Bangkok's vibrant nightlife scene offers and infinite
number of bars to choose from-far too many to list here. To help you sample
the city's finest nightlife establishments, I 've selected those that stand
out from the crowd.
For a quiet pint of ale and pot
of beef stew, there's a reasonable selection of Irish and English-themed
pubs, popular amongst homesick expatriates and satellite junkies. Live music
fans are also well catered for at a number of jazz, blues and rock venues.
Alternatively, trendy bars and cocktail lounges attract the well-heeled and
beautiful, drawn by international guest Djs, slick drinks and cutting-edge
design. Nightclub require photo ID and typically charge THB200-600 for entry
(which covers the first two drinks). Bangkok's legendary club scene,
although suffering lately due to the early closing law, still offers
excellent opportunities to party, whatever your persuasion.
The lively Silom / Sathorn commercial district is a throbbing nightlife
centre. From sophisticated cocktail lounges to the glaring go-go bars in
Patpong, it has something for everyone. The city's gay scene is also busiest
here, with the highest concentration of options centred around Silom Soi 2
and 4, and the sleazier Surawong Road. Thailand, consequently, is one of the
world's gay-friendliest countries, and the capital has a wide choice of bars
and clubs catering to both foreigners and the local community.
Sukhumvit, Bangkok's major and often choked thoroughfare, is home not only
to excellent dining choices but also some of the city's best nightspots. If
you want to bar-hop, you 'll have to take either a taxi or tuk-tuk, as
Sukhumvit Road and its myriad adjoining sois are spread over a sizeable
area. Soi 11 is the best choice, with Q Bar and Bed Supperclub leading the
way in international style nightlife, plus great dining. For those drawn to
the more colourful side of nightlife there are two adult entertainment
zones-Nana Plaza (off Soi 4) and Soi Cowboy (off Asoke/Soi 2) - both
offering an array of pubs and go-bars.
Other busy
nightlife areas include Banglamphu, the backpacker enclave around Khao San
Road and Royal City Avenue (RCA) a lively strip of bars and clubs where
hordes of young Thais congregate on the weekend.
Here list
the top of the crop to help you achieve that perfect night out.
Q Bar
34, Sukhumvit Soi 11 / BTS Nana Tel 02 2523274 /
www.qbarbangkok.com Long-standing, New York-style night spot Q Bar is well-known for pouring
stiff drinks (there are over 70 varieties of top shelf vodka on offer) and a
strong music policy, with international DJs leading the way. Q Bar raised
the bar for Bangkok nightlife five years ago and is still going strong, with
a crowd every night and many big name guest DJs. Best nights; Sunday's hip
hop party, Wednesday's Ghetto Fabulous Old School Hip Hop and Funk, and
Liquid Thursday's Funky House. The weekends are always packed. Q Bar also
serves up some tasty pub grub on its out door terrace.
Bed Supperclub
26, Sukhumvit Soi 11 / BTS Nana Tel 02 651 3537 /
www.bedsupperclub.com "Bed" with its uber-modern space ship design, is a successful hybrid: fine
dining on what may be the world's largest sofas on one side, and an
adjoining bar on the other. Bed attracts a fashionable crowd, and with its
all-white interior, is definitely a place to see and be seen. The food is
world-class on the restaurant side, and the sleek design makes up for the
awkwardness of an all-white bar on the club side. Bed has talented resident
DJs and brings over top-class world talent for special events. Best nights :
Tuesday's Hip Hop party is packing 'em in with a mixed, but mainly Thai
crowd. Beware, the music is commercial Wednesday's Model Night throbs with
fab girls and boys and excellent tribal house music. Sunday's night is Think
Pink , it is night for people like us with special show.
Tapas
114/7-18, Silom Soi 4 / BTS Saladaeng MRT Silom / Tel 02 6327982 Located on the groovy little enclave of Silom Soi 4, Tapas is going on 3
years ! It still provides excellent house music and often live percussion
sets as well Tapas is multi-leveled, but intimate and relaxed at the same
time. With a dark, Moroccan feel, it is easy to feel at home here, whether
lounging or dancing your tail off ! Weeknights can be hit-or-miss, but
weekends are always hopping.
87+
Conrad Hotel, All Season Place BTS Ploen Chit / Tel 02 6909999 www.87bangkok.com Recently renovated 87+ in the Conrad Hotel draws a strong local crowd
and caters to its upscale hotel guests. It features a band doing the latest
covers, and DJs playing a mixture of quality house music and commercial hip
hop and R&B. Being in a hotel, 87+ is licensed to stay open till 2 am, but
don't anticipate lines at the club's entrance, except for the irregularly
run Bhangra Nights with steamy Indian beats. Attached to 87+ is Italianate,
a very good Italian restaurant with interesting decor. Happy Hour 8pm-10pm
Astra
Block C Royal City Avenue
www.club-astra.com The place is big, Astra packs up to 1,5000 people getting high on big, loud beats,
the music is great and the Men in Brown seem to mostly keep away- a
surefire formula for a raging night out. This recent mega-club is a
welcome addition to the rowing choices of quality music venues. Located
at the "late-night", 2 am, and that's if you are lucky, RCA, the club's
parties run the gamut of genres. From house and hip-hop to grunge
and rock. Astra nights are more event-based than regular outings.
Inch Club
35/49 Ratchadaphisek Rd. MRT Huai Khwang
Tel 026412963 www.inchclub.com Smack on Bangkok's main entertainment strip for local locals sits this
slick new thug of a mega club. Inch is the brainchild of a Hong Kong
capitalist who pumped 100million Baht (US$2.5 million) into decking it out
to house a staggering 2500 revellers at a time. The two part club, injected
with some supersized disco balls and cool leather cube seating, is filling
up with young Thai posses hanging out to heady house and throbbing hip hop.
Mind you, it's way out there in a tourist's eye so is it worth going out
there ? A stopover can introduce you to the tender mating behaviour of young,
affluent Thais and a trio of modish Swedish bartenders who are all about
designer cocktails and the art of mixology. Try what must be Bangkok's best
cocktail, the "Thailander": vodka infused with chilies, lemongrass and other
spices, topped up with coconut, lime and sprite. The result: a speicy,
luscious Tom Yum tipple that you ' ll never forget.
