9 Rooftop bars in Bangkok you must visit

1. Sky bar at lebua at State Tower.

It was only from the top that I got a feel for Bangkok's immense expanse, and my very first rooftop experience remains No. 1 to this day.

No one is prepared for this sight: You're standing high up on the base of the stairs on the 63rd floor, looking down on a free-floating spaceship - a sky bar worthy of the name. Whether you come at sunset or later: Bangkok's sea of lights lies at your feet, and to your right the Chao Praya, the river of kings, flows in the depths.

The Hangover cocktail on the menu indicates that Hollywood has also been a guest here, namely with " Hangover 2". Close to the Sky Bar is the "Sirocco" restaurant, whose menu already reflects the location's height. For a nightcap after dinner, go back up the few steps to the Distil Lounge.

Lebua Tower Sky-Bar | 1055/42 Silom Road | daily from 6pm to 1am

2. Vertigo Rooftop Bar at Banyan Tree

Competition has grown in the City of Angels, but the Vertigoabove the Banyan Tree Hotel remains one of the all-time favourites. Moon Bar and Vertigo Restaurant, close together and rather narrow in size, are not the ideal playground for people with a fear of heights. But the view from the 61st floor makes up for a few moments of gasping.

Vertigo and Moon Bar | Banyan Tree Bangkok, 21/100 South Sathorn Road | Bar: daily from 5 p.m. to 1 a.m.; Restaurant: daily from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m.

3. Three-Sixty at Millennium Hilton

The Millennium Hilton is located directly on the banks of the Chao Praya. Many a person who passed the hotel by express or longtail boat looked twice. Because at first glance they thought a UFO had landed on the roof. But the unknown flying object turns out to be a rooftop bar with an impressive 360-degree panoramic view. Although this comfortable jazz lounge on the 32nd floor does not master record heights, it is worth every visit.

Three Sixty Lounge | Millennium Hilton Bangkok | 123 Charoennakorn Road, Klongsan | daily from 5 p.m. to 1 a.m.

4. Octave Rooftop Bar at Marriott Hotel Sukhumvit

There are a few rooftop bars in Bangkok that can boast 360-degree views, but Octave 's is unique in its own way. The top of the three levels, on which the bar and lounge spread out, is - according to the hotel's own advertising - the highest party spot in the city.

Although only a three-minute walk from the Thonglor skytrain station, the hotel and bar are not directly on the beaten path of night owls. Which has the advantage that reservations are not necessary to get a seat in the clear.

Octave Rooftop Lounge & Bar | 45/F, Marriott Hotel, 2 Sukhumvit Soi 57 | daily from 5 p.m. to 1 a.m.

5. Above Eleven Bar & Restaurant

An exciting address in the pulsating epicentre of the night, Sukhumvit Soi 11. Where Bangkok's party people start and sometimes end the evening. 33rd floor, three levels and in some ways different from the others. Peruvian-Japanese cuisine, hot music (salsa night on Wednesdays) and a wide range of cocktails at pleasant prices. Beautiful women and excited men in a flirting mood. Not a tourist hotspot like the Sky Bar in the State Tower, more something for insiders.

Above Eleven Bar & Restaurant | 8/8 Soi Sukhumvit 11, Khlong Tan Nuea | daily from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m.

6. The Speakeasy at Hotel Muse

"Terrace Bar and Speakeasy -reminiscent of Al Capone's Prohibition-era Chicago - are now regulars at hip rooftop bars. Although, located on the 24th and 25th floors, they are considerably closer to the ground than their competitors.

Of the many well-crafted cocktails that would be fondly remembered the next day, the Bathtub Gin, made from 13 selected premium gins and three types of tonic, deserves first mention. Professionals recommend the Sazerac 1838 - supposedly the world's first cocktail - mixed from Jack Daniels, absinthe and bitters.

The Speakeasy | Hotel Muse, 24th & 25th Floor, 55/555 Soi Langsuan | daily from 5:30 p.m. to 12 a.m.

7. Red Sky Rooftop at Centara Grand Hotel

Getting to the sky can be a bit of a hassle. To get to Red Sky, you first have to traverse the CentralWorld shopping mall, which (buy me!) involves a temptation or two. But you prefer to enter a rooftop bar without luggage, and once you reach the lift, it takes you to the 55th floor in no time.

There you sit, with a 360-degree panoramic view, in the centre of the city. Surrounded by skyscrapers that afford each other an individual touch, especially in the details. In Red Sky you can dine when a table is free (reservation recommended), or take a look at the cocktail and wine list on comfortable sofas: You're guaranteed to find the perfect drink!

Red Sky | Centara Grand, 55th Floor, 99/999 Rama, Pathum Wan | Bar: daily from 6pm to 1am; Restaurant: daily from 6pm to 11pm

8. Cloud 47 Rooftop Bar

New kid on the block: The youngest member of the Sky Bars club. With surprisingly reasonable prices - the beer costs 160 baht - and a relaxed atmosphere. The name already suggests it: this bar makes itself at home on the 47th floor, in the popular and lively Silom Road, not far from the Patpong night market but still a bit hard to find.

Tip: look out for the red "United Center" logo on a white wall - the United Center looks like an office tower, which is probably because it actually is an office tower. For once, the bar is not located on the roof of the building, but it offers so much space on three levels that it is praised as the largest of its kind in Bangkok and offers safe shelter even in the rain.

Cloud 47 | United Center Building, 323 Silom Rd. | daily from 5 p.m. to 1 a.m.

9. Park Society Rooftop, Sofitel So on Sathorn

The ideal spot for a romantic sunset evening. Overlooking Lumpini Park, one of the capital's few green spaces, and the skyline beyond. Towards evening, the countless skyscrapers frequently change light and colour - one more reason for the popularity of the rooftop bars.

The cheapest glass of wine here starts at 290 baht, while the tapas, judging by the price, seem to have been flown in from Spain by private plane. This bar is considered "Hi-So", short for high society, but you shouldn't take that too seriously. Everyone is welcome here and the service is as unpretentiously friendly as almost always in Bangkok.

Park Society Restaurant & Bar | Sofitel So Bangkok, 2 North Sathorn Rd. | daily from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m.