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There’s a version of Thailand that exists purely on screen: a jagged limestone island hiding a villain, a beach so perfect it sends backpackers wild, a rooftop bar where four strangers wake up with no memory of the night before. None of it is fake, exactly. Somewhere along the way, though, the line between ‘shot here’ and ‘must go here’ blurred – and Thailand’s tourism board took notice. This isn’t a list of films that happened to use Thailand as scenery. Plenty have, and most changed nothing. This is about the handful that did: the ones that turned a cinema seat into a boarding pass and a scene into a bucket-list photo, before the government eventually stopped watching from the sidelines and started engineering the effect. Call it set-jetting or film-induced tourism; either way, films have been shaping Thai travel itineraries since 1957. 1957: the film that renamed a river Photograph: The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)The set-jetting guide to Thailand Start with the strangest case of all: it wasn’t even filmed in Thailand. The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) was shot in Sri Lanka, won  seven Oscars and told a heavily fictionalised story of the Death Railway – the brutal Second World War line built by Allied prisoners of war and Asian labourers under Japanese occupation, whose construction killed well over 100,000 people. Photograph: Niels MickersThe set-jetting guide to Thailand   Then came the real plot twist. The bridge is in Kanchanaburi, but the river was never called the Kwai: it was the Mae Klong, running through the Khwae valley. Tourists arrived anyway, repeatedly asking for ‘the real Bridge on the River Kwai’, until Thai authorities renamed the relevant stretch Khwae Yai in the 1960s to match the film’s fiction. Photograph: Supanut ArunoprayoteThe set-jetting guide to Thailand   This was no marketing campaign or tour operator’s branding trick, but an act of state cartography triggered by tourists who had seen a film and wouldn’t stop asking. The whole set-jetting story is there in one renamed river. The bridge still stands, trains cross it daily and the whistled Colonel Bogey March still plays in visitors’ heads before they have even boarded. 1974: a villain’s lair lands on the tour map Photograph: The Man with the Golden Gun (1974)The set-jetting guide to Thailand Producer Cubby Broccoli spotted an odd little island in a magazine and decided Bond needed to duel there. Photograph: Pexels – Satheesh CholakkalThe set-jetting guide to Thailand Khao Phing Kan – twin limestone islands with the 20-metre rock spike Ko Tapu jutting up beside them – had barely seen a tourist before The Man with the Golden Gun (1974) made it Scaramanga’s lair. Locals called it Ko Phing Kan. Everyone else began calling it James Bond Island, and the new name all but eclipsed the old one. Photograph: Pexels – Satheesh CholakkalThe set-jetting guide to Thailand The scale today says it all. Phang Nga Bay, the wider stretch of water surrounding the island, now draws more than 4.1 million visitors a year. Speedboat and long-tail operators run three or four departures daily from Phuket alone, many built around a 40-minute stop at a rock made famous by a film of more than 50 years ago. Photograph: Tomorrow Never Dies (1997)The set-jetting guide to Thailand Pierce Brosnan’s Bond returned to Phang Nga Bay in Tomorrow Never Dies (1997), reinforcing the franchise’s claim on the location. Tourists standing on that beach today are there because of a producer’s magazine clipping: the geology hasn’t changed a bit. 2000: the beach loved into a closure Photograph: The Beach (2000)The set-jetting guide to Thailand The Beach (2000) is the one everyone half-remembers: DiCaprio, Danny Boyle and a hidden lagoon at Maya Bay on Ko Phi Phi Leh that looked too perfect to be real. Less remembered are the brutally clear before-and-after figures. Photograph: Wikipedia – MikecleggphotoThe set-jetting guide to Thailand Before the film, Maya Bay received fewer than 1,000 visitors a day. By 2018, estimates put the figure at 5,000 to 8,000, arriving on flotillas of speedboats from Phuket and Phi Phi Don. One travel writer called it ‘the Instagram boom’: tourists came to stand where DiCaprio had stood and post the same view. Photograph: Wikipedia – Oceanquest1The set-jetting guide to Thailand The damage went far beyond visitor numbers. Coral cover fell from around 70-80% intact to just 8% alive by the time the bay closed. The Thai government shut it completely in June 2018, initially for four months and then indefinitely; it remained closed for more than three years. In a twist possible only because of a film, Thailand’s Supreme Court later upheld a settlement requiring 20th Century Studios – the production company behind The Beach – to contribute 10 million baht to the bay’s rehabilitation. When Maya Bay reopened in 2022, boats were banned from anchoring in the bay, swimming was prohibited and daily visitor numbers were capped at 4,125 a day, admitted in timed one-hour slots. A film sold a beach so effectively that saving it meant legally limiting how many people could buy a ticket.     2011: the rooftop pose that won’t quit Photograph: The Hangover Part II (2011)The set-jetting guide to Thailand The Hangover Part II (2011) turned Bangkok’s chaos into the joke – and travellers into willing participants in recreating it, quite literally. Photograph: lebuaThe set-jetting guide to Thailand Sky Bar at lebua, glimpsed in a helicopter shot in the film, still serves the Hangovertini: green tea liqueur, apple juice, Martini Rosso and rosemary honey, mixed specially for the cast. More than a decade later, it remains the most-ordered drink on the menu. The real evidence is on TikTok. Search ‘Hangover staircase Bangkok’ and you’ll find a genre of its own: travellers descending Sirocco’s sweeping staircase in the film’s exact pose. Captions include ‘worth the flight just for this shot,’ ‘POV: you couldn't visit Lebua without doing the Hangover pose’, while one #hangoverchallenge group declared, ‘I'm pretty sure we won this trend.’ 2012: the film that put a university on guard Photograph: Lost in Thailand (2012)The set-jetting guide to Thailand For the most measurable case in this story, look to Lost in Thailand (2012).The scrappy US$5 million Chinese road comedy went largely unnoticed in the West but became, on release, the highest-grossing domestic film in Chinese cinema history, earning more than US$200 million. It was shot almost entirely around Chiang Mai. Photograph: Beijing Enlight PicturesThe set-jetting guide to Thailand The numbers moved fast: Chiang Mai’s airport recorded a 28% jump in passenger traffic within months of release, while the city’s Chinese visitor count rose from around 70,000 in 2011 to roughly 80,000 in 2012, before the real surge. Chiang Mai tourism officials later described visitor numbers as trebling, while Chinese arrivals across Thailand roughly doubled year on year to an estimated 4.6 million by 2013. Photograph: Lost in Thailand (2012)The set-jetting guide to Thailand The behavioural evidence is even better. Chiang Mai University – a working campus, not a tourist attraction – became such a magnet for fans re-enacting scenes that visitors sneaked into lectures, pitched a tent beside the university lake and swamped the cafeteria. Eventually, the university began charging admission and installed extra security to manage the crowds. Standard Tour, a local operator, told reporters the film ‘really promoted Thailand as a fantastic holiday destination’, while academics have since made it a textbook case of one comedy reshaping a country’s outbound travel patterns. No film here has a cleaner data trail – or a stranger consequence than a university forced to check IDs at its own gates. 2018: when a soap opera revived court dress Photograph: Love Destiny (2018)The set-jetting guide to Thailand Thai TV doesn’t need Hollywood’s help to move people. Bupphesanniwat, released internationally as Love Destiny (2018), is a time-travel romance set in 17th-century Ayutthaya. Within weeks of its debut, local tourism officials were reporting precise results at Wat Chaiwatthanaram: an average weekend footfall jumped from around 3,300 visitors to more than 9,000, with 5,773 people through the gates on one Sunday alone. The Ayutthaya governor coined a nickname for the chaos – ‘Bupphealawart’  – blending the show’s name with the Thai word for pandemonium. Photograph: Average trinmoThe set-jetting guide to Thailand What visitors did on arrival is the fun part. They rented full 17th-century court dress from roadside shops that sprang up opposite the temple, then posed among the ruins like the show’s characters. The trend spread beyond Ayutthaya: government officials wore traditional Thai dress to work, while people arrived at government offices in full costume to have their national ID photos taken. Hotels joined in too. Hotel Indigo Bangkok now runs a ‘Borrowed by Hotel Indigo’ programme, lending guests Thai outfits for Ayutthaya day trips. It’s the clearest example here of a screen hit not merely selling a place, but reviving a style of national dress dormant for a generation. 2025: the show Thailand planned for Photograph: The White Lotus (2025)The set-jetting guide to Thailand Then The White Lotus (2025) landed in Koh Samui. For the first time in this story, Thailand wasn’t reacting to a surprise; it was executing a plan. TAT had already launched a dedicated ‘SetJetters’ website, having watched Hawaii and Sicily absorb the same effect of the show’s first two seasons. Maui alone saw Four Seasons booking enquiries jump 400% after season one aired. Four Seasons Koh Samui searches spiked 65%, and the brand's Thailand bookings rose 68% year on year. Book a stay at the actual resort – the hillside sanctuary and PlaPla restaurant are the same ones the show shot in. The pivot: Thailand stopped waiting to get lucky That readiness marks the real shift. TAT now runs a formal ‘Location Thailand’ strategy centred on set-jetting, offering cash rebates to international productions, fast-tracking filming permits and flying in press and influencers to follow the exact routes seen on screen. Photograph: Jurassic World: Rebirth (2025)The set-jetting guide to Thailand   When Jurassic World: Rebirth (2025) filmed across Krabi, Phang Nga and Trang, TAT didn’t wait to see whether tourists would follow. Before the film even opened, it flew in the director and cast for a media tour, treating the production itself as a marketing campaign. Foreign shoots generated more than 6 billion baht in Thailand in 2025, and the country is now pushing for Krabi to join UNESCO’s Creative Cities Network as an official ‘City of Film’. The real filming spots are all open to visit – Khao Phanom Bencha National Park, Huai To Waterfall and Railay Beach in Krabi, plus Koh Kradan in Trang. The tall grass field near Man Khao Farm in Krabi didn't exist naturally – director Gareth Edwards had the whole seven-acre field specially grown in Thab Prik because Thailand doesn't really grow grass that tall. Visit the real filming spots at Khao Phanom Bencha National Park, Huai To Waterfall and Railay Beach, or Koh Kradan in Trang. Photograph: Jurassic World: Rebirth (2025)The set-jetting guide to Thailand The pattern repeats even where nobody has measured it properly. Bollywood has fuelled its own version since Kaho Naa… Pyaar Hai (2000) used Krabi’s islands as a honeymoon backdrop. By the director’s own account, the crew had to bunk with villagers because Krabi had just one hotel with eight rooms at the time. Photograph: Kaho Naa… Pyaar Hai (2000)The set-jetting guide to Thailand A quarter of a century later, Indian couples still visit the same stretch of coast, posting captions such as ‘at the place where Kaho Naa… Pyaar Hai came alive’. There’s no tourism board data behind it – just people who saw a song sequence 25 years ago and never stopped wanting to stand in it.  That’s the arc of this story: from a river renamed to keep pace with a film’s fiction to a tourism board treating a Hollywood shooting schedule as a strategic asset. Thailand went from being wherever the story happened to land to actively writing itself into the next one. At some point, somebody realised the fastest way to sell a plane ticket isn’t a brochure; it’s a scene people can’t stop thinking about.

Everyone knows Bangkok can be cheap. Eat local food all day, walk everywhere and stick to free attractions and, yes, B500 will probably get you pretty far. But that's a little too easy. I wanted to see if B500 could actually get you a proper day out. The goal: Spend a day out on the town, enjoy three good meals, get around without walking half the city, pick up something sweet and see the best the city has to offer at the lowest possible price. For me, the day started in Silom. My journey took me to Siam, around the sights, to more food spots than you’d expect and with enough to get me back again for dinner. I took Grab bikes, swapped predictably cheap Thai food for some rather ridiculous fries at lunch and even squeezed in a cookie along the way. There was a lot more besides, but I'll break it down below. Here's how far B500 got me on a day out in Bangkok. Small budget, big appetite.

I just moved here, and I thought that would be the hardest part. Turns out belonging is a whole other battle.  Even in the social hubbub of Bangkok, making friends as an adult is hard, so I’ve turned to hobbies. Think of them as little whimsical side quests around Bangkok: no social pressure, no commitments, no need to be particularly good at anything. Just show up as you are, try something new and see where it takes you.   Maybe you’ll meet a like-minded friend. Maybe you’ll come out the other side with a new favourite pastime. Or maybe you’ll spend two hours awkwardly making some wonky trinket that doesn’t work properly but you’ve had a great time making it anyway. Worst case, you’ll have a funny story to look back on. Welcome to ‘hobbymaxxing’ in Bangkok. A series about trying new things, facing (social) fears and making new memories, one hobby at a time. First up: journalling. Trading your phone for a pen Journalling seems like a good place to start, even if it’s quite personal (so much for making new friends!). It’s low-entry, low-pressure and requires very little commitment beyond finding somewhere to sit and putting pen to paper, essentially. And in a city that’s always rushing to get caught in traffic, there’s something quite nice about deliberately doing the opposite. Find somewhere to slow down, open your notebook and scribble your thoughts. Serious ones or complete nonsense. Photograph: I found something goodEverything to Journaling

This isn’t a guidebook, and nothing here is ranked. These are eight places we visited for one very specific, sometimes slightly odd reason – a coffee shop, a guitar store, a Buddha with a secret. Each time, that reason turned out to be the smallest part of the story. Treat the excuses below as a starting point: we’ve dug into what’s actually waiting once you walk through the door.

Somewhere around the third rewatch of a LISA video, it hits you: that alley looks extremely familiar. Bangkok has been moonlighting as one of pop’s favourite film sets – and not in a ‘look at our skyline’ way. Directors keep returning for the stranger stuff: abandoned malls, brutalist office blocks, a fire station and a night market full of second-hand engine parts. Something about the city’s particular brand of decay photographs beautifully. And it isn’t only K-pop, although K-pop has clearly got the memo. Troye Sivan shot much of ‘Got Me Started’ here. Agust D wandered through Chinatown’s old scrap-metal quarter for one of his most stripped-back visuals. LOONA treated the whole city like a mood board in 2020. The Thailand Film Office counted 26 international music-video shoots during the first eight months of 2024 alone – nine of them South Korean. Bangkok isn’t merely a backdrop any more; it’s practically a recurring cast member. So here’s the tour: the buildings, streets and rooftops you’ve spotted without knowing it, and the songs that put them on screen.

You’ve probably walked past them, posed for a photo on the way to check-in. The towering, fanged, brilliantly colourful giants across Suvarnabhumi’s fourth-floor departure hall have watched over travellers for two decades. They may look like elaborate airport decorations, but there’s much more to them . Each of the 12 statues is a named character from the Ramakien, Thailand’s national epic and retelling of the Indian Ramayana. These giants – known as yak, or Yaksha – appear on both sides of the war between the noble Phra Ram and the ten-headed demon king Tosakan. Tosakan’s abduction of Phra Ram’s wife, Sida, sets off a battle involving armies, magic weapons and supernatural powers . Suvarnabhumi’s statues are replicas of figures at Wat Phra Kaew, the Temple of the Emerald Buddha. In Thai belief, giants like these have long guarded temple gates, keeping evil spirits from crossing the threshold. Airports of Thailand placed them at the airport in the same protective tradition, watching over travellers as they depart and return home . Face colour, weapon and posture identify each giant, along with a distinct rank and backstory. Walk the row from one end of the departure hall to the other and it becomes a roll call of the Ramakien’s giant cast .

Rainy days get a bad reputation, but for those inclined to embrace them, they can feel more like an invitation than an inconvenience. Bangkok in the rain has a mood all its own. It doesn't slow down. If anything, it tilts towards moodiness, romance and the kind of afternoon that calls for something more deliberate than scrolling on your sofa. Not every grey sky needs fixing. Sometimes it just changes the pace. Luckily, Bangkok rewards the indoors. From craft workshops and art exhibitions to live Muay Thai, escape rooms and low-lit jazz bars, here are the best ways to spend a rainy day well.

Bangkok has given you temples, rooftop bars and enough street food to plan an entire trip around. But the city also has one of Southeast Asia’s stranger collections of curiosities: mostly museums, though a shrine and a snake farm have muscled their way in too. Some are macabre. Some are melancholy. Some are simply odd in ways that are hard to explain. All are worth your time, especially once you've done the obvious.

Some of Bangkok’s best experiences cost nothing at all. They sit in plain sight between office towers, hide inside old neighbourhoods or unfold in front of people who pass them every day without really looking. If your idea of a good weekend leans towards wandering without much of a plan and lingering just long enough to people-watch, start here.

Old Town Bangkok makes you move like you have all the time in the world. It sits in the Phra Nakhon district, which literally means ‘royal city’. Here, things move at their own inherited pace, not the calculated slow of somewhere trying to be quaint, but the rhythm of a place that’s simply always existed this way. Rattanakosin Island, as it’s also called, sits snugly between the Chao Phraya and a maze of canals. Before Bangkok became the kind of city where ancient temples back onto phone repair shops, this was ground zero. Since 1782, lives have been building up here, one generation on top of another. The density’s part of the charm. This neighbourhood still holds its weight – you can feel it was once the centre of everything.   Photograph: Maksim Romashkin The Grand Palace, Wat Pho, Wat Arun: the big three temples holding down the district, the giant guardians still on duty. Holy ground that hasn't been museumed. There’s a faint smell in some alleys, jasmine mixed with coconut from street snacks that’ve been made the exact same way for decades. Tuk-tuks navigate impossibly narrow passages. They shouldn’t fit, but they always do. Bangkok’s racing ahead naturally, but somehow nothing that shaped this corner ever really disappears. The river flows. The flower market opens before dawn, same as it has for generations. People here just move differently, so you end up flowing through the neighbourhood in an oft-paused, wandering manner. You don’t even realise you’re doing it. What’s it known for?   Photograph: Wisnu Phaewchimplee A spiritual island. Old Town with a time zone of its own, held there by the water. Glass towers shot up everywhere else in the city, but this place didn’t fight it. Didn’t make a big show of staying the same either. Motor shops upgrade their equipment. New coffee spots and international restaurants squeeze in between the old storefronts. All of it peaceful, moving slow, together. Why do locals love it? Mostly because the real texture lives in the mundane rituals: shophouses keeping their original bones while cracks of change let modern concepts in. It’s a place where people hunt down a specific person for that specific something, with no aesthetic agenda, just the ordinary machinery of days cycling forward. Walkability exists here too. You just end up on foot somehow, navigating the area. And that matters more than it sounds, especially in a city like Bangkok, where sprawl keeps pushing everything further apart and highways and high-rises slice the map into isolated fragments. Being able to walk from point A to B without a strategy session is rare. How do I get to the area? First option is to take the MRT and get off at Sanam Chai station, where the design itself references temple architecture, a design choice that telegraphs location before anyone’s cleared the escalator. The boats matter though. There’s something about pulling up to Old Town by river that has this half-awake quality to it, riverside living with clothes airing out to dry, longtail boats and those wake patterns they leave when passing you. Walking then water, or the reverse, either direction opens up the neighbourhood properly.  Chao Phraya Express Boats run on coloured flags: blue for visitors, orange for everyday commuters, yellow for peak-hour runs and green-yellow for selective stops. Anyone can board any line, though blue boats angle themselves towards exploration: B150 unlocks unlimited pier-hopping for the day, or it’s B30 for a one-way shot. Tha Tien, Tha Chang and Tha Phra Athit are among the pier names worth knowing. Taxis and Grab handle the broader streets until the lanes pinch down to barely two people wide. Bicycles are everywhere! Locals navigate by instinct. Rental bikes lean against corners, green Anywheel scooters are lined up in their zones. If you could only do one thing A longtail boat ride through the khlongs while Bangkok’s water neighbourhoods are still rubbing sleep from their eyes. At Tha Tien or Phra Athit pier: you’re looking at B1,500-2,000 per boat. Most operators stick to their 9am schedules, timed for tour groups. But ask around a day early and a few cool captains will meet you in the dark and take you along on their everyday rides.

If getting lost is a prerequisite to good travel, Songkhla disorientates in all the right ways.  Ramvithi Road, where mini-vans drop off travellers from Hat Yai for B34, looks like any main road in Thailand. But as you stroll into the Old Town, you’ll soon be wondering which country, and into which century, you might have stumbled. North of the City Gate, past the golden-domed Banbon Mosque that anchors a community where Thai-Chinese and Muslims live side-by-side, rows of antique shophouses simply ooze charm. The Taoist temples and clan academies signpost the old Chinese quarter, while Wat Yang Thong, a redolent Thai temple complex near the city walls, marks the northern periphery of old Songkhla.  Photograph: Thomas Bird This unique cosmopolitanism is the product of commerce and conquest down the centuries. First established as the seat of the ancient Malay kingdom of Langkasuka, between the 10th and 14th centuries, Singora, ‘the lion city’ as it was known, emerged as an entrepot, attracting traders from India, Java, China and Persia. By the early 17th century, the Sultanate of Singora had taken shape, flourishing until 1680, when a protracted war with the Siamese saw the besieged city abandoned.    Under Siamese suzerainty, a settlement grew-up just across the strait from old Singora, which has subsequently thrived as a hub of fishing, attracting Chinese merchants to its bountiful shores.  Although Hat Yai has surpassed Songkhla in size and prestige, the provincial capital’s heritage and unique location on an isthmus between the Gulf of Thailand and Songkhla Lake, lend it a new lease of life as a tourist locale.

Bangkok holds its breath a little tighter through this January 10-15 stretch, said to be the worst of it. The air isn't moving, ventilation is weak and everything just hangs there: car exhaust, emissions, all of it stagnant and heavy. Authorities say PM2.5 levels will keep climbing until winds from the Gulf push through around January 17-18 and clear ‘some’ of this out. On the maps many districts show up orange bleeding into red, which means hazardous for everyone, not just those with asthma or underlying conditions. The worst-hit district as of January 12 is Pathum Wan at 49.9 micrograms per cubic metre. To put that in perspective, the World Health Organization (WHO) sets a health-based guideline of 15 micrograms per cubic metre for 24-hour exposure. See the districts taking the hardest hit here. So, we adapt. It's about keeping your lungs intact but also keeping those orange-to-red maps from consuming every waking thought. Right now the numbers stay put until the winds shift. Here's the adaptation playbook so far.

Go on first dates today, be coupled up by Valentine's! We know first dates can feel like a soft performance, so you might as well choose a decent stage. Let the pilot episode lean rom-com, not horror. You want somewhere with enough going on. Places with things to look at, little moments that naturally spark conversations. It should feel intimate enough for a blink-and-you-forget-the-rest-of-the-world moment, but not so secluded it gets weird. Sometimes the best dates cost nothing, just like the best people! Here's where to go when you're actually trying to see them again (and again).

New year, new you. Sure. But what about that anger you’re still hauling around? The stuff that didn’t get the fresh start memo. It’s just sitting there, or worse, popping off at random over something small that you know isn’t even the actual issue. You could journal it out. Meditate. Talk to someone. But if you need to actually move the feeling through your body, that’s what this list is for. Important note: nobody’s condoning actual violence here. But there are places built specifically for this – controlled, legal, supervised. Bangkok and the surrounding areas have spots where you can smash things designed to be smashed, hit bags that exist to be hit, move hard and fast enough that the anger just flies out.  Here’s where to take it when the talking part stops working. Better than letting it leak out sideways into your actual life where people don’t deserve it!

We were honoured when Time Out tapped us to curate this definitive guide to Bangkok’s best new bars. Our story is simple: what began as an after-work ritual of sharing drinks organically grew into the Paikapai (@paikapai.official), or ‘Let’s go!’ community. It started as a way to answer friends’ constant questions – ‘Where is that beautiful bar? Are the drinks any good?’ – and remains a way to share the places we genuinely love. Our process is just as organic. We don’t rely on insider tips; our main tool is our own two feet. We walk the city, pay attention to a corner of a soi under construction, and feel the buzz of something new. When it opens, we’re there as regular customers – first and foremost. Even our photography follows this ethos. We always order a drink first, soak in the atmosphere, and only when the artistic mood strikes do we capture the moments we love, simply on our phones. This isn’t a job for us – it’s our lifestyle. Every day brings a different mood, and for each one, a bar is often the answer. It’s in these spaces that we’ve learned the most, simply by observing the incredible ‘diversity’ of people. By watching the focused bartenders, the diligent staff, and the customers’ stories unfold, we’ve realised you’re never truly alone in a good bar. You’re surrounded by friends – some you know, and many you just haven’t met yet. So when assessing a bar for this list, we look beyond the menu. The primary criterion is the atmosphere – does it feel cosy? Is it a place you can truly relax? After that comes excellent cocktails and warm, genuine service, which tie the whole experience together. Right now, the city’s bar scene is electric. We’re seeing a wave of creativity, with bartenders championing local ingredients in Thai gin and rum, and pushing boundaries with cocktails like the unforgettable ‘Fossil Fuel’ at Wasteland. We’ve also seen how great bars can transform a neighbourhood – just look at Soi Nana in Yaowarat, which has blossomed into a global destination. We believe this energy comes from a core part of our identity: Thais love to gather, and when combined with the city’s cosmopolitan vibe, it creates a cocktail culture that’s truly world-class. It’s with this in mind – as observers, customers and lovers of this city – that we share our list. Let’s go! Want to know why these bars made the cut? A dedicated podcast drops in October. Subscribe to our new YouTube channel to be the first to know.

Time Out asked me to write a list of my favourite new cafes, and as I started to put it together, I found myself thinking back on how this all began. For the past eight years, my passion has been exploring Bangkok’s coffee scene. It started simply because I’ve always loved coffee. When I had a full-time job, I'd spend my weekends searching for interesting new cafes. Every time I discovered a place with delicious coffee or beautiful decor, I felt a spark of inspiration and didn't want to keep it to myself. Sharing those moments on Instagram became my way of documenting these small, joyful discoveries. It’s been my personal gallery, and I'm still amazed that so many people have followed along on this journey with me. Over the years, people have always asked me, ‘How do you find all these new cafes?’ There's no one answer. Back in the day, I was part of a group of ‘cafe hoppers,’ and we’d share new spots with each other. I'm also lucky to have friends in the design world who sometimes give me a heads-up about a new project they're working on. For everything else, it’s a mix of my own methods: scouring hashtags, checking my social media feeds, and sometimes, I just stumble upon a new place while I’m out exploring. Visiting so many places has taught me a lot. The most important lesson is that passion is an incredible source of energy. I love talking to baristas and owners, and in those conversations, I always see the dedication that drives them. Whether it’s their love for coffee, their meticulous attention to detail, or the sheer courage it takes to open a cafe in a city as competitive as Bangkok, that passion is what makes a place special. When I evaluate a cafe, the coffee always comes first. That’s the key factor that determines if I’ll go back. It's not just about a delicious flavour; I look at the creativity of the menu and the thought process behind the selection of beans. The ambiance comes second, because I truly believe that great coffee tastes even better in a great atmosphere. I've seen firsthand how a beautiful cafe can transform a neighborhood. The Song Wat area is a perfect example. It used to be a quiet, historic neighbourhood, but now, with over 20 cafes and more on the way, it's buzzing with life. These cafes have shone a spotlight on the area, drawing in new crowds, from young people to tourists. This small change has brought a new energy to the community, and it's inspiring to see. My photography is something I’m often asked about, but honestly, there's no fixed technique. I just feel a connection with a certain angle or moment and I take the shot. I try to capture a sense of naturalness and movement. I look for the perfect timing, like when the light hits the room just right, or a barista is pouring a perfect latte. I love warm, brown tones – they just feel right for cafes. My style is also heavily influenced by the movies I watch, especially the work of directors like Wes Anderson, whose use of symmetry and composition I find really inspiring. So what motivates me to keep exploring almost every day? It’s simple: I have fun. The city is always changing – the light, the colours, the mood of the people. And every time I discover a new corner or a new cafe, it feels like I've found a fresh burst of inspiration for my own life. Bangkok’s love for coffee isn't just a trend; it's a reflection of the city itself. In a place that’s often chaotic and stressful, a cafe is a small space to breathe. It’s a moment of simple happiness. A cafe isn't just a place to buy coffee; for many of us, it’s a safe space to work, read, meet friends, or just be alone with our thoughts. This love for cafes also speaks to a new generation's appreciation for quality and experience. We no longer just drink coffee; we choose it. We choose it based on the origin, the brewing method and the story of the cafe itself. And of course, social media plays a huge role. A beautiful cafe and a great cup of coffee have become a part of our lifestyle that we want to share. This has pushed cafe owners to pay even more attention to every detail – the lighting, the design, and the entire customer experience. I'm excited to share my list with you and hope you find as much joy in visiting these places as I did in discovering them.

The Museum Star 2025 awards have just been launched by the National Discovery Museum Institute to spotlight the venues that truly shine. The winners were chosen not just for their collections, but for their overall vibe – from excellent service to a truly unique and welcoming experience for guests. Only 10 pioneering Bangkok institutions made the inaugural list, giving them a well-deserved badge of excellence. Consider your next cultural outing sorted.  Here are 10 award-winning spots to check out now.

Finding a proper bagel in Bangkok used to be a real mission according to my dad and uncle, self proclaimed ‘bagel scholars’. Now they reckon ‘we're spoilt for choice’, which is great news! New York’s thick chewy bad boys and Montreal’s sweeter rings are everywhere now plus some wildcard geniuses doing Thai fusion.  The bagel situation escalated quickly. You’ve got the OGs who gambled on bagels when nobody even knew if Bangkok cared, the pandemic bakers who got a bit too into their lockdown hobby and never looked back and the Singaporean vets with battle-tested recipes. Here are all the bagel joints you knead to know.

Bangkok’s climbing scene is having a moment and the city’s walls are no longer reserved for hardcore climbers. With a new wave of urban bouldering gyms and sleek rope walls opening across the city, the sport’s appeal is clear: physical challenge, mental focus and a social vibe that spin classes can’t quite touch. Whether you’re a total noob looking for a weekend thrill, on the search for a quirky first date idea, or already chalking up for your next V6, there’s a gym out there for you.  

What is it? A lifestyle brand you won’t be able to resist with its playful colour combinations, cheerful patterns and little charms designed to make everyday life a little more fun. Why we love it: Thailand is home to the brand’s first and only overseas store, Tagi. Sabaai House. The space is a one-of-a-kind, cosy little escape inspired by Thailand’s tropical greenery, with bamboo weaving and textiles throughout. Think a traditional Thai wooden ‘baan’ (house), but with a colourful, cute twist.  Expect colourful and patterned accessories that’ll brighten up your daily routine, from seriously cute water bottles that might get you overhydrating to hair accessories, phone cases and many more things you’ll want to add to your everyday rotation. The Bangkok store even comes with its own character: Elly. A young artist elephant who has just made Thailand her new home. An elephant in Thailand feels like a pretty perfect match. Cliche? Yes, but we love her all the same. Time Out tip: The employees gave us the inside scoop: the makeup pouches are the store’s bestsellers. So much so that even people who don’t wear makeup pick them up to use as lunch bags – although there’s no insulation, so pack accordingly. New drops and designs arrive roughly every three months, so there’s always something new to discover. Keep an eye out for the latest grey Elly elephant, an exclusive design available only in Thailand. Location: centralwOrld, second floor, Eden zone

What is it? Not official, but we’re pretty sure the ‘W’ stands for warehouse. And once you step inside, the name starts to make sense: clothes, clothes and more clothes, stretching out in every direction, neatly arranged by color like a very fashionable rainbow. Why we love it: The vibe is unapologetically Gen Z, with racks packed with Y2K-inspired pieces, casual streetwear and easy everyday fits. Think cool-girl basics, low-effort-but-somehow-put-together outfits and plenty of pieces you can mix, match and throw into your wardrobe rotation. Thailand is the brand’s first Southeast Asian location, and we’re ready to shop until we drop. Time Out tip: Eat before you go, and maybe save this for your final shopping stop of the day. Trust us, you’re going to need both hands for the bags you’ll be carrying out. Location: Siam Center, ground floor (Opening very soon)

What is it? A British-inspired vintage bakery starring the unmistakable ‘Bagel the Dog’ logo. Step inside and the stone walls, hanging pots and rustic details instantly transport you to a little London bakery.  Why we love it: The smell of freshly baked goods wafts through the space, with irresistible rows of breads, pastries, pretzels, egg tarts, scones, croissants and cakes making it feel like you’ve stepped straight into bread heaven. Add on some irresistibly cute packaging and a rather photogenic storefront and AMAM Lonbakery Town has all the ingredients of a viral bakery worth travelling for. What's more, Thailand is currently its first and only overseas location, so consider this your excuse to book the ‘flight’. ‘Ole Bagel is waiting. Time Out tip: No tips on what to order because you really can’t go wrong. But their Bagel dog-themed homeware and merchandise are just as good as the baked goods, making for a memorable souvenir to take home since you can’t exactly take the pastries home with you. Location: Siam Paragon, ground floor floor (Opening September 2026)

What is it? By now, you should all know about POP MART. But did you know this is POP MART’s first café outside China? Your favourite art-toy characters come out of the box and onto your plate, created in collaboration with Thai café brand Greyhound Café. Why we love it: The café serves up desserts, drinks and popsicles all inspired by some of its most iconic characters, including LABUBU, SKULLPANDA, MOLLY, PUCKY, CRYBABY, DIMOO, HIRONO and more. Even the popsicles come packaged like a POP MART toy box, so you can pick your favourite character and flavour without the blind-box gamble.   Time Out tip: Head there early and reserve your table first to avoid the notorious queues. There’s a TV screen displaying the available time slots, so grab your spot before doing your shopping at the biggest POP MART store in the world. Time in the café is limited to one hour, so take a look at the menu beforehand and save time for all the pictures you’ll want to take in the character-filled interiors. Location: ICONSIAM, in the POP MART Global Landmark Store located on the seventh floor, with the café on the shop’s second floor. Yes, it has two floors. 

What is it? A contemporary handbag brand known for its distinctive weaving patterns, Songmont creates practical, everyday bags that don’t chase trends but somehow always stay on them.  Why we love it: Born from the search for the perfect laptop bag, functionality isn’t an afterthought, with plenty of pockets and enough room for all the things you swear you’ll only carry ‘just in case.’ It blends traditional Chinese craftsmanship and patterns with modern minimalist designs that work seamlessly together, and with every outfit.  Time Out tip: The staff are super friendly and happy to help you find your perfect bag, whether that means trying on different styles, adjusting the straps or tracking down additional stock. Just be careful, you might walk out with more than the one bag you came looking for. Location: centralwOrld, first floor, Atrium zone

What is it? Taking the country by storm, this beverage and soft-serve chain brings the ‘Snow King’ mascot to Thailand – and we can't seem to get enough of it.  Why we love it: Just as eye-catching as its super-affordable ice cream, fruit teas and lemon drinks, the Chinese brand has become a familiar sight across Bangkok, with its bright red-and-white shops and cheerful mascot making it hard to walk past without stopping for a quick sugar fix. Keep an eye out for Thailand-specific specials too, with MIXUE regularly dropping new flavours and local collaborations, such as its Jasmine Milk Tea series. Time Out tip: Although famed for its B15 soft-serve ice cream, the ‘Mango Pearl with Ice Cream’ is another must-try, combining mango, ice cream, jelly and boba. Give it a good shake before digging in to mix all the toppings together. The fresh-squeezed lemonade is also a refreshing pick, but we’d personally order it less sweet. Location: Multiple locations around Bangkok, including Siam Square, centralwOrld (seventh floor, Beacon Zone), MBK Center (fifth floor) and more

What is it? For those here for the tea. CHAGEE focuses on taking traditional Chinese tea varieties and turning them into fresh milk teas, keeping the tea at the centre rather than piling on the toppings.  Why we love it: All CHAGEE teas are brewed using whole tea leaves rather than powdered tea. Each variety undergoes its own traditional processing techniques, from jasmine scenting for the green tea to the ageing and post-fermentation of Pu-er. This gives the drinks a smooth and fragrant taste, with the natural flavour and aroma of the tea coming through rather than being overwhelmed by sugar.  Time Out tip: Try the tea with their special three-channel straw, designed to slow your sipping pace and enhance the tea’s aroma and flavour. Whether it actually makes a difference, we’ll leave that to you, but at least you won’t scald your tongue before you have a chance to taste the rest of your drink. Location: Multiple locations around Bangkok, including ICONSIAM (ground floor), centralwOrld (sixth floor, Beacon Zone), One Bangkok (ground floor) and more

What is it? If you didn't know, this is actually the world’s largest ma-la-tang (‘numbing-spicy-hot’) chain restaurant. Pick your own meat, seafood, mushrooms, tofu, noodles, and vegetables (or not), then have it all cooked in a rich, fragrant mala broth that brings the heat and that signature tongue-tingling kick. Not feeling the fire? There are gentler broths to choose from, including tomato and beef. Why we love it: Some of us are picky eaters, so being able to build your own bowl is a game-changer. You choose exactly what goes in, meaning there’s no fishing around for ingredients you don’t like once everything is swimming in that deep reddish-orange broth. Even better, you can customise the spice level, so you still get that addictive mala kick without setting your mouth on fire – ideal for anyone who likes their spice on the milder, kid-friendly side. Time Out tip: It’s pay-by-weight so there’s a price to pay if you come in starving. While you wait for your bowl to cook, head to the DIY sauce bar and whip up your own dipping sauce. The secret recipe? Peanut sauce, chilli oil, minced garlic, vinegar and coriander. Location: Esplanade Ratchada (basement level) and Union Mall (first floor)

What is it? The pioneers of the cheese tea world? Quite possibly. HEYTEA Lab puts a contemporary spin on Chinese tea culture with bold combinations and creative seasonal drinks, from specialty fruit teas to its signature cheese-foam-topped creations.  Why we love it: The drinks are as good as they look, with colourful swirls, fresh fruit and a creamy cloud of foam on top. There’s plenty of variety, too, even for those who don’t consider themselves ‘tea people’. You can go for something fruity and refreshing, a classic milk tea or simply a good old cup of tea. The toppings let you make your drink your own, from chewy sago and juicy grapefruit pulp to the signature cheese cloud. Expect combinations that might have you questioning it at first, only to leave you hooked with a new go-to order. Time Out tip: Don’t let the cheese foam scare you (unless you’re lactose-intolerant). The ‘Fluffy Cloud Grape’ pairs a sweet, juicy grape slushie with creamy, lightly savoury salted cream cheese foam – an unexpectedly perfect match, proving opposites do attract. Location: centralwOrld, first floor (Opening soon)

What is it? The Chinese hotpot chain where the reputation precedes the food. Pick your broth, with both spicy mala options as well as classic Thai favourites like Tom Yum and Nam Ngiao (a northern Thai soup). Load up on ingredients to cook at the table and get stuck in.  Why we love it: They give us the princess treatment. Literally. While waiting for your table, you’ll be treated to snacks, and at some branches, complimentary nail services. Parents can also let the kids burn off some energy in dedicated play areas. Add the hand-pulled dancing-noodle show and service that has you feeling like royalty, and you’ll see why Haidilao has become an experience in its own right. Time Out tip: While we usually say no to yet another membership that’ll inevitably become spam, if it comes with free food and discounts, count us in. For those die-hard Haidilao fans who are here religiously, you might as well get the most out of your hotpot cravings. Location: Multiple locations around Bangkok, including centralwOrld (seventh floor, Beacon Zone), Central Rama 9 (seventh floor) and more