Best Skyscrapers in Bangkok
If you want to see Bangkok from above, then I invite you to visit one of its luxury skyscrapers!
Bangkok is a big city with numerous skyscrapers worth admiring inside and out. Without a doubt, a visit to one of them is one of the best things to do in Bangkok. Many of them have hotels, luxury restaurants and, above all, observation decks with viewing platforms.
Viewpoints on skyscrapers are the best way to get a panoramic view of the whole city. Some offer rotating platforms or glass walkways that make this experience from the heights much more interesting. Not suitable for people suffering from vertigo!
1. King Power MahaNakhon
The King Power MahaNakhon has a design that stands out among the other skyscrapers in Bangkok. It has the appearance of a square tower, but with a spiral of cubic surfaces. It is about 314 meters high (the tallest in Thailand) has 79 floors and its observation deck is known as Mahanakhon SkyWalk.
Among its floors, the 74th floor stands out, since from there you can enjoy breathtaking 360° views. On the 78th floor you can test your courage, as you will have the chance to walk across a glass walkway that is 310 meters above the ground.
If you want to live the experience offered by the King Power Mahanakhon, one of the best skyscrapers in Bangkok, keep in mind that the average cost of an adult ticket is 20 €. If you plan to visit this skyscraper with children, I have good news for you, the entrance for children between 3 and 12 years old has an average cost of 10 €.
Another important fact about this skyscraper is that it has stores, luxury apartments and a hotel, the Bangkok Edition Boutique Hotel. You don't need to stay here or go to one of the stores: you can visit the observation decks, the bar or the restaurant.
Interesting details
- Price: about 20 € tickets for adults and about 10 € tickets for children between 3 and 12 years old.
- Hours: from 10 a.m. to 12 a.m.
- Location: Narathiwat Ratchanakharin Road, Bang Rak, Bangkok, Thailand.
2. Meritus Suites State Tower
The Meritus Suites State Tower is a multi-purpose skyscraper with a height of 247 meters, being the third tallest building in this country and the largest in Southeast Asia. It was built in 2001 and has 68 floors. One of its most representative characteristics is its golden dome measuring 30 meters in diameter, in addition to its neoclassical style balconies.
Some of its names were Silom Precious Tower and Royal Charoen Krung Tower. Inside the building there are condominiums, stores and offices. It even has two five-star hotels known as Lebua at State Tower.
It also has Sirocco, an open restaurant with an incredible panoramic view of the city. Located on the 63rd floor, this bar and restaurant became famous thanks to the movie Hangover 2. It also has several floors that offer a beautiful view of the entire city and the Chao Praya River.
If you want to end a day of touring Bangkok on a high note, you can spend the night in the facilities of this skyscraper. This way you can enjoy a delicious dinner and see all the city you toured during the day.
Details of interest
- Price: free admission.
- Hours: from 4 p.m. to 1 a.m.
- Location: 1055 Si Lom, Silom, Bang Rak, Bangkok 10500, Thailand.
3. Banyan Tree Bangkok
The Banyan Tree skyscraper is a multi-purpose building that is 197 meters high and has 61 floors. It was built in 1995 and its main attraction is its five-star hotel. One night can be booked from 80 €. If you book more than three nights, you can receive a special discount.
Another attraction of this skyscraper is on the 61st floor, where you will find the Vertigo Grill and Moon Bar. This is an open-air terrace where you can stop by and enjoy a cocktail while observing Bangkok from above. You can also order one of the exquisite dishes from the kitchen.
The hotel also has a swimming pool and a holistic spa, which offers treatments with natural elements. You can visit this place, enjoy a spectacular view and relax for a whole afternoon. Please note that the spa opens at 10 a.m. and closes at 8 p.m.
This hotel has been awarded the EarthCheck Gold Certified 2020 and Tripadvisor Travelers' Choice Awards 2020. These two certificates are a good reference that let you know the quality of the place where you will stay.
Details of interest
- Price: free admission.
- Hours: 10 a.m. to 1 a.m.
- Location: 21/100 S S Sathon Rd, Khwaeng Thung Maha Mek, Khet Sathon, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10120, Thailand.
4. Baiyoke Sky Tower
The Baiyoke Sky Tower, with its 304 meters, is the second tallest skyscraper in Bangkok and Thailand. It is a hotel with 88 floors and about 700 rooms. On the 77th and 84th floors you can enjoy the view offered by this building.
I recommend you to visit the Roof Top Bar for a night. This bar located on the 83rd floor also offers a lovely view of the city. It is also one of the best bars in town, so you should include it in your list of things to do at night in Bangkok.
Another attraction you can't miss is located on the 84th floor. It is an open-air rotating platform observation deck, the only one in Bangkok! Here you can enjoy a true 360° view of the city of Bangkok and beyond, without having to move.
To complement your evening, you can enjoy the buffet of Thai or international food served at the Crystal Grill Restaurant, located on the 82nd floor. If you would like to continue enjoying the evening, you should make another stop on the 79th floor, where you can enter another restaurant where there are options to sing karaoke.
Details of interest
- Price: about 10 € to access the observation deck.
- Hours: the observation floor is open to the public from 10 am until midnight. Its turntable is open from 10 am to 10 pm.
- Location: 222 Ratchaprarop Road, Thanon Phaya Thai, Ratchathewi, Bangkok 10400, Thailand.
5. Elephant Building
The Elephant Building, also known as the Chang Building, is a skyscraper that does not exactly stand out for its beauty, but for its peculiar shape. It consists of two office towers and a residential one. The three are connected at the top by a long structure that in turn houses several floors.
If you look closely, the first tower represents the elephant's trunk, and the other two, its legs. In the distance you will also see what appear to be the elephant's tusks, located on both sides of the building. This is where the offices of the skyscraper's management company are located. Likewise, the eyes are two large round windows, also located on both sides of the building. The ears are balconies that span several floors.
In total, the building has 31 floors and measures 110 meters. Although it is not the tallest of all skyscrapers, it is hard to ignore its presence. You may pass by it if you take a Hop on Hop off Bus tour. However, you will need to stop for a moment to appreciate all the peculiar details of this elephant building.
Although you will not find entertaining activities inside the building, it is worth seeing it from the outside and appreciating all its details. You can enter the shopping mall and browse around a bit, so don't forget to take some pictures during your visit!
Interesting details
- Price: better to see it from the outside
- Hours: No tourist hours.
- Location: 3300 Phahonyothin Road, Khwaeng Chom Phon, Khet Chatuchak, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10900, Thailand.
6. The Met
The Met is a 69-story, 228-meter residential skyscraper. It is the second tallest residential skyscraper in all of Thailand, with about 370 condominium dwellings. Although it has no activities for tourists, I recommend that you pass by it to appreciate its immensity.
This skyscraper is composed of six towers that are linked together by elevated walkways. If you like architecture, this will undoubtedly be a spectacle for your eyes. It also has awnings, overhangs and walls full of living vegetation. This last element has a very important function: to filter sunlight and protect the interior from overheating.
Also, the stepped blocks of this skyscraper are oriented and located in such a way as to allow the sun to pass through according to its normal course. At the same time, their openings help to increase the strength of the breezes to cool the homes on the hottest days. The architects thought of everything!
Another important detail in this great skyscraper are the openings located in the different towers. In them there are swimming pools and gardens, a luxury to live in these apartments! Last but not least, The Met won the Bronze Emporis Skyscraper Award in 2009.
Interesting details
- Price: best viewed from the outside
- Opening hours: no opening hours as it does not open its doors to tourists.
- Location: Khwaeng Thung Maha Mek, Khet Sathon, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10120, Thailand.
7. The Pano
The Pano is another of Bangkok's residential skyscrapers. Although you can't go sightseeing through its facilities, it is important to know about its existence and its architectural details. This 57-story building is located right next to the iconic Chao Phraya River.
It is approximately 219 meters high and has 397 residential units. It is composed of two wings, one is the Sky Wing, the tallest building, and the other is the River Wing, the lowest building. It is a spectacle to be able to observe the impressive shape of this skyscraper.
It should be noted that The Pano won fourth place in the Emporis Skyscraper Awards in 2010. These awards honor the functionality and excellence of building designs. In addition, the architectural firm responsible for this skyscraper, WOHA, was also awarded the Singapore President's Design Award, so are you going to miss the opportunity to stand in front of such a renowned building?
Details of interest
- Price: best viewed from outside
- Hours: no opening hours, as it does not open its doors to tourists.
- Location: Bang Phong Phang, Yan Nawa, Bangkok 10120, Thailand.
Tips for visiting a skyscraper in Bangkok
If you do a quick research, you will notice that in Bangkok the dress code for visiting sites such as temples or skyscrapers is very similar. In none of these establishments are people wearing shorts, open shoes or cleavage allowed to enter. In the case of skyscrapers, the ideal is to wear semi-formal attire.
On the other hand, we recommend that you reserve your hotel roomin advance in case you wish to stay in one of the skyscrapers. This will save you some money, especially if you stay more than two nights. In addition, you will ensure a quiet stay, especially in high season, as they tend to be very crowded.
Finally, when you want to visit a viewpoint, I suggest you go just in time to see a sunset. This way you will be able to see part of the day and night of the city from the heights. It is also important that you pay attention to the weather of the day, because if the sky is not clear you will not be able to get a good view. Before traveling, find out what is the best time to travel to Bangkok.
Why is it advisable to visit a skyscraper in Bangkok?
Bangkok is a very active city, full of streets, temples and buildings. From the ground it is somewhat difficult to observe all the details of its grandeur, but from one of its skyscrapers it is easier to get a wide view of this great cityscape. You can even see the city's best temples from a vantage point.
In addition, these skyscrapers offer not only observation decks, but a variety of very attractive services. The bars and restaurants are usually upscale and you will find entertaining activities such as dance floors or karaoke areas, you will have a great time!
On the other hand, some of these skyscrapers have luxury hotels, can you imagine staying in one of them and have an excellent view of Bangkok every day? It would certainly be an incredible experience that you can only live in one of the must-see places in Bangkok.
Let's compare the options
- King Power MahaNakhon
- Price: about 20 € tickets for adults and about 10 € tickets for children between 3 and 12 years old.
- Hours: from 10 a.m. to midnight.
- Location: Narathiwat Ratchanakharin Road, Bang Rak, Bangkok, Thailand.
- Meritus Suites State Tower
- Price: free admission.
- Hours: 4 p.m. to 1 a.m.
- Location: 1055 Si Lom, Silom, Bang Rak, Bangkok 10500, Thailand.
- Banyan Tree Bangkok
- Price: free admission.
- Hours: 10 am to 1 am.
- Location: 21/100 S S Sathon Rd, Khwaeng Thung Maha Mek, Khet Sathon, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10120, Thailand.
- Baiyoke Sky Tower
- Price: about €10 to access the observation deck.
- Hours: the observation deck is open to the public from 10 am to midnight. Its rotating platform is open from 10 am to 10 pm.
- Location: 222 Ratchaprarop Road, Thanon Phaya Thai, Ratchathewi, Bangkok 10400, Thailand.
- Elephant Building
- Price: best viewed from outside
- Hours: No tourist hours.
- Location: 3300 Phahonyothin Road, Khwaeng Chom Phon, Khet Chatuchak, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10900, Thailand.
- The Met
- Price: best viewed from outside
- Opening hours: no opening hours, as it is not open to tourists.
- Location: Khwaeng Thung Maha Mek, Khet Sathon, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10120, Thailand.
- The Pano
- Price: best viewed from outside
- Hours: No opening hours as it is not open to tourists.
- Location: Bang Phong Phang, Yan Nawa, Bangkok 10120, Thailand.