From Sukhumvit Soi to Silom Road

There is a diverse mixture of Bars in Bangkok to choose from. Not only does this convivial city provide you with as many fabulous bar settings but there are just as many rather bizarre and sordid bar spots too.

There are bars set in chic and trendy surroundings where you can enjoy exotic cocktails with your friends. There are rooftop bars where you can sip signature cocktails and gaze forever at the stars.

There are legendary bars where you can hang out with Bangkok’s rich and famous. There are minimalist lounge-style bars where you can chill out with a Johnny Walker whisky and a Cuban cigar. There are elegant bars where you can enjoy drinks with top models and the city’s elite. 

There are wonderful watering holes where you can buy cheap drinks and listen to the small talk. There are sports bars where you can pop in for a beer and watch your favorite team doing their thing. Come to think of it, there are enough bars here to keep you busy for your entire stay and then some.

The Sky Bar ~ 4.0 Stars

The Sky Bar ( map )perched on top of the 63rd floor of the State Tower on Silom Road in Bangkok is one awesome place to spend a balmy evening gazing forever at the fantastic view of the city below and the stars above while relaxing over a couple of signature cocktails.

The Sky Bar is open from 6:00 pm until 1:00 am. but the best time to go is just before the sunsets. Grab a taxi or take the (BTS) Sky Train to Saphan Taskin Station and then it’s only a short walk from there.

Diplomat Bar ~ 4.4 Stars

Diplomat Bar ( map )is located at the luxurious Conrad Hotel in the heart of Bangkok’s business district on Witthayu Road. It’s an elegant bar where tycoons, statesmen, and double agents secretly meet to connive, conspire and converse in a type of lingo few would know. I doubt whether James Bond would feel out of place at the Diplomat Bar especially when surrounded by many of Bangkok’s elite Thai ladies.

The bar is open daily for lunch and dinner from 10:00 pm until 1:00 am. except on Friday and Saturday when it is open from 10:00 pm until 2:00 am. You can listen to some live music every day from 9:00 pm until 1:00 am. If you are not staying at the Conrad hotel, take the (BTS) Sky Train to Ploenchit Station.

Diplomat Bar on Witthayu Road

Cheap Charlie ~ 4.7 Stars

Just as the very name suggests, Cheap Charlie ( map )is a watering hole where cheap prices for all drinks are the order of the day or night, notwithstanding how early you need to get that drink. Now it may or may not come as a bit of a surprise to know that in Thai terms, the real cost of drinks at Cheap Charlie are relatively cheap but from where I come, they are twice the price I pay for at my local bar.

60 Baht will get you a Chang beer and for 70 Baht you can get a Singha, Tiger or Heineken beer. For 60 Baht you can get a Thai whisky and for 70 Baht you can get either a Jameson or Jack Daniel whisky. Gin and tonic, Vodka and soda, and Bacardi Breezers are all 70 Baht while a glass of wine will set you back 100 Baht.

As much as the prices of drinks are much cheaper here than most other bars in Bangkok, Cheap Charlie is also a great place to just hang out before hitting the streets around this part of Sukhumvit. It’s a particular favorite spot for fellow ex-pats to meet up too. And it makes no difference whatsoever that Bangkok is already a complex and chaotic city, now Charlie has to add more chaos here.

Just look around you, the bar is so much more than just a bar. You may get the impression that you are at a junk shop or at the very least, a bizarre museum though you would have to admit some of the collectibles here are questionable.

Because the bar is set fairly close to the road, you’ll need to be extra careful not to get run over. Cheap Charlie is open daily from 11 in the morning until 2 the following morning. To get there, you need to take the (BTS) Sky Train to Nana Station. 

Cheap Charlie on Sukhumvit Soi 11