5 ways to guarantee an unforgettable New Year's in Bangkok
Essential tips and parties to upgrade your Bangkok New Year's experience.
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8 years ago
1. Skip the CBD
Bangkok’s answer to Time Square is the CentralWorld square. Except it’s not Time Square: way too many people, underwhelming fireworks. The nice fireworks are on the river, where all the five-star hotels are competing with each other to put on the most amazing show.
2. Which means you need to be by the riverside
And that’s a bit of a problem, given that most riverside places tend to be super pricey and booked out for special gala events. Here are some places with free entry and great river views: The Deck at Arun Residence (36-38 Soi Phatu Nokyung, Maharaj Rd., 02-221-9158/9), where the rooftop bar has a prime view of Wat Arun; and Sala Rattanakosin (39 Soi Ta Tien, Maharaj Rd., 02-622-1388), which has just as great views, a more modern atmosphere, and some wonderfully well-poured cocktails.
Vogue Lounge
3. Alternatively, check out the best rooftop bars
Give the tourist traps above five-star hotels a miss. Here are three places we know are putting on some of the best parties in town: Gramercy Park (35/F, Fraser Suites, Sukhumvit Soi 11, 083-542-1111), where DJs Deloin, Delorean and Luck-E start at 10pm for an entrance fee of B2,000 (includes two drinks); Vogue Lounge (6/F, Mahanakhon Cube, Silom, Narathiwat Ratchanakarin Rd., 02-001-0697) where the White Ball New Year’s Eve Party crowd will be air-kissing the arrival of 2016 to DJs Maarten, Karl Andy and MC Unda (9pm onwards, B900 includes one drink); and Nest (Rooftop/F, Le Fenix Hotel, 33/33 Sukhumvit Soi 11 02-255-0638/9), where the entracnce fee of B800 including two free drinks makes for one of the best-priced rooftops in town.
7th Street
4. Or if you’re looking for something more alternative...
OK, so glitzy rooftops and fireworks aren’t you’re thing? Then check out Ekkamai’s alt-scene favorite, Dark Bar (2/F, Ekamai Mall, Ekkamai Soi 10, 02-381-9896), where the Kontraband collective will be playing low-tempo dub, future R ‘n’ B and drum ‘n’ bass. Alternatively, swing by Maggie Choo’s (underground/F, Hotel Novotel Bangkok Fenix Silom, 320 Silom Rd., 091-772-2144) to catch Bangkok’s indie queen, Gene Kasidit, whose sultry platinum blond diva act will rock the faux colonial basement bar.
Muse BKK
66 Station
5. Don’t Drink and Drive
Obviously, we highly recommend you install Uber or GrabTaxi. And we highly recommend you do it in sober, Wi-Fi comfort. Drunk, in a club, on an end-of-the-month EDGE connection is not the best time to install apps with fiddly login processes where you have to type in your credit card details. So get the app set up now if you haven’t already. On that note, there’s an even cooler trick to getting home without driving. The U Drink, I Drive program offers vouchers for every two bottles of Chivas Regal Extra purchased at selected bars across town. You can use the vouchers to get a personal driver that will drive you home.
Here are the participating bars: Maldives Maodeep (Ratchada Niwet Soi 21, 02-274-3829), Waterside Restaurant Bangkok (13/16 Praditmanutham Rd., 086-326-7392), Per Pub and Restaurant (Ekkamai-Ramintra Rd, 081-571-7970), 66 Station (9/9 Praditmanutham Rd., 02-530-0066), Lizm (9/240 Ratchadapisek Soi 74, 02-913-9880), Noxs Bangkok (61 Praditmanutham Rd., 02-539-2000), Muse BKK (159/8 Thonglor Soi 10, 089-988-5995), 7th Street (Ten Building Thonglor Soi 10, 02-714-8052) and Sky Moon Bar & Bistro (10/F, Vanilla Moon Building, Chan Rd., 02-111-0178).
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