Wine bars, intimate music venues, cocktail lounges and trendy sky bars are all growing in popularity. Night owls will enjoy themselves until midnight or 1am, when the government curfew closes most establishments, except in Silom, Patpong and Ratchadapisek, where clubs stay open till 4am.
And for more Bangkok inspiration, turn to our guides on the city's best hotels , restaurants , attractions and shopping. During the week, things are more subdued and Pong gives space to emerging players. Contact: ; facebook. You can explore the cosy downstairs bar, with live music on Wednesdays and DJ sets at the weekend, the first floor balcony overlooking the road below, or the alfresco rooftop bar. The vibe is quietly trendy and occasionally raucous , and often packed with a youngish crowd of ex-pats and international visitors, even though it is a little out of the way.
Oh, and they sell absinthe. Contact: 00 66 89 ; facebook. The stupendous views from this very smart 64th-floor lounge bar were made world famous after serving as the location in a key scene in the American comedy Hangover II. It's also well stocked with wines, and helped along by live jazz, fresh oysters and simply stunning sunsets and night-time views.
Try the appropriately named Sky Devil — roasted red capsicum infused in tequila with lime juice, agave extract and black pepper. The dress code is smart casual. Contact: lebua. This ground floor bar brims with historic references to its golden past and offers comfortable indoor and outdoor seating, a riotous list of cocktails and a high society clientele intermingling with well-to-do hotel guests.
Contact: mandarinoriental. An arts space in a two story building opposite hosts larger events and exhibitions. Contact: wtfbangkok. The only way to get in is to find an apparently disused payphone booth and to key in a secret code. Contact: havanasocialbkk. Named after a Chet Baker song, Alone Together is a laid-back, candle-lit speak-easy that hosts live jazz and comes with its very own separate cigar lounge cum record store with plenty of rare vinyl gracing the walls.
