Rooftop bars in Bangkok for drinking in the view

Bangkok can be hot and muggy on most days, so make like the locals and grab a cool breeze and an ice-cold drink at one of the city’s atmospheric rooftop bars.

Our guide cuts through the usual tourist circuit to bring you genuinely brilliant rooftop bars, whether you’re seeking smart cocktails and staggering views, intimate hideaways or energetic nightlife. Plenty of these can also be found atop Bangkok’s clutch of exceptional hotels. Unlike other cities where rooftop bars open seasonally, Bangkok’s rooftops welcome visitors all year round; even when it pours, retractable awnings ensure the drinks – and the views – remain uninterrupted.

Here is your itinerary of Bangkok’s elevated drinking spots.

Downtown / Central Bangkok

Sky Beach at The Standard Bangkok Mahanakhon

Best for: A visual design treat at dizzy heights
Address: 114 Naradhiwas Rajanagarindra Road, Bang Rak, Bangkok 10500, Thailand
Price: $$$

The Standard Bangkok Mahanakhon lays claim to the highest rooftop bar in the city (no small feat) and the third highest in the world, with panoramic views of the Thai capital. Set on the 78th floor of the hotel, a futuristic yellow bar serves vibrant cocktails, accompanied by casual, American-style bites and DJs spinning laidback electro. Rightfully listed as one of our best hotels in Bangkok, The Standard is a visual design feast from top-to-toe, with bold, immersive interiors created in collaboration with Spanish design maestro Jaime Hayon. The rooftop bar is open every day from 10am until midnight and entry is available on a first-come-first-served basis.

Penthouse Bar + Grill at Park Hyatt Bangkok

Best for: A romantic charmer
Address: 34th to 36th floors, Park Hyatt Bangkok, Wireless Road, Lumphini, Pathum Wan, Bangkok 10330
Price: $$$$

Perched atop Park Hyatt hotel, this multi-level venue offers views over the Ploen Chit, Lumphini, and Asok neighbourhoods. Steak and seafood fanatics are well looked after on the 34th floor, where The Grill’s open kitchen serves prime meat cuts, Hokkaido scallops and Canadian lobsters. For drinking, ascend to the 35th, where three unique venues await you: a cocktail lounge, a whisky speakeasy and a private room dubbed The Mezzanine. No trip is complete without a drink on the rooftop terrace, outfitted with an open bar and outdoor garden. Sip on decadent cocktails while gazing out at the Bangkok skyline.

Bar.Yard at Kimpton Maa-Lai Bangkok

Best for: Laidback drinks overlooking Lumphini Park
Address: 40th floor, Kimpton Maa-Lai Bangkok, Soi Ton Son, Pathum Wan, Bangkok 10330
Price: $$

Imagine a backyard gathering with friends but with sweeping views over Lumphini Park, and you’ve got Bar.Yard at Kimpton Maa-Lai Bangkok. Arrive early at this tropical-themed rooftop to grab a table on the terrace as the sun drops behind the city’s skyline. There’s barbecue and Tex-Mex favourites on the menu, alongside tiki cocktails. Navy Grog packs a punch, with its three different kinds of rum mixed in with honey. DJs spinning soul, funk, electronic and world music complete the fun, casual vibe.

Piscari at Andaz One Bangkok

Best for: A buzzy rooftop with Mediterranean flavour
Address: 201 Witthayu Road, Lumphini, Pathum Wan, Bangkok 10330
Price: $$$

At Piscari, it’s always aperitivo hour. This Mediterranean-inspired rooftop at the newly opened Andaz One Bangkok is designed to evoke a yacht floating above the city. High on the 23rd floor, panoramic views impress from every angle – whether perched at the circular marble bar or on the outdoor terrace. Waiters carry seafood platters, DJs spin house music and skyscrapers light up against a sunset backdrop. For something more intimate, slip into Piscari’s speakeasy-style bar, which sits just a handful of guests.

The Speakeasy at Hotel Muse

Best for: Live music and prohibition glamour
Address: 24th and 25th floors, Hotel Muse, Langsuan Road, Pathum Wan, Bangkok 10330
Price: $$$

The Speakeasy is a two-storey rooftop bar that lives up to its name, with an elusive location and live music from Thursday to Saturday. Ascend to the 24th floor, where the superb view of Langsuan Road and surrounding skyscrapers stretches before you – if you’re lucky enough to land a stool on the narrow balcony. Find the secret door to the upper floor, where an open-air lawn, elegant domed roofs, and panoramic downtown vistas await. Savour the Great Gatsby fun with the original classics like a manhattan or sazerac, or kick it up a notch with a signature Silky Tease, which stirs rose, raspberry, gin and egg white.

Iris & Wild Iris at SO/ Bangkok

Best for: Southern European flavour
Address: SO/ Bangkok, 2 North Sathorn Road, Bangrak, Bangkok 10500

For some of the best views of Lumphini Park, head to the newly opened rooftop bar and restaurant at SO/ Bangkok. Competing for attention is a soaring shimmering backdrop behind the bar, which hints at lively nights beneath city lights. Open from 5pm, pair drinks with oysters, arancini, and fluffy pizzas topped with mushroom and truffle, or shrimp, mussels, and calamari, while live DJs provide the soundtrack.

Yào at Marriott Hotel The Surawongse

Best for: Oriental-leaning drinks and dim sum
Location: 32nd and 33rd floors, Bangkok Marriott Hotel The Surawongse, Surawong Road, Bang Rak, Bangkok 10500
Price: $$

For dim sum and drinks, there’s no better spot than Yào. Chinese heritage enlivens this rooftop bar on Surawong Road, with a chic Shanghai feel and a remarkable 360-degree view from the King Power MahaNakhon and State Tower buildings to the Chao Phraya River. Classic and fusion dim sum arrives in bamboo steamers from the kitchen, alongside colourful Oriental-inspired tipples from the mixologists at the bar. Start with a Purple Breeze From The East (vodka, lychee liquor, butterfly pea juice, and egg white) or go straight to a Dynasty Negroni, which uses five spice-infused gin and is served in a porcelain Chinese teapot.

Chinatown

Wallflower Upstairs

Best for: Gazing over Chinatown from a shophouse garden rooftop
Address: 31-33 Soi Nana, Pom Prap, Pom Prap Sattru Phai, Bangkok 10100
Price: $$

Take in the charming facades, whizzing tuk tuks and bustling action of Chinatown’s hippest lane from atop an old shophouse and repurposed into a florist, cafe, restaurant and bar. A steep steel-framed staircase leads to a rustic vine-draped rooftop, brimming with wild greenery, while the floors below are decorated with vintage furnishings, garden tools and floral arrangements. Arrive upstairs by 6pm before prime street-facing tables and stools are nabbed by in-the-know locals and travellers. An extensive list of cocktails and mocktails feature craft ice blocks and pretty floral garnishes, while a range of Belgium beers will please those seeking an alternative to local lager. A Thai, Japanese and Western fusion menu (with novel touches) comprises salads, pasta, steak, cold cuts and cheese. Coffee and cakes topped with fruits and edible flowers are available all-day in the ground floor cafe.

Thonburi

SEEN Restaurant & Bar

Best for: Glitzy riverside entertainment
Address: 26th and 27th floors, Avani+ Riverside Bangkok Hotel, Charoen Nakhon Road, Thonburi, Bangkok 10600
Price: $$$

An expansive two-storey space at Avani+ Riverside Bangkok Hotel offers two sky-skimming options for drinking, dining and live entertainment. On the 26th floor is Seen, an indoor-outdoor concept with an alfresco terrace facing the Chao Phraya River. Portuguese celebrity chef Olivier da Costa is behind the menu, which includes octopus carpaccio drizzled with ginger vinaigrette, tacos plump with Alaskan crab meat and zesty truffled-topped ceviche. One floor up is Sin Rooftop Bar, where glammed-up guests gather around a striking circular bar and DJs play tracks from above.

Phra Nakhon

Sala Rattanakosin

Best for: Temple-studded views by the Chao Phraya River
Address: 9, Maha Rat Road, Phra Borom Maha Ratchawang, Phra Nakhon, Bangkok 10200
Price: $$

The Temple of Dawn may close to visitors at sundown, but you can still catch its gleaming facade from the terrace above riverside boutique hotel Sala Rattanakosin. It’s one of the best views of the temple, brightly illuminated across the Chao Phraya River. The atmosphere of the rooftop bar here is hip, relaxed, and casual – so feel free to arrive as you are (sweaty from Bangkok’s humidity is normal). If you like Thai spirits like mekhong or Phraya rum, try the signature cocktails Sala Sunset (mekhong, triple sec, and fresh mango) or Taiyou (Phraya rum, sake, and sweet basil). Local craft beers are also available at a decent price range, given the spectacular view on display. To help pace your drinking, order sharing plates like prawn spring rolls or spicy seafood salad. The bar packs out, so make sure you make a reservation. The place is conveniently situated near the Tha Tien pier and MRT Sanam Chai station, so arriving by public transport is easy.

Sukhumvit

ABar at Marriott Marquis Queen’s Park

Best for: One of the city’s largest gin selections
Address: 37th and 38th floors, Bangkok Marriott Marquis Queen’s Park, Soi Sukhumvit 22, Khlong Toei, Bangkok 10110
Price: Cocktails from 475 THB / 14 USD

ABar stands out for its impressive gin collection of around 50 varieties. Found at the top of the Marriott Marquis hotel in Queen’s Park, the venue spans two floors, each with its own distinct theme. The 37th level evokes Prohibition glamour, with low-lit, dark wooden decor. Continue to the rooftop space for a casual open-air setting, set against an unbeatable view of Benjasiri Park. You won’t go wrong with a signature Just Mine (jasmine-infused gin, melon syrup, and chardonnay) or Botanist Fashioned (oak barrel-aged gin, coffee vanilla syrup, and dehydrated orange).

Tichuca

Best for: Partying beneath a giant LED jellyfish
Location: 46th floor, T-One Building, Sukhumvit Road, Khlong Toei, Bangkok 10110
Price: Cocktails from 440 THB / 13 USD

With bamboo railings and vertical greenery, Tichuca is a slice of tropical jungle in the bustling area of Thonglor – one Bangkok’s most sociable enclaves. Revel in the panoramic view of the city with refreshing tiki drinks like Yuzu Colada or Coco Spritzer in your hand. A towering bamboo structure reaches over the bar, where illuminated pieces of bamboo hang down like the tentacles of a jellyfish. Later in the night, the structure shifts in colour in time with the DJ’s house tracks. No food is served here, so make sure your stomach is full before you arrive.

Brewski at Radisson Blu Plaza

Best for: Craft beers 
Address: 30th floor, Radisson Blu Plaza, Sukhumvit Road, Khlong Toei, Bangkok 10110
Price: Beers from 300 THB / 9 USD

If you appreciate a quality pint of craft beer, get a trip to Brewski on your immediate to do list. Located on the rooftop of the Radisson Blu Plaza near the Asoke intersection, Brewski keeps its 12 taps flowing with brews from across the world. Look at the chalkboard for the pint of the day specials or ask the bartender for deals and promotional offers. Also, keep an eye out on social media for free-flow events and tap takeovers. Brewski’s menus now extend beyond classic bar bites like burgers and hotdogs, with Asian flavors like curried tapenade, grilled tandoori chicken, and chicken wings soaked in Korean-style sweet & spicy sauce available to accompany your pint.