13 Best Nightlife in Silom and Bang Rak, Bangkok

The views are staggering at the Banyan Tree Bangkok's 61st-floor alfresco bar, and the cost of cocktails is up there, too, but for the vistas alone it's worth the splurge. Come a bit before sunset—the bar opens at 5—to get the best view from the low-slung seating. If the weather is clear, you can stargaze using the bar's telescope. If the weather's bad at all, Moon Bar will be closed.

There's nothing else quite like this bar on the 63rd floor of one of Bangkok's tallest buildings. Head toward the pyramidlike structure emitting eerie blue light at the far end of the restaurant and check out the head-spinning views. The place's most famous concoction, the Hangovertini, was made famous by the Hollywood film (The Hangover II) shot here.

The New York--born impresario behind the late Q Bar opened this unique establishment in a funky three-story corner building with spiral staircases that feels more Berlin or Paris than Bangkok. There's an open-air rooftop hangout and the second floor is sceney, but downstairs is the place to be to appreciate the French and Vietnamese antiques, the owner's impressive contemporary art collection, and the traditional absinthe spigots. Bartender Danny Yeung knows the classics but can improvise to taste. Jazz performances take place on the ground floor on Wednesdays and eclectic DJs spin on weekends. 

Hidden behind an old-fashioned Indian-style door in Chinatown, the gin bar Teens of Thailand has helped kick off a renaissance of trendy cocktail bars and art galleries in the area. Choose from a list of different gins and tonics for your perfect libation; otherwise the chalkboard cocktail specials change daily.

Sometimes the party spills out onto the street at this bar that overlooks the crowds along Soi 4. Balcony has a friendly staff and one of the best happy hours on the soi.

This legendary watering hole hosts international musicians playing easy-on-the-ears jazz. Expensive-looking animal print–upholstered furniture and dark wood create an upscale yet cozy space for listening to music and enjoying Thai-inspired cocktails.

Thai A-listers have made Distil, on the 64th floor of one of Bangkok's tallest buildings, their stomping ground. A full-time sommelier is on hand to take care of your wine desires, and you can order a Hangovertini, created one floor down at the Sky Bar for the Hollywood film Hangover II.

A young crowd packs this snappy-looking bar to bask in the "fun, lust, and joy" (or so the website says). The B300 cover charge on weekends includes two drinks, while B150 on weekdays includes one.

Hidden below street level next to the Novotel Bangkok Silom, Maggie Choo's is a Bangkok institution with nightly live performances of jazz and other smooth tunes. The surreal feeling of being transported back to 1930s Shanghai, with heavy vault doors and ladies in embroidered cheongsams dangling on swings, is only amplified by the stiff cocktails.

Perched on the 76th floor, this is the highest rooftop bar in the city, and with its gorgeous French-designer interiors, it never fails to impress. It's the perfect setting for a sophisticated cocktail with unparalleled views, and there's a cosmopolitan food menu ranging from Middle Eastern to Thai to French.  

Decked out in red and black, this place is filled with people chilling out on comfortable couches. It used to be the place to go out in Bangkok, but those glory days seem to be over. Still, the decor is fun.

The sophisticated rooftop bar adjoining the restaurant of the same name has marvelous skyline views and the finest perspective on vast Lumpini Park. It's the perfect spot to catch the sunset colors while downing a martini or glass of wine from the globe-trotting selection. 

Bangkok's most venerable gay bar, the pub-style Telephone is hopping every night of the week. There are telephones on the table so you can chat up your neighbors, but very few people use them these days.