Bars

CAFE TRIO
36/11-12 Soi Lang Suan
02-252-6572 BTS Chit Lom
daily 6pm -1 am, closed on the 2nd and 4th Sundays

Tucked into a narrow alley off Soi Lang Suan, this cozy jazz bar & art gallery is a welcome alternative to Bangkok's raucous pubs and haughty lounge bars. Cafe Trio is overflowing with plush couches, the lighting is delightfully soft, and the music is always subdued. The tranquil atmosphere helps to make it a true neighborhood place. The vivacious owner and bartender Patti holds court nightly and the walls are plastered with her Modigliani-esque, Vietnameseinspired paintings - have a few drinks and don't be surprised to find yourself taking one home, Resident regulars come for live jazz (on an irregular schedule, often toward the end of the month). For drinks, expect to pay what you would at better known, yet more generic,venues. The service is laid-back, like the bar in general. To find it, look for the Chinese restaurant across from Starbucks and down the road 50m.

CHEAP CHARLIE'S
Sukhumvit Soi 11
02-253-4648
Mon-Sat 5pm - 12:30am

Bangkok's most bizarre bar is little more than a wooden shack with a couple of barstools surrounding it, a makeshift kiosk really. Every night, an eclectic mix of tourists and foreign residents populates the stools - be prepared to stand. The prices are unbelievably low - you can get a G&T for B60,while beer sells for 50 THB. No girlie bar, the unique place is heavily stuffed with oddities collected over the 20 years this Bangkok institution's been in operation. Buffalo skulls, beehives, tribal masks and sextoys hang down from rafters, while the bar is stocked with an impressive range of alcohol. Beware to 'only piss in toilets', as one sign warns you. Ask the patrons about the bar's countless myths. Go down Soi 11 and take the first left. The perfect place to while away some boozy hours amidst experienced barflies.

WONG'S PLACE
27/3 Soi Sri BumphenlSoi Ngam Duplee, near Malaysia Hotel [ MRT Lumphini ]
02-286-1558
Mon - Sat 10pm till ?

Quentin Tarantino would love this quirky late night watering hole. On the block for 20 years and a must for music geeks, there's not a working girl in sight, not even a waitress. Two fridges stocked with cheap drinks invite a self-service and pay-as-you-go honour system. Wong's Place is known by Bangkok old timers and it's not uncommon to find guests revisiting the bar for the first time in years with travel stories to tell and looking for their photo on the wall. Owner Sam Wong inherited and extended his brother's love for music videos, everything from 1950s jazz through Punk to MTV influenced babel.Wong's houses the largest known collection in Asia, if not globally. Take his opening hours with a grain of salt: Wong opens when the mood fits.

SHADES OF RETRO
Soi Tararom 2, Thong Lo [ BTS Thong Lo ]
081-824-8011
1pm - 12pm cash only

Tired of trotting around the design mall Playground, looking at cute but overpriced tchotchkes? Head on over to Shades of Retro, a hidden spot awash in neo-nostalgia and stuffed with vintage furniture, vinyl records, old rotary telephones - hipster attic, here we come. A combo furniture store-cafe, Shades provides a quiet hangout for the writer/designer/ artiste crowd by day, fun people-watching at night, and nice jazz at all times. Curl up on a nubby couch, flip through a Wallpaper magazine and soak up the atmosphere, which flirts with being too ironic for its pants. A cool, friendly crowd and bracing cocktails or coffee served up with popcorn humanizes the hip, thankfully Cheers for the trendy Thong Lo crowd.

HU'U
The Ascott Building, 187 South Sathorn Rd [ BTS Chong Nonsi ]
02-676-6676 www.huuinasia.com
daily 11am-1am

This multi-functional conglomerate of lounge/bar/restaurant/gallery borders on the verge of over-stylishness, but it's a neat place to down a few fab cocktails. Suffused in dim tones, the place is impressively styled with dark woods that are complemented by soft-coloured silk sofas.The open atrium combines a tall bar (check out the striking liquor shelf) with marble-topped, communal tables and a sleek mezzanine restaurant serving global fare. Hu'u (pronounced 'who') tends to draw in more social highfliers than other Silom area night spots. The chill house and lounge tracks and the amazing cocktail menu are worth an hour or two of your time. Do some martinis here; other drinks are innovative, maybe too ,much so. Perfect for pre-clubbing.

One Night in Banglamphu
The streets around Khao San Road - that famed budget travelers' mecca - are buzzing with a frenetic mix of city execs,Thai students and travellers.A neat Khao San cocktail joint is Hippie De Bar, hidden in a small side street and clad in eclecticism and cool kitsch.Sunset Street is an architecturally interesting conglomerate of bars, but mostly attracts sweaty backpackers. Cooler clubs include stylishly furnished Lava, a popular basement joint playing speedy house and hip hop. Cafe Dernoc, a faux-Euro club turning out electronic music, attracts a hip but unpretentious older clique. For a laid-back, cool evening, head to nearby riverside along PhraAthit Road, lined with little bars, trendy cafes and hole-in-the-wall restaurants. Oft-compared with NYC's Greenwich Village and London's High Street Kensington, it's a favorite for youngThais going "beat" and the odd expat. Stop for a cheap caffeine intake at Coffee & More in a beautifully restored colonial mansion. Elegant Hemlock is invaded nightly by artsy folk, drawn to the eclectic Thai food at rock-bottom prices. Minimalist but friendly Bar Bali and tiny Joy Luck Ciub deserve a mention. For outstanding seafood and absolutely no flair, check out TI-loci Po, Directly on the riverside, this breezy place offers fantastic views and delicious fish and crustaceans from an expansive menu. Call ahead to reserve a riverfront spot.

COFFEE & MORE 102/1 Phra Athit Rd, Sun -Thur 10am - 10pm, Fri & Sat-midnight
HEMLOCK 56 Phra Athit Rd, 02-282-7507, Mon-Fri 4pm-midnight, Sat 5pm-midnight
BAR BALI 58 PhraAthit Rd, 02-629-0418, daily 5pm - 11.30pm
JOY LUCK CLUB 8 Phra Sumen Rd, 02-280-3307, daily 11am - 1am
THON PO 43 Phra Athit Rd, 02-280-0452, daily 11am - 10pm
HIPPIE DE BAR 46 Khao San Rd, daily 10am - 1am, B120
LAVA 249 Khao San Road, 02-281-6565, daily 8pm - 1am
CAFE DEMOC Ratchadamnoen Rd at Democracy Monument, 02-622-2571 TueSun 4pm - 1am

SARASIN ROAD
It sure is fun to hang in Bangkok's hopping hoods, but sometimes the throngs around RCA, Khao San and Silom Soi 4 get too much. The hippest youngsters (and the ones looking young) congregate on a short strip just north of Lumphini Park, a stone's throw away from Silom. Trendy Singaporeans have discovered the western end of Sarasin Road as a playground, but only a few Caucasians venture here. The educated, fun-seeking masses of all sexual orientations are nice enough to strike up a conversation with you, the music is fun, prices are low - it's the perfect' place for a relaxed night out. Even Monday nights see these small bars well-peopled; they're heaving on weekends. Start your night out early at The Room. Two-floored and airy, with funky decor and richly colored walls, it sports the strip's best food - fun fusion dishes for okay prices. Later, it fills up with glam guys and house beats. 70s Bar is quite homo-friendly, and celebrates 70s and 80s tunes plus Euro Pop. Eclectic seating is worth a look inside. Zarazine does cheesy live music while 2nd Round and Bard are heavily hetero and focus on hip hop.. Upstairs I-Chub is the place for cubby boys and their fans to do some karaoke. Brown Sugar one of Bangkok's top live jazz venues, is the most mature of the bunch. Each bar puts out tables on the pavement, creating an almost European feel beneath the trees and offering perfect people-watching, especially at lam when the lights go on and everybody streams out on the street.

Bars with a view

Fed up with Bangkok's fume-filled streets? Fancy a breather?Take to the skies. Bangkok offers a clutch of dramatic high-altitude bars from where to survey the glittering skyline below.

MOON BAR
61st Fl Banyan Tree Bangkok 21 / 100 South Sathorn Rd
02-679-1200 www.banyontree.com
daily 5pm - 1am

As the name suggests, this is one place that will get you closer to the moon. One open-air bar lets you take in the urban Moloch from up-above in smart surroundings. BanyanTree's Moon Bar is a romantic hideaway. Among stunning 360' views, the hotel's rooftop has been turned into a slick grill restaurant; one end is occupied by the bar Nothing obstructs your view here, almost 200 meters high up. It's the perfect spot for honeymooners - take a seat on the smart sofa stations, sip on a classy Martini or a yummy signature cocktail and feel romance welling up. For voyeurs, the telescopes and binoculars come in handy. Glamour girls and unwinding business guys feel right at home here, too. Stay until the wee hours, nibble on sophisticated snacks, take in the light jazz - and never ever forget your camera.

THREESIXTY
32nd Fl Millennium Hilton Bangkok
123 Charoennakorn Rd [ BTS Saphan Taksin ]
02-442-2000
daily 5pm - 1am

A beacon over Bangkok's night sky is ablaze. Picture a gorgeously moody, sexy place with world-class jazz, awesome cocktails and hear t-stopping views. Sprinkle with the fact that you'll be part of the international trendsetter scene just because you've managed to cross the Chao Phraya, Sound inviting? Head over to the Millennium Hilton and take the glass elevator to the 32nd floor Up in a glassed-in, UFO-like construction 130 meters hlgh,Three Sixty perfects a circle. Soft couches and smooth cocktails enhance a dizzying view: Bangkok's downtown and a row of riverside hotels spreads out in front of you. Good thing this place doesn't revolve. It's a grown-up crowd which values Osietra on blinis with their drinks, Pure Post-Millennium Magic. And docheck out the hotel lobby.

V9
37th Fl Sofitel Silom
188 Silom Rd [ BTS Chong Nonsi ]
02-238-1991
daily 6pm-2am

Smart V9 is a funky space, one-third comfy bar, one-third slick restaurant, one-third huge wine retail shop. Oenophiles undergo orgiastic experiences once they walk past the dozens of wine crates lining the entrance. All of the wines can be bought at supermarket prices and consumed on the premesies with no corkage fee.The in-house Sommelier's pairings are exquisite, with 15 house wines to taunt you by the glass or short carafe.The French food served up is faultless (try their snack trees), as are the cocktails - dozens of signature blends in a long menu. It's all very Sex and The City, especially on Friday & Saturday nights.The music is good, and the view through the floor-to-ceiling glass walls wrappingV9 is heart-stopping - that's what really counts. Perfect for those rainy nights.

THE DOME
9 State Tower 1055, Silom Rd
02-624-5555 www.thedomebkk.com
daily 6pm - 1am

Gourmets hankering after a taste for the dramatic can head over to the Dome at State Tower. Among the world's highest outdoor bars, Skybar -- attached to Mediterranean restaurant Sirocco - offers a panoramic view of the city and river below, earning its popularity with visitors new to the City of Angels and those intent on rediscovering it. Indoor-outdoor bar Distil boasts a roomful of comfy sofas, beyond-premium liquor and the Dome's signature breathtaking view. Adjacent to Asian seafood eatery Breeze, Ocean 52 also sports a stunning view from the 5 I st-52nd floors.This is not a spot for the casual beach bum, so be sure to leave your flip-flops and shopping bags at home - a smart-casual dress code is enforced.

THE ROOFTOP
83rd Fl Baiyoke Sky Hotel
222 Rajaprarop Rd
02-656-3000

Perched above everything, the view is the best and seemingly only draw, at this slightly old and very campy sky-high watering hole. Step off the elevator and it seems like you've been transported to outer space.That is if outer space was a tacky touristy joint with tutti-frutti coloured walls. Passable cocktails and a cheesy live band belting out tired covers only distract you from what really makes this place worth visiting,the sprawling metropolis below. For full screen Bangkok, take the stairs, pass the kitschy solar system murals and extra-terrestrials (yes, you read that right) up to the 84th floor and let the wind hit you in the face at the open-air revolving deck and try to recognize the now ant-sized malls you were in earlier.