Benchasiri Park
Benchasiri Park l Photograph: Monruedee Jansuttipan

Reconnect with Your City: Swing through Bangkok’s swanky neighborhood Upper Sukhumvit

Let the season’s cool breeze and cheery vibe guide you to the glamorous side of Bangkok’s main thoroughfare.

Time Out Bangkok in partnership with Marriott Bonvoy
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Bangkokians would tell you that Sukhumvit is the place to be when visiting the city. The Thai capital’s main road offers everything, from unpretentious fun to more sophisticated lifestyle pursuits, with plenty of casual and comfortable conveniences in between. 

Trying to cover everything great about Sukhumvit in one go is nearly impossible—it is one of Thailand’s longest roads, after all. Earlier, we introduced you to Lower Sukhumvit. Running from Ploen Chit to Asoke, the first part of Bangkok’s most action-packed area is home to casual establishments that don’t necessarily come with a defined dress code, such as rough-around-the-edges pubs, pocket-friendly international restaurants, and cavernous nightclubs.

Upper Sukhumvit starts from Asoke—specifically Soi Sukhumvit 23—and goes on through Phrom Phong to Soi Sukhumvit 53, where Thonglor kicks off. The three-kilometer stretch and its sub-sois are lined with establishments that reflect the swanky Bangkokian lifestyle, such as fashionable restaurants, five-star hotels, and ritzy shopping centers.

This part of Sukhumvit is home to expat communities and particularly makes an effort to celebrate year-end festivities. The entire area is always dressed in sparkling lights and glittery decor during the holiday and cooler months, making exploring the city on foot—or via the speedy Skytrain—even more enticing.

RECOMMENDED: Find out the best places to ring in Christmas and New Year’s Eve in Bangkok or ‘Reconnect With Your City’ to discover other exciting neighborhoods.

Wake up to an easy-breezy morning
Holey Artisan Bakery l Photograph: Monruedee Jansuttipan

Wake up to an easy-breezy morning

When it comes to café-hopping, Upper Sukhumvit doesn’t disappoint. Start the day by getting a specialty drink at PAGA Microroastery (we recommend one of their juice-mixed coffees) on Soi Sukhumvit 31. Also on the same street is Holey Artisan Bakery, where you can grab some freshly baked pastries to pair with your cuppa, and quirky film-inspired café FICS, which serves creative refreshments and comforting hot chocolate. Bartels Craft Bread near Soi Sukhumvit 32 is a spot for one of the city’s best sourdough, while Vistro on Soi Sukhumvit 24 will appease your plant-based cravings.

Escape the concrete jungle and head to these green spaces
Benchasiri Park l Photograph: Monruedee Jansuttipan

Escape the concrete jungle and head to these green spaces

Bangkok is home to a few public parks, including the compact but pristine Benchasiri Park. Sandwiched between Phrom Phong’s Bangkok Marriott Marquis Queen’s Park, which offers guests a modern-styled stay at the center of Thailand’s exotic capital, and the famed shopping institution Emporium, Benchasiri allows urbanites to relish a bit of peace and quiet among countless trees and 18 beautiful Thai-style sculptures.

Sports facilities were recently added to the park, including a skating rink and a basketball court, where you can probably join the locals for a quick pickup game. 

Shop at the finest retail establishments in the city
Emquartier | Photograph: Kronkaew Changsiri

Shop at the finest retail establishments in the city

Bangkok’s reputation as a shopping mecca is enhanced by the presence of some of the most captivating retail centers in Southeast Asia. Upper Sukhumvit is home to Emporium and EmQuartier, which are must-visits if you want a first-hand glimpse of what’s on the global fashion scene. The long-standing Emporium (circa 1997) houses an impressive range of global designer brands, while its sister mall offers up a catalog of trendier and more youthful labels and boutiques. 

For local fashion and niche brands, there’s Terminal 21 at the Asoke interchange, and community mall Rain Hill.

If you need to refuel after shopping, Emporium offers good restaurants like conveyor belt sushi joint Sushiro

Celebrate the season with festive fares and elegant dining
Ministry of Crab Bangkok | Photograph: Courtesy Ministry of Crab Bangkok

Celebrate the season with festive fares and elegant dining

Upper Sukhumvit offers some of the city's best dining spots. A-lister favorite Hong Bao dishes out scrumptious dim sum and Peking duck; famed South Korean restaurant Bornga is all about thinly sliced barbecued meats; Sri Lankan-born dining room Ministry of Crab serves award-winning crab dishes; and one Michelin-starred Indian fine-dining establishment Haoma has creative and sustainable creations that are just bursting with flavor.

Akira Back on the 37th floor of Bangkok Marriott Marquis Queen's Park is a popular venue founded by the esteemed chef of the same name who showcases his multicultural backgrounds of Korean and American in the modern take on Japanese cuisine. And don't forget to check out Kai Yang Sua Yai on Soi Sukhumvit 39 for authentic northeastern Thai dishes like papaya salad and, as its name suggests, local-style roasted chicken.

Now that the holidays are just around the corner, be sure to try special festive menus that will surely get you in a celebratory mood. 

Own the night at Upper Sukhumvit’s best drinkeries
Abar Rooftop l Photograph: Courtesy Bangkok Marriott Marquis Queen's Park

Own the night at Upper Sukhumvit’s best drinkeries

Don't give in to the tiredness just yet. Cap off the evening in one of the city's sky-high venues, where you can best enjoy the cool breeze with a cocktail in hand. On top of everybody's list are the gin-focused Abar Rooftop at Bangkok Marriott Marquis Queen's Park and rooftop spot Tichuca by Soi Sukhumvit 40, which features a central bar that's shaded by an LED-lit tree. And Octave Rooftop Restaurant livens up the summit floor of Bangkok Marriott Hotel Sukhumvit with nightly DJ sets and dancey beats.

Revel in the good life at one of the city’s urban havens
Suite l Photograph: Courtesy Bangkok Marriott Marquis Queen’s Park

Revel in the good life at one of the city’s urban havens

The neighborhood of Upper Sukhumvit is home to many top-tier hospitality spots, including the expansive Bangkok Marriott Marquis Queen’s Park on Soi Sukhumvit 22. The hotel has over 1,300 rooms catering to both business and leisure travelers, be it for family gatherings or MICE affairs. Thailand’s sole Marquis hotel also welcomes globetrotters with a spacious lobby, a photogenic pool, and dining darlings like progressive Japanese Akira Back, old-school Thai Siam Tea Room, buffet restaurant Goji Kitchen & Bar, and elevated Cantonese restaurant Pagoda. Huge meeting and event rooms that can accommodate every occasion are also part of the hotel’s appeal.

Picnic area | Photograph: Sukhumvit Park, Bangkok - Marriott Executive Apartments

Only a few sois away from Marquis is the more low-key urban sanctuary Sukhumvit Park, Bangkok - Marriott Executive Apartments. This popular hotel and serviced apartment on Soi Sukhumvit 24 has provided countless travelers with a feel-like home experience over the years. Each room features modern amenities and facilities, and a built-in kitchen, making it perfect for families and groups of friends. Its central and convenient location near the BTS Phrom Phong station also makes it ideal for business travelers going from one meeting to the next.

Madi Paidi Bangkok | Photograph: Courtesy Madi Paidi Bangkok, Autograph Collection

Bangkok Marriott Hotel Sukhumvit, situated not far from the BTS Thonglor station, is a good option for globetrotters who want to fully enjoy Bangkok’s nighttime offerings. This city retreat has everything you need for a memorable stay, from thoughtfully designed guest rooms to innovative dining and drinking outlets like Octave Rooftop Restaurant and The District Grill Room & Bar. Book one of the high-rise rooms to indulge in stunning vistas of Sukhumvit. 

Those looking to visit Bangkok in the first quarter of next year can be one of the first guests of Madi Paidi Bangkok. Set on a coveted spot on Soi Sukhumvit 53, the upcoming hotel is part of the Autograph Collection, a group of over 200 independent upscale hotels around the world that are part of the Marriott portfolio. 

Discover “An Experience Exactly Like Nothing Else” at  Thailand’s first Autograph member, which will feature East-meets-West sensibilities with a touch of Thainess. Get inspired by the hotel’s stunning interiors, the 56 tastefully decorated character-rich guest rooms, and innovative cuisine that still boasts authentic flavors.

Explore Bangkok’s vibrant and imaginative neighborhoods with 'Reconnect With Your City' and fall in love with Bangkok's diverse districts. Discover the distinctive brand portfolio of Marriott Bonvoy in Bangkok and relish memorable travel experiences to worldwide destinations.

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