Best sky bars in Bangkok

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There’s more sky bars in Bangkok than you could possibly visit in one trip to Thailand. Fear not. It doesn’t matter if you’re after riverside views, inspired cocktails, family-friendly sky bars or weather-proof joints, we’ve got you covered with this list of the 25 best sky bars in Bangkok.

Before you nab that skyline view, hop on this Bangkok food tour to get to grips with one of the world's best culinary capitals.

Bangkok’s skyline evolves by the day with new glassy towers springing up seemingly from nowhere. The best sky bars in Bangkok have some of the most impressive and changeable urban views on the planet. Don't miss a visit to this sprawling metropolis without taking it all in from above. And if you can do this with a lemongrass-spiked mojito and some fine Thai or international fare, so be it.

ABar Rooftop

Best sky bar in Bangkok for gin.

For a touch of class, try the dark spirits lounge and sleek outdoor space on the 37th and 38th floor of the Bangkok Marriott Marquis Queen’s Park. This impressive sky bar in Bangkok stocks one of the city’s biggest gin collections with over 50 varieties along with a long list of sophisticated cocktails. A perfect sundowner while you watch the night set in. It’s not cheap, but this is easily one of the best sky bars in Bangkok. It’s worth the spend.

Aire Bar

Best sky bar in Bangkok for good value drinks.

There’s some superb views over Benjasiri Park and a backdrop of skyscrapers from Aire Bar at Hyatt Place. But although this classy little 28th-floor number looks the part, it’s surprisingly good value. Look out over the illuminated city with cocktails designed by celebrated mixologist Nick Braun for just 260 baht (around US $7.50) or a glass of premium sparkling wine for 199 baht (around US $6). There are good bar snacks too, and occasional live bands.

Astro9 Skybar

Best sky bar in Bangkok for a night time swim.

The Astro9 SkyBar sits above the four-star Amaranta Hotel in Huai Khwang. There’s a large rooftop pool lit up at night should you need to cool down on one of Bangkok's sultry evenings and a circular astrology-themed cocktail bar lined with high bar stools and surrounded by a collection of low tables, sofas and comfortable chairs. Take your pick from the well-stocked bar menu – over a dozen cocktails, several different mocktails, wines and spirits.

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CRU Champagne Bar

Best sky bar in Bangkok for absolute indulgence.

One of the newer editions to the sky bars in Bangkok is CRU Champagne, a circular bar with a 360-degree view from the 59th floor of the Centara Grand. A private lift brings guests directly to the intimate rooftop bar, a place flanked on one side by the building's colourful sweeping arch. There’s champagne. Lots of it. And the sort of food that pairs well with such a drink like oysters, beluga caviar and lobster. As you can imagine, it’s not cheap.

Distil Bar

Best sky bar in Bangkok for understated elegance.

Distil is a classic cocktail bar on the 64th floor of the Lebue State Tower, just a floor higher than the building’s two other sky bars. Most make a beeline for the slightly lower Sky Bar at Lebua, so the Distil Rooftop Bar is a little easier to nab a table and one of the sofas that line along the bar's edge. If the weather takes a turn for their worse, there’s a snazzy indoor area, particularly the high-stool seating around the oval shaped bar. Be warned, this may be one of the best sky bars in Bangkok, but it doesn’t come cheap.

Dumbo

Best sky bar in Bangkok for live jazz.

Dumbo may not be the highest sky bar in Bangkok, but the views are still spectacular from this rustic good-time joint. The mid-century New York-themed bar close to Saphan Khwai BTS Station is known for its nightly jazz bands, Americana inspired menu and prohibition style cocktails. A little more down to earth - both in style and price – without missing out on the killer views makes Dumbo one of our favourite sky bars in Bangkok.

HI-SO Rooftop Bar

Best sky bar in Bangkok for nightly DJs.

This sleek sky bar has a laid-back ambiance in the day, but comes alive at night with funky music from resident DJs and a friendly crowd of locals and expats. It’s a large space that occupies the 29th and 30th floors of the 5-star SO Sofitel Bangkok. As well as views of Bangkok’s dizzying skyline, it also looks over the large green expanse of Lumphini Park. Drinks are much more affordable when compared to most of the sky bars in Bangkok.

Legend Roof Bar

Best sky bar in Bangkok for a regular haunt.

While many of the sky bars in Bangkok still feel like they’re somehow built for tourists or a one-off experience, the more down-to-earth Legend Roof Bar in Lad Phrao feels much more like a regular hangout. It’s a little more rough around the edges, but the beers are still cold, the views still fabulous and there’s a very passable menu of Thai hits. It’s even got a rooftop pool and if you’re lucky a live band.

Mojjo Rooftop Lounge Bar

Best sky bar in Bangkok for Latin flavour.

This Latin-styled rooftop bar in Sukhumvit epitomises cool with its chequered flooring, colourful furnishings and long wooden table shelving that runs along the sky bar's edge. The benchmark for any bar is the mojito and Mojjo passes with Latin colours. There’s an indoor lounge and a cigar bar on the 32nd floor too if the weather takes a turn for the worse.

Octave Rooftop Lounge & Bar

Best sky bar in Bangkok for its proximity to Sukhumvit.

Octave Rooftop Lounge & Bar was one of the first sky bars in Bangkok and it’s still a classic today. It’s set over multiple floors, but its pinnacle is the understated top floor with 360-degree views uninterrupted by the glass surround, neon-lit circular bar and simple furnishings. Come at the right time and there’s often a DJ, not that you need anything more than the fabulous views from the 45th floor.

Penthouse Bar + Grill

Best sky bar in Bangkok for dining.

The Penthouse Bar + Grill above the Park Hyatt has quickly become one of the hottest sky bars in Bangkok. It’s a luxurious den of opulence set over three floors and featuring not just a rooftop terrace but an elegant restaurant, a cocktail bar, a whisky room and a chef’s table. Expect something more becoming of Las Vegas than Bangkok. A gorgeous over-the-top wonderland of fine art, quaffable cocktails and exquisite food. Oh, the views aren't bad either.

RedSquare Rooftop Bar

Best sky bar in Bangkok for vodka.

The RedSquare is Bangkok’s first dedicated vodka bar. That’s good news for fans of Russia’s favourite bottled water. Expect innovative cocktails, more firewater brands than you could possibly drink in one evening and experienced mixologists. The settings itself (much like the drink it advocates) is sleek and minimalist. A scattering of handsome square chairs and tables and an impressive red-lit square bar overlooking some fine fews of Bangkok from the top floor of the Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit.

The Roof @ 38th Bar

Best sky bar in Bangkok for international cuisine.

The ultra-modern Roof @ 38th Bar on top of the Mode Sathorn Hotel enjoys fantastic views down over Silom and the weaving Chao Phraya River. When you’re this high up the sounds and noise of the city fade away, replaced by the shaking of cocktails and the low, groovy sounds of resident DJs spinning vinyl. The eclectic menu picks up ideas from Mexico to Morocco, so don’t come expecting Thai classics.

SEEN Restaurant & Bar

Best sky bar in Bangkok for river views.

This on-trend sky bar in Bangkok occupies several storeys of the Avani Hotel. The food - an inspired Portuguese-Brazilian menu by Oliver da Costa and Alexandra Castaldi - is as good as it sounds, as are the cocktails cooked up by the bar and the décor that’s a little over-the-top in parts but just manages to miss gaudy. However, the real trump card at SEEN is the extraordinary views over the Chao Phraya river.

Sky Bar Bangkok

Best sky bar in Bangkok for film fans.

The Sky Bar Bangkok is one of the originals and still one of the best. This classic, for those who haven’t visited the Thai capital, is perhaps best known as one of the filming locations in The Hangover 2. It’s big, bold, expensive and enjoys some of the best views in the city from the 63rd floor it occupies. Get there early or book ahead if you want a seat around the iconic circular neon-lit bar. And dust off your credit card. You’ll need it.

Sky on 20

Best sky bars in Bangkok for poor weather.

This charming spot is one of the latest sky bars in Bangkok. It’s got a casual restaurant atmosphere that’s good for families looking for a bite to eat. Plus, their simple open roof structure has a retractable cover so you can still take in Bangkok’s flickering skyline at night even when the heaven’s open. The menu is good – expect Italian-inspired plates of pizzas and bruschetta - though it draws little from Thailand if that’s important. One of the most comfortable sky bars in Bangkok to while away an evening.

The Speakeasy Rooftop Bar

Best sky bar in Bangkok for speakeasy vibes.

Like the name suggests, the sky bar in Bangkok draws its inspiration from the 1920s American prohibition and while they’ve got the style down, it’s hardly a secret. There’s all the things you’d expect from a modern day ‘speakeasy’ though – jam-jarred cocktails, a little background jazz – and some things you wouldn’t expect like fine Asian-inspired food offerings and unspeakably good views over the twinkling lights of the city.

VELA

Best sky bar in Bangkok for live music.

Compared to most of the sky bars in Bangkok, VELA is charmingly scruffy - a raw industrial style paired with dark furnishings and the odd plant. And while some feel overly stuffy and formal, VELA feels laid back and down-to-earth. The views here are good, but not quite as impressive as most. The real winner is their live music with bands kicking out everything from funk to soul and jazz to R&B every evening. The food is good, as are the drinks. Well worth a shot.

View Rooftop Bar

Best sky bar in Bangkok for daytime lounging.

The View Rooftop Bar is one of the newer sky bars in Bangkok. It’s a playful space designed to feel like a chic beach club with pool access. Think stripped red seating, wooden boardwalk-esque decking and four-poster beach beds. The menu of mainly sharing plates draws influence from across Thailand. Admittedly, the views are not quite same at this 9th floor rooftop, but for daytime lounging and pool dipping relief from Bangkok’s oppressive heat, it’s a winner.

WALK Rooftop Bar

Best sky bar in Bangkok for Thai-inspired cocktails.

The open-air WALK Rooftop Bar sits on the 21st floor of the Centara Watergate Pavillion and is a worthy contender for one of the best sky bars in Bangkok. It’s a large space minimally furnished with white designer sofas which reflect the different neon lights of the square drinks tables. There are some fine views, particularly of the Chao Phraya River and the huge Baiyoke Tower. Classic cocktails are given a Thai twist with ingredients like chilli, galangal, lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves.

Wanderlust Rooftop Bar

Best sky bar in Bangkok for garden vibes.

It may not be the most impressive sky bar in Bangkok, nor the highest (it’s only on the 5th floor). Don’t let that put you off. This rough and ready joint has an easy going vibe, plenty of cold beer, live bands most evenings, a short menu of pub favourites (both Thai and Western) and a miss-matched garden vibe with fake grass and rattan furniture. The views might be more up than down, but this sky bar in Bangkok is a hit in our book. Always a good crowd of locals, ex pats and people passing through.

Vanilla Sky Rooftop

Best sky bar in Bangkok for NYE.

There’s a young hip crowd at the Vanilla Sky Rooftop on the 35th floor of the Compass Skyview Hotel in Sukhumvit. A simple glass barrier helps create uninterrupted views of Bangkok from almost every angle. A smart casual dress code is the name of the game here, so don’t tip up with shorts and flip flops. Nightly DJs spin vinyl into the evening and there’s a good drinks menu. A good sky bar in Bangkok for New Year’s Eve.

Yao Rooftop Bar

Best sky bar in Bangkok for Chinese cuisine.

Yao Rooftop Bar is a Chinese-inspired sky bar in Bangkok. The luxurious multi-level rooftop space has subtle hints of China everywhere from the carved wooden bar to the elegant lamps that throw soft light over the furnishings. The menu is not so subtly Chinese. It’s a full on assault of contemporary Cantonese and Shanghainese favourites with a particularly good list of dainty dim sum.

Zoom Sky Bar

Best sky bar in Bangkok for an all-rounder.

Zoom Sky Bar is the dark horse of the pack. The classy joint with dim lighting on the 40th floor of the Anantara Sathon Hotel is surprisingly big with covers for almost 200. Somehow it doesn’t feel overwhelming, perhaps down to the cleverly designed layout, dance floor and bar area. Every night a DJ starts spinning from 9pm and there’s a decent list of cocktails and premium drinks. Get there early for a quieter dinner. French and Asian recipes dominate the menu.

1826 Mixology & Rooftop Bar

Best sky bar in Bangkok for original cocktails.

Last but certainly not least on this list of the best sky bars in Bangkok is 1826 Mixology & Rooftop Bar that sits atop the 26th floor of the Rembrandt Hotel in Sukhumvit. It’s a swish space with an open-air deck pointing towards Benjasiri Park, an indoor lounge and a bar counter best used when the weather turns ugly. A lot of care is taken on creating original cocktails like “Once Upon A Time in Rembrandt” and “The Hanging Garden of Kurseong”. Expect a little background jazz, almost all the time.

If you tire of supping on house cocktails while taking in the city’s twinkling lights from some of the best sky bars in Bangkok (is that possible?), why not take a break and join our Bangkok food tour. It may be back on the ground, but we promise you’ll get a different view of the city.