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Bangkok Nightlife: 30 Best Nightclubs, Bars, Gogos in 2017

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There are so many nightclubs in Bangkok that it may be hard for first-time visitors to decide where to party. I'm compiling here a description of the venue from the entire Bangkok nightlife scene to help your planning.

For each venue, I included a link to their Facebook page. I encourage you to check the opening hours, event and entrance fee there directly. In general, most clubs are open until 2-3am and they will charge you between 250THB and 400THB for the first drink/entry. The most expensive, Onyx and Cé La Vi cost 500THB.

Beware! Not every hotel in Bangkok will accept if you bring a girl to your room. If you want to avoid an embarrassing moment, you can book the following guest-friendly hotels (that are also close to the nightlife): Heaven @ 4Ambassador BangkokRuamchitt Plaza HotelSukhumvit 12 Suites and Sofitel Bangkok.

Meeting Thai Girls in Nightclubs
Thai Friendly is the best dating site to meet Bangkok Girls
It is actually quite difficult to meet normal Thai women within nightclubs in Bangkok, especially if you are a tourist. Don't expect to find a one night stand easily unless you are willing to pay for it.

The best and easiest way to find a girl is to connect to the dating site Thai Friendly. It is free but I recommend you to spend some money and upgrade to the premium version. It costs the price of two cocktails (20$) and it will allow you to send as many messages as you want. They have over 1 million member and at least a thousand girls online at any time. If you are a normal human being you should match with tons of girls.

What you need to do is to contact them a few days before actually arriving in Bangkok. Try to find the fun girls who like to go clubbing and party, chat with them a bit, then get as many phone/Whatsapp/Line numbers as you can. Once in Bangkok, just invite them to join you on your nights out and you're basically almost certain you'll end your night with someone.

You can create an account here: Thai Friendly - Free Sign Up.

Tourist Nightclubs in Bangkok
I will start with the nightclubs you should actually avoid. Tourist nightclubs are the worse, but unfortunately many visitors only go to these places. One of the reason is that they ask for advice to taxi drivers who get a commission on each person they bring (200THB). This is why some taxis will even offer you a free ride.

In this category, you have the following nightclubs: Shock39, Spicy, Climax, BossyEQ. CM2 was one as well but it reopened under the name Play by CM2 and I haven't been back there since. Those places are all pretty much the same: They are rather dirty, have no design, rarely organize special events, rely on an endless supply of tourists and have 99% prostitutes. The only positive thing is that they stay open later than usual (until 5am-6am). The ratio guys/girls is terrible, meaning you may struggle to find a decent looking girl, even if you are willing to pay.

You should cross them from your clubbing list unless you fit into one of these categories:
  • You love commercial music (Top 40, Hip Hop)
  • You want to find an average-looking, yet expensive hooker
  • You want to party after 3am
  • You want to party in short pants and flip flops
  • You are a 20-year old countryside boy on his first trip abroad
  • You come from a country where clubbing is forbidden
Some tourist clubs are a bit better though. In particular, you can try Mixx or Insanity. They have a similar concept (Freelancers + Tourists + Stay Open Late + Commissions to Taxi) but they are classier.

Insanity is very near from Soi Cowboy and Nana Plaza so all the girls working in gogo bars tend to visit after they finish their work. It has a nice set up, it is modern and you may meet some normal girls as well. The music is not too bad, mostly house and EDM. I like the set-up with the central podium. It is popular with Koreans and many girls seem only interested with them.

Mixx is OK as well, but quite expensive. You have two rooms there, one of which has hip hop music. It is located in the 5-star Intercontinental Hotel so the crowd is upmarket and the prostitutes more like high-class escorts (some are Russian). It closes at 5am. It is popular with expats as well.

Expat Nightclubs in Bangkok
Those bars and nightclubs are preferred by richer expats and travelers who are already familiar with the city.

Levels (on 6th Floor of Aloft Hotel, Sukhumvit Soi 11)
This nightclub almost made the tourist clubs lists. It has lots of prostitutes (pretty ones I must admit) and a mixed crowd of 30-something expats and travelers. You may still meet normal girls though, especially if you say you have a good job in Bangkok. The music is EDM and House with a hip-hop night on Sundays. A nice feature is the garden rooftop from which you can smoke. The entrance is free but drinks inside are pricey.

Cé La Vi (on 39th Floor of Sathorn Square)
Used to be called Ku De Ta. Sister branch of Cé La Vi in Singapore. This is the top high-end nightclub for expats in Bangkok at the time of writing. You need to dress sharp and bring money. It's a good place to meet other people and possibly some upper class Thai girls. If you are looking like a tourist, you can forget about it though. Hip hop ladies night on Wednesday. The music style changes often depending on guest DJs or events. There are probably high class escorts but they are discreet.

Glow (Sukhumvit 33)
A small nightclub on two floors with European techno and electronic music. It is an expat's favorite of Bangkok nightlife. You will barely see any tourists or Thai people (apart from the expat's girlfriends). Glow is recommended if you want to experience European-style clubbing.

Beam (Thonglor)
I have mixed feeling with Beam. It is a beautifully designed nightclub, with impressive lighting and smoke effects. I've rarely seen something similar elsewhere. It also has a great variety of DJs who play non-commercial electronic music and hip hop. On the negative side, it is pricey (400THB entrance) and the crowd not so friendly to be with. If you like it, you can also go to Dark Bar which is similar.

Mustache (Ratchadaphisek)
Under Belgian management, this alternative bar is one of the current hotspots in Bangkok. It is not exactly in the city center but 15 minutes away by taxi from Sukhumvit (it's a new location). The music there is similar to that of Beam or Glow but the crowd is younger and more laidback. You have two floors, including a rooftop bar. It closes late and the entrance is free.

Sing Sing TheaterMaggie Choos and Iron Fairies
Those 3 bar-clubs are similar as they all have world-class design, a chic expat crowd, good cocktails and non-commercial music. Each are worth a visit, ideally just after eating and before heading to bigger nightclubs.

Live RCA (Royal City Avenue)
Live RCA is a clubbing event space attracting major International DJs (techno, tech-house, house, EDM). They will have something different each week so it's better if you check on their Facebook beforehand. The crowd can be more or less expat depending on the DJ. Open only on weekends.

Other bars you may want to try to meet young expats: Revolucion and Oskar.

Backpacker Nightlife
Backpackers and expats on a budget normally party on Khao San Road. It is not classy but it can be fun once in a while. It is the best location to meet Western girls in Thailand.

You cannot go there directly with the BTS or MRT. It's a 120THB taxi ride from Sukhumvit. The advantage of Khao San Road is that everything is in one spot. You can just go from one bar to the other, buying cheap buckets of booze in-between.

The main nightclub is simply call "The Club". It is next to a bar called Golf which is always packed. If you cannot afford the club entrance (250THB), you can just party in the street, it's pretty much the same crowd and atmosphere. For a more rustic option, you can go to GulliverBrick Bar is also popular, but the crowd mostly Thai.

Hi-So Nightclubs in Bangkok
Hi-so (for High Society) is a popular term in Thailand to describe the richest Thais, the top 1%. If you are a 20-year old kid who owns a Porsche and dates a famous actress, then you are hi-so.

Hi-so Thais party in only a few locations in Central Bangkok: Royal City Avenue (Onyx) and Thonglor/Ekkamai (Funky Villa, Demo, Do Not Disturb). Thonglor is also where you'll find most hipster and trendy bars of Bangkok.

You will see the most beautiful Thai girls in some of these clubs, but you have very little chances with them unless you're part of a group. These girls are scared of tarnishing their reputation by mingling with foreigners. So you need to get the approval of the group first, and then you might get the approval of the girl.

In most Thai nightclubs (including the ones listed below), people party Asian/Chinese style: They book a sofa, order expensive bottles, stay within their small groups of friends, get drunk until they pass out and show off their wealth as much as they can. If you cannot book a table, you'll be squeezed and you'll struggle to get a drink from bartenders who are too busy to take care of VIP guests.

Booking a table means that you agree to spend a certain amount on alcohol. For instance, if the minimum spend to get a table is 300$, it means you can spend 300$ on bottles, mixers and food. If you are splitting the bill with several friends, it is often a better deal than buying drinks individually. Bottles in those clubs are not that expensive, THB2,000 is largely enough for a good whisky.

Dress code are enforced (and anyway you don't want to look like a tourist): No shorts, no sandals, no singlets. They always check IDs so make sure to bring your passport with you, even if you look 40. Some places will charge you more if you are a foreigner (Farang), but you'll get free drinks with your entry. 

Onyx is one of the poshiest nightclubs for Thai. It is pricey (500 THB entrance fee with a drink), yet so crowded you'll barely be able to move around. Go with friends and order bottle service. An ID is necessary to enter.

Funky Villa was one of the most famous nightclubs for rich Thai but it burnt down just a few days ago (end of June 2016). They had live Thai music with famous local bands.

Next to Funky Villa (same owner), they have EDM and a smaller bar  called "Dirty Bar" with hip hop.

Very young rich Thai crowd listening to live bands. Similar to Funky Villa.

Do Not Disturb Club (DND Club): Similar to Demo, located behind Nunglen. They have live Thai bands and EDM DJs.

You may also want to check Myst, Safehouse and Falabella.

Nightclubs for Middle Class Thai
Unlike nightclubs like Funky Villa or Onyx, you'll be more welcome here as a foreigner. Those places are among the most fun to party in Bangkok as long as you don't mind commercial music.

They are also excellent for meeting regular, non-prostitute Thai girls. Typically, this is where students and office workers party. Don't expect that everything will be easy though. The main problem is that girls are often already accompanied by some guys who are paying for their drinks. Because of this, they may not be so comfortable spending time with you within the club. The solution is either to befriend other members of her group and join the table, or to exchange numbers. The next day she should be more relaxed.

Many tourists avoid these clubs because they cannot get laid instantly. You will only have 5%-10% foreigners on average, most of which are younger expats.

I am only listing places with DJs and Western music. If you are adventurous and looking for a local experience, you'll also find many other nightclubs with a 100% Thai crowd and Thai live music, especially outside the city center.

Route 66 in RCA
Route 66 is the place to go to for down-to-earth, normal clubbing in Bangkok. It is really big, with several rooms including an EDM zone, a hip-hop room and a live music area. The crowd is middle to upper class. It has become more popular with expats because it is always crowded and easy for meeting people.

Clubs of Ratchada 4
Ratchada 4 is a small entertainment complex 10 minutes away from Sukhumvit. There are several nightclubs, bars and karaokes in one spot. Among them, you'll find Snop, Embassy MBS, HollywoodNext 7 Pub, etc.

Not too far, on Ratchada 4, you can visit the brand new MAD, which used to be Mansion7.

Brick Bar
This is a good place to party with Thai if you are in the Khao San Road area.

Narz is one of the oldest clubs in Bangkok. It used to be the place to go for hip hop but now they play mostly EDM/Trance. It is not as crowded as it used to be but on Weekends it's still OK.

Hip Hop Nightclubs in Bangkok
Bangkok has the largest hip-hop and Rn'B scene in Southeast Asia. On every given night, you have at least 5 venues to choose from that are either dedicated to hip-hop or having a special hip-hop event.

The best one is Sugar, conveniently located on Sukhumvit Soi 11. This is a NY-style nightclub where the Bangkok hip-hop community meets. There is a good mix of expats and Thai people. The entrance is quite cheap, 200THB, inclusive of a drink. Another popular choice, more high-end, is the Dirty Bar within Demo club in Thonglor.
G Club is the favorite club of the African community in Bangkok. They play hip-hop, Rn'B, Reggae and Afro music.

There is a recently new hip-hop club I didn't visit called Vibe. They stopped updating their Facebook a few months ago so I don't know if they are still open or not.

Some large nightclubs in Bangkok also have smaller rooms with hip hop or Rn'B. It is the case of Route 66 and Mixx.

Finally, Cé La Vi has a great hip hop ladies night every Wednesday and Levels has one on Sundays.

Late Night/ After Hour Nightclubs in Bangkok
The curfew policy of many Bangkok nightclubs is a big turn-off for me. The rules seem to have eased a bit the past year (you can party until 3am now), but I still find it too early.

Don't start your nights out late in Bangkok, even more so during the week. I recommend you to eat around 6pm, find a nice bar at 8pm, and hit the clubs at 11pm.

A recommended after hour club is Scratch Dog (until 6am) inside Windsor Suites Hotel. It is a place with many prostitutes but if you're lucky you can meet some normal girls as well. There is a good mix of Thai and foreign guests, including some Asian nationalities. You must pay 400THB to get in with a drink.

Even though I'm not a big hip hop fan, I would say that Sugar (mentioned above) is one of the best places for late clubbing. It closed at 6am when I went there and it had a great atmosphere with no so many hookers. People were friendly and happy to meet talk to strangers. There are some reports that the security can be racist and rough, but I haven't noticed anything special. (Update Dec 2016: Since the King died, it closes at 4am).

Mustache is closing at 6am and it is where many expats are heading for underground music. There are no prostitutes at all so if you're horny and trying to score, you should avoid. It is also a bit far.

If you are looking for a female partner, go to Insanity where you'll have the largest choice of affordable freelancers + a few normal girls. Mixx closes at 5am and have a lot of (high-class) working girls too.

Finally, tourist nightclubs like Shock39SpicyClimaxBossy and EQ are also closing late.

Free Nightclubs (No Entrance Fee) in Bangkok
If you are a guy, you must pay to get into most nightclubs in Bangkok. Girls can get for free during the ladies night (see below for a list of the best ones).

There are 2 nightclubs with free entrance that I know of. Levels and Mustache. Some Thai nightclubs like Demo are also free during the week, but they may charge a first drink to foreigners (apparently to filter the weed). Cé La Vi is free during the week but it costs 500THB on weekends.

If you are really a cheapo, you can party for free in the streets of Khao San Road. Many bars are packed with people who bought their drinks in 7-11.

Ethnic Nightclubs (Arab, African, Russian) in Bangkok
Bangkok nightlife is eclectic! There are a few ethnic nightclubs in Bangkok, near Nana Plaza in particular. I haven't been inside but I passed in front of some several times.

Arabs/Middle Eastern visitors will go to Dino Club inside Graceland Hotel (which is a girl-friendly hotel). Needless to say, it's full with hookers there. They also love to go to Shock39.

The African community gathers in G-Terminal Club that I mentioned above.

There are also some nightclubs and lounges with many prostitutes from Russia, Eastern Europe and Central Asia. For instance in Rajah Hotel, Bossy or Mixx Disco.

Japanese visitors tend to stay near Sukhumvit Soi 33 as there are several Japanese style massage parlours there (nuru massage). They also go to Thermae in the basement of the Ruamchitt Plaza Hotel where many freelancers can be found.

Asian clubbers from Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan and Hong Kong tend to stick to the Thai nightclubs in RCA or Thonglor.

Gogo Bars
Almost all the gogo clubs in Bangkok can be found in just 3 locations: Nana Plaza, Soi Cowboy and Patpong. If you are confused about where to go: Nana Plaza is the largest complex, Soi Cowboy is the hottest, Patpong is the trashiest. You can walk from Soi Cowboy to Nana Plaza in 15 minutes, and go from both to Patpong in 15 minutes by taxi (or public transport).

In each of these, you have dozens of gogo bars, one after the other. To the undiscerning visitor, they may all look the same, but a regular could tell you the differences between each. Some will feature topless girls, some will have naked girls, some allow you to touch the girls, some have special shows, some have ladyboys, some have older girls, some are for Japanese, etc.

You are usually sitting down in a circle and looking at the girls. You can ask to talk with one and buy her ladies drink. She may also go home with you if she agrees. In this case, you must compensate the bar with a bar fine. It is best to visit gogo bars early in the evening, ideally around 7pm or 8pm, because the prettiest girls haven't been booked out already.

I've listed the hottest gogo bars in Bangkok in the following review: Top Nude Gogo Bars in Bangkok. If you are too lazy to open the link, I recommend you to try Baccara and Crazy House in Soi Cowboy, Spanky's in Nana Plaza, Black Pagoda in Patpong.

High-Class Gentlemen's Clubs in Bangkok
If you have both money and a taste for exceptionally gorgeous ladies, you may want to avoid the average gogo bars scene of Nana Plaza, Patpong or Soi Cowboy. Bangkok has several high-class gentlemen's clubs spread all over the city where you are almost assured to lose your head at the sight of dozens of scantily-clad hotties.

In Bangkok, the term "Gentlemen's Club" is used to describe a kind of hostess bars with coyote shows, where most clients are "members". To become a member, you must buy in advance several bottles of alcohol that you can use within a year. The prices aren't that high if you are a regular: At The Pimp for instance, with 550$ you get membership + 12 whisky bottles. If you go there with 4 friends and drink 2 bottles in total, you will have spent less than 30$ each on alcohol for your night out (and then you have to do it 5 more times during the year).

Without a membership, it is unfortunately expensive. In the best gentlemen's clubs, a non-member can expect to spend up to 200$ between the entrance fee, the drinks (for you and your hostess) and the tips. Again, you'll save a lot of money if you buy a bottle so go there with a few friends.

Girls in those clubs usually make enough money with commissions they get from drinks so they aren't really interested to sleep with you. Your chances of taking one back home are slim, or you'll need to spend a crazy amount of money. 

If your budget is limited, you can go to an upmarket gogo bars instead like Baccara or Black Pagoda. The best ones have a great selection of girls and a luxurious atmosphere. It is much easier to barfine someone there as well.

Here are a few recommendations for gentlemen's clubs in Bangkok: Kush Mansion, Sherbet & Pianoforte, The Pimp, Monte Carlo and Vegas.

Best Venues to Pick Up Girls
It really depends on what you are looking for: Paid sex, free one-night stand or relationship.

For paid sex, the best places are certainly the gogo bars, Mixx club and Insanity.

For one night stand, you need to find Westernized Thai girls. I'd recommend Cé La ViSugar and Levels.

For relationships, the best places are Route 66, Live RCA and the clubs of Ratchada 4.

Best Nightclubs for Each Day of The Week
Best Nightclubs for Monday: OnyxInsanityMixx
Best Nightclubs for Tuesday: LevelsSugar
Best Nightclubs for Wednesday: Cé La ViDemo
Best Nightclubs for Thursday: Route 66Levels, Ratchada 4
Best Nightclubs for Weekends: Anywhere is busy
Best Nightclubs for Sunday: InsanityLevels

Best Ladies Night in Bangkok
The best ladies4 night in Bangkok is on Wednesdays at Cé La Vi from 9pm to midnight. Girls get a free flow of sparkling wine. They also have a Free Flow wine on Saturday from 9pm to 11pm.

Levels has a great one on Sundays: Girls get 3 free drinks before midnight and all-night-long 99THB cocktails.

Insanity has a ladies night on Sundays: Girls get 2 free drinks and if they come by 4, they get a free bottle of sparkling wine.

In Hi-So in So Sofitel Bangkok, girls get a free glass of Champagne from 8pm to 11pm.

In Bangkok Betty, girls get 3 free drinks before 9pm

Any questions about clubbing in Bangkok? Please write a message below and I'll try to answer it. Photocredit: Win Photos.

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