“Dude, I’m coming down to Bangkok this weekend. How am I going to make it one to remember?”
I hear this time and again from my friends when they’re planning to visit Bangkok and, to be honest, it is so easy to make the most of your time in the city, however short.
Regardless of your interests and lifestyle, there is so much to do.
Forget Bangkok – there is so much to do JUST within Sukhumvit.
After living in this bustling city for over 15 years, I’ve accustomed myself to make the most out of every weekend, because we all know how precious they can be.
So going back to the original question… what is the best way to spend a weekend in Bangkok?
Well, here’s how my perfect weekend would go.
Feel free to make like me and copy it or adapt it to your own lifestyle. The force is with you!
Sorry; I’m just a little over-excited for Star Wars Episode VII.
Friday Night Lights
My Fridays are half spent at the office where I countdown the hours until the weekend starts; which has to be a perfect combination of adventures, crazy night(s) and relaxation.
Ideally I would spend the morning going to the local fresh markets to buy fruits, vegetables and meats for the week ahead. Sadly, my commute is so long that waking up early barely gets me to work on time let alone allowing for a market stop!
Maybe I should sort out my priorities, eh?
After finally finishing work, dinner and drinks at a nice rooftop bar is the ultimate way to start the weekend in Bangkok and Above Eleven is the place to do it. Sitting atop Fraser Suites on Soi 11, they serve up delicious Peruvian food and have a well-priced drinks menu.
If we’re feeling a little more liberal with our budget, Octave Bar at the Marriott Thonglor is an amazing alternative with its unobstructed, 360-degree view of the entire city.
That’s how to do a sundowner… @ Octave, The Marriott
Friday night also means that it’s time for some well-earned debauchery.
Although I try to limit my wild nights outs, there are days when the call of the wild is just too much.
After a few drinks, my friends, wife and I will head to nearby clubs such as Sugar on Soi 11, RCA (Royal City Avenue) near Thonglor, or any nightlife attraction playing some decent HipHop & R&B tracks.
If we want to avoid a gnarly morning after, the perfect low-key Friday night would be catching up with friends over a few drinks at a beer garden like HOBS or Seen Space in Thonglor, or even one of the many streetside bars down Soi 11.
Saturday Adventures
After a good night out, I make it a point to adventure into some of the deep unknown that Bangkok has to offer on Saturdays.
Often this leads me out of Sukhumvit but there are plenty of experiences to be had on this long stretch of road as well.
From rock climbing at the Urban Playground on Sukhumvit 49 to surfing at Flowhouse in Sukhumvit 26 to even giving Bobble Football a try in Thonglor, there are plenty of exciting, thrill-seeking things to do here.
Indulging in these activities every week can be quite heavy on the wallet, so sometimes I opt for more locally inspired adventures like exploring the city by bicycle or taking a tour of the klongs that run parallel to the Sukhumvit Road.
Even as the sun starts to set, the day is not yet over.
It’s an opportunity to go do something more but a little less physically-demanding. Perhaps a massage at Health Land or a movie at one of the malls would suffice.
If there’s still energy left in the tank, I’d cap the night off with a stroll through one of Bangkok’s famous night markets for some shopping.
Nana is well-known for some excellent touristy stalls but a more interesting choice would be to go to a more local one like Artbox – a nighttime container-style market that switches its location between Queen Sirikit, Makkassan and is coming to EMDistrict in December.
The inimitable Artbox
These nighttime treasure troves are stuffed with some awesome products – from unique vintage finds and cheap electronics to hipster clothing and specialized accessories. Finding such cool stuff is an adventure all on its own!
Sunday Boozy Brunches
Sundays are left to unwind from the craziness of the week past and warm up for the week ahead.
The perfect Sunday means having a nice brunch at restaurants like Roast (Thong Lo), Charcoal (Sukhumvit 11) or Karmakamet (Sukhumvit soi 24). There are PLENTY more options on Sukhumvit.
If we’re feeling a little friskier, we hit one of Sukhumvit’s happening pool parties. To most this might sound redundant and unthinkable after a night of drinking. But trust me, sometimes you need that hair of the dog. The Editor seems to agree: Fighting a hangover on Sukhumvit.
Who says you have to get out of the city to enjoy some time under the sun while having an excuse to sip on a few cocktails?
Pool parties at Ocean
Ocean Bangkok, for example, is the perfect urban oasis to lounge during the late afternoon till the sun comes down. Other regular pool parties that are also great for chilling out at are Soundset Sundays (held at different locations every time) and AmWet at AmBar.
Usually these events start in the afternoon with chilled out lounge music that transforms into a more upbeat tempo as the party heads into the night.
The Wife: Let’s Go Shopping
Of course, not all weekends can be completely perfect.
There will be days when I’ll have to go do and see things that the wife or the entire family wants to do and see.
One of those things is… shopping.
Sure, I don’t mind going to a mall and straight to a shop to buy exactly what I want.
But dilly-dallying around just for the heck of it? Not my idea of a day-well-spent.
But hey, you what are you going to do? Can’t win them all.
So tell me, what does your perfect weekend in Sukhumvit look like?
Featured image is by DeeMakMak and used under a Creative Commons licence
