When travellers think of Bangkok, they often think of Sukhumvit. In many ways, the neighbourhood is Bangkok – in all its glitzy, messy, traffic-jammed, high-flying glory.
It’s also something of a misnomer. Sukhumvit is shorthand for Sukhumvit Road, a paved thoroughfare that starts in downtown Bangkok and runs for more than 5,000 kilometres. It is one of Thailand's longest roads, connecting Bangkok to many significant destinations in the eastern part of the country.
But for most visitors, Sukhumvit is the heady stretch that spans the full-throttle action in the Nana district to up-and-coming and largely residential Phra Khanong five stops over on the BTS sky train. In between, some of the city’s most exciting restaurants and bars, most abundant shopping opportunities and coolest boutiques, spas and cafés await.
Here’s a breakdown of some of the best things to experience in Sukhumvit.
What to see and do
Enjoy some retail therapy
It’s hard to overstate how fun and convenient it is to shop in Sukhumvit. Between Phrom Phong and Asoke alone, there are four malls within walking distance of one another, including three connected by an elevated footpath: Emporium, EmQuartier, and EmSphere, collectively known as the EmDistrict. These three cater to Bangkok’s jet-set and trendsetters with a mix of high-fashion boutiques (think Stella McCartney, Balenciaga and Prada); lifestyle brands like Muji and Alo; and multi-label shops featuring Bangkok-born brands like Dry Clean Only. If you’re looking for boutiques, though, Thonglor is your north star. Bangkok’s hippest district houses brick-and-mortar shops for top Thai designers such as Vickteerut and menswear brand The Somchai among others.
One street over, residential Ekkamai is a hub for vintage goods and street fashion. Long-standing Tuba, which doubles as a raucous dive bar, serves as a showcase for vintage interior collectors Papaya. Meanwhile, Onion, an excellent multi-label store and café set in a quiet townhouse off Ekkamai Soi 12, sells carefully curated boutique fashion and décor from Thai and international designers.
Go café-hopping
Over the past decade, Bangkok’s coffee culture has transformed into one of Asia’s best. Local roasters Roots often get credit for catalysing the city’s obsession with the perfect cup. The brand has several branches, including one inside EmQuartier, but it’s hard to beat its location at The Commons Thonglor, an indoor-outdoor community mall full of great bars, restaurants and shops. Grab a flat white made with northern Thai beans, get a seat in the bustling common area and mingle with the city’s pretty people.
For an excellent pour-over in a peaceful setting, visit Ink & Lion in Ekkamai. Across the road, Rolling Roasters offers a larger, glossier space to enjoy locally roasted beans. If you wander all the way to the northern end of Ekkamai, you’ll find Kaizen, a favourite among digital nomads and Sukhumvit residents alike.
But don’t miss two of Thailand’s top roasters: Ceresia, which operates out of a humble one-room shop on Sukhumvit Soi 33/1, and Samadool, a townhouse-based venture in Thonglor’s back streets. The roaster provides beans to many of the city’s best cafés. If tea’s your vibe, hit up Peace Oriental Teahouse on Sukhumvit 49 for a proper tea ceremony that runs late into the night.
Treat yourself
Thailand’s tradition of massage and spa treatments is legendary. When muscles start to ache and the mind tyres, head to Asoke and Phrom Phong. The long-standing Oasis Spa is renowned for its signature massages and its hours-long full-body therapy packages.
These districts are also home to Bangkok’s vibrant Japanese community. That means one thing: onsen. There are a half dozen onsen here, the best of which are lovingly designed to capture Japan’s enduring connection with nature. Yunomori Onsen offers great value full-day passes that grant access to mineral baths and workspaces, while Kashikiri’s private onsen feels a world removed from Sukhumvit’s heat and traffic. For the best of both worlds, visit Yumoto, which offers a unique mix of onsen and Thai massage therapies.
Where to eat and drink
Can’t-miss food, from high to low
It’s hard to get a bad meal in Bangkok. It’s even harder to do that in Sukhumvit. Whether you crave Thai street food, Japanese skewers or something else, it’s all here. No culinary journey to Sukhumvit is complete without visiting the street food institution Rung Rueang Pork Noodle (Bib Gourmand, MICHELIN Guide Thailand 2024). The humble shophouse draws huge crowds for clear Tom Yam loaded with bouncy homemade fish balls and sauce-slathered pork ball skewers.
In the mid-range, you’ll find everything from chicken skewer specialist Jidori Cuisine Ken (Bib Gourmand, MICHELIN Guide Thailand 2024) to Burapa (Bib Gourmand, MICHELIN Guide Thailand 2024), an Orient Express-themed restaurant in Nana that nails east and northeast Thai flavours.
At the high-end, there’s no shortage of destination dining spots listed in the MICHELIN Guide Thailand 2024. For authentic Thai cuisine by local celebrity chef Chumpol Jangprai, there’s two-MICHELIN-Starred R-Haan. For food plated with a painterly touch, there’s Texas-born chef Riley Sanders’ Canvas. For cutting-edge Indian cuisine uniting novel techniques with timeless flavours by Chef Garima Arora, visit Gaa, newly minted with two MICHELIN Stars in the 2024 edition.
Among these incredible compatriots, two experiences rank among the most unique.
Boasting one of Thailand’s only MICHELIN Green Stars and one MICHELIN Star for sustainability, neo-Indian pioneer Haoma led by Chef Deepanker 'DK' Khosla is an experience unlike any other. All the produce comes from either the on-site hydroponic garden and fishery or the team’s own farm in suburban Bangkok.
At the two-MICHELIN-Starred Sorn, Chef Supaksorn ‘Ice’ Jongsiri has elevated the fiery, pungent, and vibrant flavours of southern Thai cooking to unprecedented levels. The produce is meticulously sourced and seasonal, with even the curry pastes and coconut milk made in-house.
Plug into Bangkok’s bar life
Cocktail dens, dives, rooftop bars, craft beer – Sukhumvit has it all.
Those who appreciate a good drink should start in Thonglor. It’s home to some of the city’s best cocktail bars, including Rabbit Hole, speakeasy J Boroski and Dry Wave Cocktail Studio, the latest project from star bartender Supawit ‘Palm’ Muttaratana.
Beer geeks will love Hair of the Dog, especially if you're into craft beers served in a morgue-like, grungy setting with retro movies playing on the screen. Or try Mikkeller Bangkok in Ekkamai for its 30 taps. After a pint, it’s an easy walk to hideaways that cater to the city’s creative side. Modern-Day Culture serves craft cocktails and spins vinyl tunes. Bar Marco also makes vinyl a focal point, displaying records on a towering shelf behind the DJ decks. Nearby, long-standing Shades of Retro serves local beer and cocktails in a space filled with vintage décor – all of it for sale.
But nothing screams ‘I’m in Bangkok’ like a rooftop bar, and this neighbourhood has a lot of them. Thonglor’s classy Octave. Phrom Phong’s gin bar A Bar Rooftop. Asoke’s intimate Axis & Spin. Nana club institution Above Eleven. Phra Khanong’s panoramic Cielo. All offer incredible views over the city that no visitor will soon forget.
Where to stay
To be in the thick of the action, book a room at MUU Bangkok Hotel. Located in the beating heart of Thonglor, the boutique hotel’s rooms and residences combine practicality with glamour. Think Roaring Twenties-inspired accents like jewel-toned headboards, velvet divans and vintage alarm clocks.For comfort and convenience in a quieter setting, look to 137 Pillars Residences. Designed for long stays, the rooms feature full kitchens, washers and dryers, and private balconies. Guests also enjoy access to a private pool on the 27th floor. For a splashier experience, stay at 137 Pillars Suites. Occupying the highest floors in the same tower, the 34 suites come with marble bathrooms, full-length windows or balconies, and butler service. Guests also have 24-hour access to an exclusive rooftop pool.
Illustration image: © Shutterstock
