Paid observation decks
Mahanakhon SkyWalk (Silom)
At the top of the King Power Mahanakhon tower, the Mahanakhon SkyWalk offers the highest view in the city, with a glass floor on the roof. It is open daily from 10 am to midnight (last entry 11 pm). The adult ticket costs 1,000 baht by day and 1,200 baht in the late afternoon; allow an hour to an hour and a half. BTS Chong Nonsi station is at the foot of the tower.
Baiyoke Sky (Pratunam)
In the heart of Pratunam, the tower of the Baiyoke Sky hotel rises above 300 metres and has an observation deck with a rotating outdoor platform at the top. It is the simplest choice if you are staying or shopping near Platinum Mall. Price and hours: check the tower's website, as they vary with the ticket option.
Rooftop bars and restaurants with a view
The rooftop bars of Silom, Sathorn and Sukhumvit offer comparable views in exchange for a drink, with no entry ticket. They are covered in our guide to Bangkok at night, and tables facing the river in our selection of restaurants with a view.
Cheap or free viewpoints
Wat Saket and the Golden Mount
From the terrace of the golden chedi, after 344 steps, the old city spreads out through 360 degrees below you. The climb costs 100 baht for foreign visitors, and the site is open daily from 7:30 am to 7 pm (indicative hours). See the page on Wat Saket and the Golden Mount. Sunset is very busy here; arrive an hour early.
Wat Arun
The prang of Wat Arun, open daily from 8 am to 6 pm, can be climbed by its narrow stairs to a terrace above the river, facing the Grand Palace. It is the most photographed viewpoint in Thonburi.
Chao Phraya Sky Park
The walkway of the Chao Phraya Sky Park, 280 metres long above the river on the Phra Pok Klao Bridge, is free and open from 5 am to 8 pm according to several sources. It looks over the Memorial Bridge, Wat Arun and the towers of Charoen Krung, with no queue.
Santichaiprakan Park and Phra Sumen Fort
Santichaiprakan Park is the best free place in the old city to watch the sun set over the river, at the foot of Phra Sumen Fort.
From the river and its shopping centres
The express boat (18 baht a trip, orange flag) remains the best view of the river for the price of a bus ticket. The banks of ICONSIAM and Asiatique, whose big wheel runs until midnight, offer free evening panoramas over the river.
Which viewpoint to choose?
- Highest view: Mahanakhon SkyWalk, ideally in the late afternoon to see the city by day and then by night.
- Free view, sunset: Sky Park or Santichaiprakan Park.
- View over the old city: Wat Saket, with its climb on foot.
- View over the temples: Wat Arun, in the morning.
- Romantic evening: a rooftop in Silom or the Asiatique wheel.
The best time depends on the season: from November to February the air is clearer and drier; in the rainy season, from June to October, late-afternoon storms sometimes spoil the view. Our guide to the best time to visit Bangkok covers the climate.
