Bangkok is well known for its seedy nightlife. You’ll find all kinds of degenerate activities over at Nana, Soi Cowboy, Khao San and many of the other spots that tourists frequent for nights out. But what if you’re an expat in Bangkok and you’re tired of all this stuff? Well, luckily for you, I’m going to share the best places for nights out in Bangkok, that aren’t at all seedy.
RCA
RCA is a fantastic place to go clubbing, without all of the sex tourism (of course some workers do go here, but it’s a lot less than other places). You’ll find a strip, and food market here, with a huge number of popular nightclubs. Route 66, and Onyx are some of the most popular clubs, and commonly they sell out tickets every weekend. So, if you want to go, you have to book online.
Entry to these clubs is usually around the 300-500 baht ($8-12) price mark, and you also get a free drink included.
You’ll find fewer tourists here than in other areas, and more local Thai. There are also a lot of Chinese, Korean and Japanese who frequent these clubs.
If you don’t like clubbing, the market is worth going to. The food here is fantastic, and there is always a lot going on. Sometimes there will be huge events, with lots of the markets offering drinks, and some even playing live music. This place ครัวก.ไก่ ณ RCA (find on Google maps) does incredible grilled pork neck, and Thai BBQ (หมูกระทะ, moo grata).
Phrom Phong
Phrom Phong is a large area, with a load of bars aimed at expats. There are tonnes of options for craft beer, restaurants, steak, wine and more. Some great spots I’ve personally been to on Phrom Phong are, Hair of Dog, Burbrit Craft Beer and O’Shea’s Irish bar. It’s a great place to find expat communities in Thailand, and quite a few expats frequent the Irish bar in particular.
The Irish bar also hosts a great Couchsurfing event every Friday at 7 pm.
You’re also pretty close to a great, rooftop craft beer spot, called Brewski. I’d highly recommend checking this rough area out for nightlife. It’s fairly close to Soi Cowboy, Nana etc. but it’s much less intense.
Thonglor
On Soi Thonglor, you can find some higher-class bars and clubs. Along this strip you’ll find many whiskey & cigar bars, restaurants and rooftop bars. There’s a more chilled-out, laid-back vibe, compared with some of the other clubbing areas. You will need to be dressed in trousers and decent shoes to visit the bars on Thonglor.
Some great places are:
- Cigar Emperor
- Alex Cigar & Whisky bar
Ekkamai
Ekkami is a great place if you want classy bar spots. Iron Balls distillery and bar is a fantastic starting point where you’ll also find a lot of expats starting the night before heading off to some more, dance-oriented cocktail bars. Loads of beer, cocktail, and rooftop bar spots around this area are perfect for a more laid-back, chill night with a generally older crowd.
Most of the bars down Ekkami road will not accept you if you are in shorts and a t-shirt/Hawaiian shirt, so dress accordingly.
Some great spots on Ekkami road are:
- Iron Balls & Distillery
- Octave Rooftop Lounge
- Modern-Day Culture Record Bar
- Ekkami Beer House
- Root Bar
Night Markets
There are many popular night markets in Bangkok that are great for socializing, and meeting other expats as well as local Thais. Some in particular that are great for this are the markets close to RCA, and Esplanade. Train market, and Bearing night market are also favourites among Thais and expats. Bearing has a bit more of a chill vibe, and you can watch football, live bands, and there are even bars on site.
Esplanade or “The One Ratchada” is also fantastic, because there is a market, and a huge strip of live band bars, karaoke places, and also a massive club around the side of the Esplanade mall.
Salsa & Bachata Classes
Now I know this post is aimed at avoiding Nana entirely, but there are some genuinely great events here that are not at all seedy. For instance, clubs like ABUNDance, and Havana Social, regularly hold Salsa and Bachata socials, which are great fun and fantastic ways to meet new people. There are also a lot more Salsa and Bachata events run on Soi 11. I’d recommend checking out such as BOM (Bachata on Mondays) and Te Amo Bangkok.
After meeting with some people, you can continue the night elsewhere, in some of the more classy spots that we listed above.
I’m Harry – and I was tired of the same old “10 best places I’ve never been but I’m writing about for some reason” blog posts. So… I’m a young traveller on a mission to travel the world and share my true, unfiltered experience, including all the gristly details. From packing my life into one bag for a year, to traveling Vietnam by motorbike, to sorting out Visas for specific countries – I’ve done it all, am doing it all and only give my advice on things I have done – not regurgitated cr*p from another source *cough* most publications *cough*. So bear with us! This project will take some time to grow, and will take a fair bit of money. But I’m determined to make it the single best source of information about traveling on the internet.
