there: Take the Skytrain (BTS Sukhumvit) to either Siam or Chit Lom.
Cru Champagne Bar (Centara Grand in CentralWorld)
Mademoiselles, this one’s for you. Only three floors above the Red Sky rooftop is where you find Bangkok’s highest bar – Cru Champagne Bar. It is in a partnership with G. H. Mumm Champagne and there are bottles such as the G.H. Mumm No.1 Pink Champagne you can only get here. A glass of sparkly bubbles costs around 800 Baht, but it can get a lot pricier than that. Just imagine all the Pad Thais you could buy… Although, it goes without saying that this classic Thai dish won’t be on the menu. Instead, caviar, lobster and foie gras top off the expensive tasting experience.
Not only is it the highest rooftop bar, but it also won’t get any more luxurious than this. The whole design and décor is held in warm white, red and pink tones, and everything simply radiates an upper-class aura. Combine this with the stellar view during a sunset and we will promise you a few hours you will cherish for a long time.
Gentlemen, this is the kind of place you take your lady to if you want to make her feel special. Or to make up for your drunken escapades the nights before.
- Opening times: 5 pm – 1 am (Daily)
- Address: 999/99 Rama 1 Road, Pathumwan, Centara Grand at Central World Mall; 59th Floor
- How to get there: Take the Skytrain (BTS Sukhumvit) to either Siam or Chit Lom.
Other High-Class Bars Worth Visiting
- Octave Rooftop Lounge & Bar (Marriott Hotel Sukhumvit): A great rooftop bar distributed over three floors. The lower floor is for the lounge and upper floor for the circular bar. Prices are definitely affordable for backpacker.
- ThreeSixty Jazz Lounge & Bar (Millennium Hilton Hotel): As the name suggests, it has a beautiful 360° view over the Chao Phraya river. They have a 2-for-1 special from 5 pm – 7 pm including pink champagne and selected cocktails. And of course, the Jazz music is amazing.
- Vertigo & Moon Bar (Banyan Tree Hotel): Both establishments can be found on the same rooftop connected by an open-air bridge. Vertigo is more of a restaurant, but you can enjoy the same vista with a cocktail here as well. Moon Bar, on the other hand, has the broader selection of drinks of course. Prices are pretty darn high.
Backpacker-friendly Rooftop Bars
Brewski (Radisson Blu in Sukhumvit)
What the Champagne bar is the for the ladies, that is Brewski for the boys.
Bangkok’s only rooftop craft beer bar may be “just” on the 30th floor, but… pfff, it has beer, so f*ck the view, am I right? Jokes aside, the view over Sukhumvit is surprisingly spectacular, but the interior design is not too shabby either. The furniture is mostly made out of wood, which gives the whole place a more comfortable and laid-back feeling. It definitely is the perfect design choice for a beer bar.
But let’s talk beer! 12 international draught beers and a hundred different bottled beers and ciders. With such a wide selection, it is good that they offer smaller sizes of 100 ml, so you can drink your way through a couple of different brews. Other than that, they come in half pints and full pints. The prices are around 300 Baht for a full pint.
If you crave some food with your hoppy beverage, then we recommend some of their western food. They do have some Thai dishes as well, but you can’t beat a good barbeque burger or some chicken wings. For a boys night out, Brewski is THE place to go and the best thing is, that it’s only 10 minutes away from Slumber Party on foot! It really can’t get any better than that.
- Opening times: 5 pm – 1 am (Daily)
- Address: Brewski, Radisson Blu Plaza, 486 Sukhumvit Soi 27; 30th Floor
- How to get there: Take the Skytrain (BTS Sukhumvit) to Asok station, unless of course, you are staying at Slumber Party.
Wanderlust (Thonglor)
This bar might only be on the 5th floor, but you can still witness a nice sunset here. What Wanderlust lacks in height, it makes up with reasonable prices and a great backpacker atmosphere. The owners describe the bar as a “home’s backyard”. With the artificial turf, street art on the wall and a simple wooden interior design, we think they managed to achieve that.
Just like Brewski, Wanderlust is the kind of place where you go with your friends and/or meet other like-minded travelers. They have various brands of beer like Beerlao, Chang, and Heineken on tap, but their selection is obviously nowhere near the assortment of Brewski. You can get different cocktails here, although we would honestly recommend going to one of the pricier bars mentioned above for a properly mixed drink.
Wanderlust also offers a decent mix of western and Thai food to satisfy your appetite. Do you prefer a Yum pork salad or a Caesar salad? Grilled beef with Nam-Jim-Jaew or BBQ pork ribs with fries? Kai-Jang or buffalo wings? We promise you won’t have to starve.
- Opening times: 6 pm – 2 am (Tuesday – Sunday)
- Address: Wanderlust, Nakiya Japanese Restaurant Building, Thonglor Soi 13; 5th Floor
- How to get there: Take the Skytrain (BTS Sukhumvit) to Thong Lo station. From there, it’s a 15-minute walk.
Wrap-Up
Those are some of our favorite rooftop bars to get some tasty, overpriced cocktails and good ol’ pints of beer. But there are many more in Bangkok, so chances are we missed a lot of other great ones. Which rooftop bars are your favorites? Do you prefer the fancier bars or more the ones with a casual backpacker vibe?
Let us know in the comments below and as always – you stay classy, Slumber Party.
