Tita Honghirunkham

While a bouquet of flowers may bring a smile, a thoughtfully crafted dish has the power to touch the heart. From classic Western cuisine to modern Thai or Asian fusion, the perfect meal creates a lasting impression – especially when shared in the right setting with someone special. This Valentine’s Day, if you’re seeking a memorable culinary experience to share with your love, explore our handpicked suggestions for dishes that exude passion and romance.

The official public holiday may run from April 13-15, but add in the weekend before, things start rolling from next Saturday. Give it a good five to six days if you want the full arc. Songkran is one of those rare experiences where stepping outside almost guarantees you’ll get drenched – so much one of a kind that in 2023 Unesco formally recognised Songkran as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Songkran marks the Thai new year, rooted in the Sanskrit ‘saṃkrānti’ – meaning 'stepping into'. The water has a meaning. Every drop is, in theory, washing something away: bad luck, the weight of the past year, whatever you're carrying into April. This year the government, the tourism authority and the retail sector have invested hundreds of millions of baht building what they're calling a 'festival economy' – better infrastructure, more organised zones, bigger productions.  Bangkok during Songkran runs on two tracks. Early mornings are all incense and stillness, families reconnecting, scented water poured over the hands of elders. By mid-morning, the switch flips: communal, chaotic, loud. Here’s what’s on our radar, though the party list is definitely far from finished.

As day melts into night, Bangkok's glittering skyline comes alive at rooftop level, revealing the city’s enchanting side. Up in this rarified air a number of bars compete to tell their own story – some embrace local heritage with traditional Thai design and temple views, others exude a cosmopolitan energy with Western influences. All are good reason to raise a glass at sunset and toast the twinkling cityscape below.

Availability and pricing confirmed for the 2026 season. Not all restaurants list specific service windows, so always call ahead or book through official channels – several require advance reservations and operate limited daily quantities. Another round of hot-season essentials, coming right up. First, though: have you actually met khao chae? In the most reductive translation possible, khao chae is rice soaked in cool jasmine-spiked water. That description, however, does it roughly the same justice as calling Muay Thai a bout light cardio. But first, a bit of history.: Khao chae is a dish with centuries of court intrigue behind it, a recipe born from the convergence of two cultures and a preparation method so meticulous that most serious restaurants will only offer it for a matter of weeks. The story begins not in a Bangkok kitchen but in the Mon kingdoms of what is now Myanmar. The Mon people have long observed Thingyan, their version of the Songkran water festival and their custom of eating cool rice in scented water during the hottest time of year travelled with them as communities migrated into Siam. It was, in those early days, less refined meal than practical ritual – a way to stay cool and mark the season. The royal chapter arrived during the reign of King Rama IV in the mid-nineteenth century, through Chao Chom Manda Sonklin (the king's wife of Mon ancestry) who introduced the dish to the palace kitchen. And what the palace kitchen touched, it transformed. King Rama V

The competition for your thirst this year has never been fiercer. Bangkok's juice bar scene has evolved from simple refreshment stops into full-blown lifestyle destinations – popping up across hip community malls and planting flags smack in the middle of the CBD. With the self-care wave that's swept through 2026 showing absolutely zero signs of slowing, the battle isn't just being fought on flavour anymore. Juice bars are bringing their A-game on value, from wildly Instagrammable glassware to packing every single order with serious nutritional firepower. So Time Out has done the rounds – and pulled together 10 juice bar landmarks that cover all the bases: healthy, refreshing and downright cool.

As summer reigns supreme, this one's part of our ongoing Beat the Heat series – and if any city has earned a series on keeping cool, it's Bangkok. The Thai sun can be aggressive, so people here have turned eating frozen water into a whole culture – specifically, sweet (and sometimes savoury) flavoured bowls of towering  shaved ice. From old-town shopfronts dishing out nam kang sai (Thai for shaved ice) in a style your grandparents would recognise, to Michelin-connected kakigori bars applying French fine-dining logic to a pile of frozen fuzz, the city has it all.  Rather than a straight ranking, look at this as a curated selection. From Japanese kakigori and Korean bingsu to Thailand's own nam kang sai and the Southern o-eaw, each style brings its own texture and tradition. The list is organised by style and geography, with every venue recognised for its strength within its category. And as everyone in Bangkok is chasing ice right now, these are the spots worth saving, and more importantly, stepping out in the sun for.

There’s another way to navigate Bangkok – a niche one, for sure – and you'll need your balancing skills! But if you're feeling brave enough to drop a board and roll, come on in. Skaters have been mapping Bangkok on four wheels longer than most people realise – finding flat ground and ledges no one else clocks, back-alley concrete that just works for landing. It’s a different kind of city guide. Arguably a more fun one. Thai skateboarding has been serious for a long time. The scene started taking real shape in the late 80s and early 90s, imported through VHS tapes and whatever magazines made it across the border, reinterpreted through a local lens and built into something that genuinely belonged here. By the 2000s, homegrown brands such as  Preduce were cementing the culture with proper roots – shooting local videos, championing Thai skateboarders, collaborating internationally and defining what Thai skating actually stood for, not just selling boards. DIY spots started appearing. A community formed. Not too loudly, but consistently. That consistency is still the defining quality. Bangkok's skate scene is tight-knit without being cliquey, proud without being territorial – the kind of place where locals wave you into a session before you've even figured out where to drop in, where the spots feel earned rather than curated. We caught up with Mattias Wyatt of Solo Skate Travel, who's spent years moving through scenes like this one, documenting spots and the people who hold them d

In a world of apps and algorithms, Subhas Kandasamy is betting that four people around a square table – tiles clacking, strangers becoming friends – is still the most compelling thing a city can offer. It started with his grandmother in Singapore. Now it's everywhere, Bangkok included. Photograph: mahjongpalace There is a particular kind of household that stays with you. The kind where the door is always open, where something extraordinary is always being cooked and where, if you look through the right window on the right evening, four people are hunched over a square table, fingering tiles against a wooden surface like a low, insistent percussion.  Subhas Kandasamy grew up in one of those houses – in Singapore, with his grandmother Dolly, in a different era of the city-state, when multi-generational living was simply how things were done and the veranda looked onto a garden of mango and guava trees. That house, those evenings, that grandmother: they followed him everywhere. And eventually, they became a business. Photograph: anoukdbrouwer/mahjongpalace Mahjong Palace, the social club that Subhas founded in New York in September 2023, is not your usual Mahjong club, even for the US, and it’s certainly not a gaming den. It is not a Chinese cultural centre or a wellness concept or a members' club either – although it does borrow something from all of these.  It is, at its core, a reimagining of what it means to play mahjong in the 21st century – stripped of the money, fill

We update this article regularly to ensure the information remains accurate and current. Please check back for the latest updates. Updated March 2026: We’ve refreshed our list of the best book cafes in Bangkok to include some newcomers to the city. Recent additions include Balzac Bangkok, Nielson Hays Library Garden Café, Open House at Central Embassy. Watching the city's under-35s spill out of the MRT at Queen Sirikit for the annual Book Expo tells you plenty about how book reading is going in Bangkok. Sure, we’re not quite Tokyo, with its Jimbocho book district, nor Paris with its Seine-side bouquinistes – but there are more spines cracked, more pages turned and more people ready to fight you about their favourite genre now than ever before. But don’t take it from us. The numbers speak for themselves. In October 2025, 1.5 million people turned up to the Book Expo over just eleven days. 70 percent were reportedly Gen Z. Sales reached B474 million. Call Bangkok chaotic, humid, relentless – but a ‘city that does not read’ it is not. Then there is @bkk.bookdistrict. In early 2026, the collective of independent bookshops, publishers and book people began mapping Bangkok's first proper book district across the historic printing hubs of Phra Nakhon, from Phan Fa to Tha Tien. It is still taking shape, but the foundations are there. Understandably, The book cafe scene has moved with this trend. New spaces line the Charoen Krung-Phra Nakhon corridor. Old favourites now feel like inst

A few weeks back, a new Afrobeats R&B Amapiano album dropped in Bangkok: Mr. Saxo Love. A genre the city is only just warming up to, Tobii – the artist behind this homegrown soundtrack – debuted its release at a poolside party, banana floats and all, the standout track Banana tying it all together. After the party, we sat with the full album, speakers positioned perfectly, and  came out the other side a little sound-drunk. A little melody-soaked. One song bled into the next, just as you’d expect from good Afrobeats, until the final track. But we were left with questions – quite a few, actually. Next thing we knew, Universal Music Thailand office had Tobii – the man, myth and legend himself – sitting right across from us. Tobii (Tobias Phuwanai Mattmueller) split his childhood between Swiss mountain air and the sweaty, electric sprawl of Bangkok. He taught himself to record music on a borrowed computer running cracked software, which is either very punk or very resourceful. Probably both. Photograph: tressatobii Fast forward a decade or so and Mr. Saxo Love is his latest, freshest, most danceable album yet. Undeniably sexy, his melodies drift somewhere between your hips and your better judgement – teasing, playful and fully aware of their effect. The virality it brought with it was never really a surprise. This is Tobii. To the T. Who exactly is Tobii? Photograph: Universal Music Thailand There's a particular kind of ease about people who've had to reinvent themselves

The tuna melt has a more storied past than its modest reputation suggests. Born in American lunch counters and greasy-spoon diners sometime in the mid-twentieth century – the exact origin is contested, though a 1965 diner in South Carolina is often cited – it was always a practical sandwich: canned tuna, mayonnaise, cheese, heat.  Bangkok's relationship with the tuna melt has followed the city's broader love affair with Western cafe culture. Through the 1990s and early 2000s, tuna melts were largely the preserve of hotel coffee shops and expat haunts, serviceable but rarely memorable. The shift came with the sourdough revolution – when a new generation of Bangkok bakers started obsessing over fermentation schedules, imported grain varieties and slow-proofed loaves, suddenly the bread underneath the tuna started to matter as much as what was on top of it. Today, the city's best tuna melts are genuinely worth seeking out: inventive, technically precise and occasionally spectacular. If you're eating your way through Bangkok's sandwich scene more broadly, our guide to Bangkok's best sandwiches covers the city's most compelling offerings across every style and bread type. And for a spin on the classics with a chewier canvas, our best bagels in Bangkok guide is worth bookmarking before your next lunch run. Now, back to the matter at hand. Many lunches went into this. We ordered widely, asked the people with strong sandwich opinions and returned when something pulled us back. These

It's hard to argue with a really good doughnut. Sweet finish, sugar fix, midday reward – call it what you like. Doughnuts rarely need an excuse.. What’s easier to argue about is where to find the best ones. In Bangkok, the city's sweet tooth is being well served by a growing wave of doughnut shops, each with their own personality – from reassuring classics to genuinely inventive takes on the form. But which ones are actually worth the detour? Time Out has done the legwork. Here are 12 that hit the spot for our (slightly) sugar-addicted editorial team.

What is it: The rooftop bar of the boutique Sala Rattanakosin Hotel, sitting directly across the Chao Phraya from Wat Arun – the Temple of Dawn – whose tiered prang towers turn amber at sunset and glow under floodlights after dark. There's no lift; guests climb the stairs of a narrow shophouse hotel to reach a rooftop that is deliberately small and intimate. Why we love it: This is a different kind of Bangkok rooftop – unhurried, heritage-focused and irreplaceable in what it offers. While the city's tower bars look out over modern commerce, here the vista is temples, river boats and the timeless sweep of the Chao Phraya. The cocktail menu is playful rather than grand (the Bangkok Sour and Sala Sunset are the picks) and limited seating keeps the atmosphere intimate. This is where to bring guests who want Bangkok's soul, not just its skyline. Time Out tip: Book ahead – tables fill fast at sunset. Arrive by the Chao Phraya Express Boat to Tha Maharaj Pier (N13) for the most fitting approach. Note the earlier closing time of 10.30pm and dress code that's far more relaxed than elsewhere on this list. 39 Maharat Rd, Phra Borom Maha Ratchawang, Phra Nakhon. 02-622-1388. Open Daily 4pm-10.30pm

What is it: Flashback sits on the 9/F of the Tastoria Collection Sukhumvit on Soi 20, with views of the BTS Skytrain viaduct and Sukhumvit mid-rise skyline from a sociable rooftop with a pool. The retro-neon aesthetic, ’90s music references and rotating monthly cocktails give it a distinct personality. Live bands perform regularly and the Thai-Western menu – including a northern sausage spaghetti that has developed something of a cult following – keeps guests well fed throughout the evening. Why we love it: In a city where rooftop bars default to marble and dress codes, Flashback is refreshingly without pretension. Happy hour BOGO deals until 7pm, a pool, live music and a proper kitchen – rarely found combined at a single Bangkok rooftop. The vibe shifts naturally from casual sunset drinks into a livelier late-night scene. Time Out tip: Happy hour runs until 7pm – arrive by 5pm to secure a table with a view before the pool crowd fills in. Handles group bookings and birthday parties well; contact in advance for large groups.9/F, Tastoria Collection Sukhumvit, 7 Sukhumvit, Sukhumvit 20 Alley, Khlong Toei. 065-819-4478. Open Daily 4pm-1am

What is it: One of Bangkok's original sky bars and still one of its best. Moon Bar shares the 61/F of the Banyan Tree Bangkok with the Vertigo open-air grill – both sitting on a converted helipad 220 metres above the city, with a 360-degree panorama of the entire skyline. Open since 2002 and consistently ranked among the world's top ten rooftop bars. Why we love it: Longevity and excellence rarely arrive together, but  Moon Bar has both. The cocktail programme is serious (the Vertigo Sunset and Issan Coco are perennial favourites), the views are unobstructed and the staff are widely praised for attentive but unobtrusive service. For those who book the adjacent Vertigo restaurant, the four-course set menu under open sky is among the most memorable dining experiences in the city. Walk-ins welcome – no table reservation needed for the bar. Time Out tip: Arrive before 6pm for the best sunset views and to beat the post-seven crowd. The B800 minimum spend covers roughly two cocktails, but this is a linger-all-evening kind of place. Long trousers and closed shoes for men; dress code firmly enforced. Note: the rooftop closes in rain, so call ahead during the wet season (June-November). 61/F, Banyan Tree Bangkok, 21/100 S Sathorn Rd, Thung Maha Mek, Sathon. 02-679-1200. Open Daily 5pm-1am

What is it: View Rooftop Bar sits beside the hotel's infinity pool on the 9/F of the Novotel Bangkok Platinum Pratunam, with views across Pratunam and Ratchaprasong. Mediterranean in concept, accessible in price – and one of the more practical stops on this list for anyone spending the day in the shopping district. Why we love it: At 9/F, View doesn’t pretend to be a super sky high experience – but it delivers what many higher venues forget: a genuinely useful happy hour, a relaxed atmosphere and a kitchen open from 10am. The buy-1-et-1 on classic cocktails running daily from 11am to 5pm is one of the best-value deals on the Bangkok rooftop circuit.  Time Out tip: If you're shopping in Pratunam or Ratchaprasong, View is the natural afternoon drink stop before dinner. The hotel is connected to the R Walk skywalk and is a five-minute walk from Chidlom BTS. 9/F, Novotel Bangkok Platinum Pratunam, 220 Phetchaburi Rd, Thanon Phetchaburi, Ratchathewi. 02-209-1700. Open Daily 10am-12.30am

What is it? Few restaurants in Bangkok can claim a lineage quite like Thanying's. The name means ‘noblewoman’ in Thai, and it isn't decorative – the restaurant was founded by Khunchai Jack, a member of the royal family, with the explicit purpose of bringing palace-kitchen traditions to a table that anyone could book. That mandate has held for decades. The khao chae here is one of the most frequently cited by those who really know the dish, including New York-based Thai chef Hong Thaimee, who calls it ‘one of a kind’ and singles out the royal-court recipe as a rare find. Why we love it: The kitchen works with authentic recipes inherited from Sukhothai Palace, and the prik yuak sod sai – sweet pepper stuffed with minced pork and prawn, wrapped in its gossamer egg-lace casing – is the undisputed star. The rice is jasmine-scented and chilled to the original palace standard: cool enough to refresh without numbing the flavour of what you eat alongside it. The room carries a faint old-world charm that no amount of money and recent fit-out can manufacture. It feels, appropriately, like somewhere a dish with royal origins belongs. Time Out tip: The restaurant sits between Silom Soi 17 and 19 and is a three-minute walk from BTS Surasak – easier to reach than the address makes it sound. Thanying Restaurant. 10 Thanon Pramuan, off Silom Rd. 11.30am-10pm daily.

What is it? Royal Osha's summer menu celebrates khao chae with a composed set built around lighter preparations and premium ingredients sourced from across Thailand. The kitchen's most distinctive call: the jasmine-scented water is made using pH 8.88 mineral water, on the basis that the pH level affects how the jasmine fragrance disperses – and how the rice sits on the palate. It's noticeable. The water has a brightness and clarity that sets the whole thing apart. Why we love it: The set comes as a proper meal with a beginning and an end. It opens with ma hor – minced pork and prawn in caramelised spices, served in carved pomelo – and closes with a granita of som choon, the traditional mixed-fruit palate-cleanser reimagined as a frozen, crystalline dessert. Considered from start to finish. Time Out tip: Takeaway pinto sets are available at B2,300 and make an excellent gift. The dine-in set at B1,350 is the better value if you're coming for the full experience. Royal Osha. Ploenchit Rd, Lumpini. Noon-11pm daily until July 15.

What it is? Bangkok'78's seasonal khao chae is led by Executive Chef Phukvarun who uses carefully selected, locally sourced ingredients throughout and the set is available both for dine-in and as a pinto takeaway. Why we love it: The accompanying drinks collection – Scent of Summer – is the detail that sets this version apart. Three cooling, herbal drinks designed specifically to complement the khao chae: Pla Haeng Taengmo, Som Chun Granita and Mali. Each one serves a function rather than just sitting prettily alongside it; together they extend the cooling logic of the dish into the glass. At B1,150 for two dining in, it's also one of the more accessible sets on this list. Time Out tip: The pinto takeaway at B1,499 is a strong option if you want to experience it at home without sacrificing presentation. Available for both lunch and dinner, which offers more flexibility than most. Bangkok'78.68 Soi Langsuan, Lumphini, Pathum Wan, Bangkok 10330. Daily for lunch throughout March-April.

What is it? The Dusit Thani name carries a great deal of weight in Thai hospitality and Benjarong – the group's dedicated Thai dining house at their Thonglor address – brings that legacy to the table. The khao chae here is rooted in royal-court tradition, which is to say it is precise, considered and takes no shortcuts: chilled jasmine rice floated in fragrant floral water, served alongside a spread of meticulously crafted accompaniments. Why we love it: The cooking reflects the Dusit group's long-standing commitment to classical Thai technique. There's no reinvention happening here, no signature twist for its own sake – just a very good version of something that doesn't need improving, executed by a kitchen that knows it. Time Out tip: The takeaway set at B1,890 is packaged to travel well and makes a genuinely elegant gift. If you're dining in, the lunch sitting is the more relaxed of the two. Benjarong at Baan Dusit Thani. Thonglor, Sukhumvit 55. Dine-in B1,099; takeaway B1,890. Lunch 11am-2.30pm, dinner 5.30pm-10pm daily from March 23.

What is it? One MICHELIN Star and a location out in Nonthaburi. For those who treat khao chae as a pilgrimage rather than a meal, Suan Thip is the destination. Available for one week in April only. Why we love it: The khao chae is prepared in the traditional Thai way: jasmine-scented water served chilled with a delicate floral fragrance. The brevity of the window – a single week – says something honest about the restaurant's priorities. The property has a garden restaurant set among tropical trees on the Nonthaburi outskirts – a real breath of fresh air while enjoying this fresh dish. Time Out tip: If you're serious about khao chae, you have already set a reminder. If you haven't, do it now – this is the one that sells out first! Suan Thip. 17/9 Moo 7, Sukhaprachasan 2 Rd, Nonthaburi. One week in April only. Advance bookings essential; call 02 583 3748.

What is it? It doesn’t get better than eating khao chae in a lush garden in the middle of the city, surrounded by old trees and a building with its own story. Ma Maison occupies Baan Park Nai Lert – a heritage property that has been part of Bangkok's social fabric since the early twentieth century – and the restaurant's khao chae recipe is said to be drawn from the house's own culinary traditions. Why we love it: The rice is of the ‘hom mali’ variety, polished to a pearlescent finish and soaked in water infused with jasmine blossoms. The condiments are made to a home-kitchen standard, which is to say they taste as though someone's grandmother made them, which is always great. The meal closes with a choice of cool summer desserts like mango sticky rice and marian plum in syrup. Time Out tip: The midday sitting is the one to book if you can – eating khao chae in that garden at lunch, under the canopy of old trees. Ma Maison. Baan Park Nai Lert, Soi Somkhit. 11am-2.30pm and 6pm-10pm daily until May 31.

What is it? Siam Tea Room has assembled a recreated royal spread of more than 20 side dishes. Glazed radish stir-fried to a lacquered sheen, luk kapi seasoned with shrimp paste pounded with wild ginger and palm sugar, stuffed shallots in their paper-thin egg batter casing, caramelised yison fish that practically dissolves on contact. Why we love it: The rice here comes as a choice: white Surin jasmine or butterfly-pea-tinted blue rice – the latter producing a deep cobalt colour, very visually arresting. The water, fragrant and cold, carries the weight of the composition.  Time Out tip: Marriott Bonvoy and Club Marriott members get a discount – worth logging in before you book. If you want the same spread with a river view, the Asiatique branch seats 270 and runs until midnight – a different mood entirely from the Sukhumvit original. Siam Tea Room. Bangkok Marriott Marquis Queen's Park, Sukhumvit 22 (also at Asiatique The Riverfront). 11am-5pm daily until May 31.

What is it? The Mandarin Oriental's khao chae is led this year by Chef Pom Patchara, who draws on family recipes passed down through generations. The jasmine rice is smoked with ob tien – a traditional Thai aromatic candle used to infuse a delicate, smoky, floral fragrance – before being floated in cool, flower-scented water. The side dishes follow a classical royal-court sequence: luk kapi, pounded yison fish caramelised to a deep sweetness, stuffed green pepper in its delicate egg-net wrapping and sweet shredded pork.  Why we love it: The presentation across both available formats – a gift box and a traditional pinto lunch carrier – reflects the hotel's understanding that the experience of khao chae extends well beyond the table.  Time Out tip: Advance orders are required. If you're giving this as a gift, the pinto carrier is the move – it travels beautifully and arrives looking considered. Four branches are available if one location doesn't suit you. The Mandarin Oriental Bangkok. Available at four Bangkok branches – Siam Paragon, Gaysorn Village, The Emporium and Park Silom. Daily from March 16-May 15.

Photograph: Sansiri Some homes are built. Others are composed – note by note, material by material – with the kind of obsessive care that turns architecture into autobiography. The Sansiri Luxury Collection is the latter. A curated body of work four decades in the making: flagship residences and ultra-luxury homes conceived alongside world-class architects and designers, appointed with furnishings chosen for their artistry and finished with materials selected for their permanence. Every detail is deliberate. Every surface, considered. Nothing is accidental, because nothing is left to chance. Here, a home transcends the ordinary. It becomes a living work of art – one that reflects a singular sensibility, deepens in value with time and stands as a testament to the craft behind it. Something rare enough to be cherished. Enduring enough to be passed down. Photograph: Sansiri Three principles define the Collection: World-Class Design that transforms space into genuine experience; Materials & Craftsmanship that set an entirely new standard; and Sansiri Luxury Collection Life Curator - an unparalleled living service that anticipating every wish, attending to every detail, down to the desires you hadn't yet thought to name such as a professional art piece restoration,space management, flower arrangement service, pet customization dress, even a small event preparation for your beloved family members.  

Sea Life Bangkok is one of those places you always mean to revisit – and Glowing Ocean: Discover the Magic of the Sea at Night, on now until September 20 2026, might just be the nudge that finally makes it happen. Photograph: Sea Life Bangkok The whole inspiration draws from the mystery of darkness at sea – the hour when the sun drops below the horizon and the parts of the ocean where light simply never reaches.  Move through the space and you'll find yourself above (and below) moonlit water, bioluminescent creatures glowing as they dance through the currents and an atmosphere that feels genuinely otherworldly. Photograph: Sea Life Bangkok To add to the allure, a series of light installations and interactive moments are scattered across the aquarium. An interactive neon fire wall responds to your touch by conjuring sea creatures; mood lighting adds a new dimension to the seahorse zone; glowing florals in the rainforest section; a full moon hovering above the goldfish tank; simulated moonlight rippling across the water in the shark tunnel; and in the Gentoo penguin zone, projection-mapped northern lights cast over an ice sculpture. Photograph: Sea Life Bangkok There's also a sea creature stamp-collecting trail running throughout. Once you've collected one, just ask a staff member where to head next! If you're already a Sea Life regular, this is genuinely worth coming back for – the familiar route feels entirely new. And the Gentoo penguin zone has just finished its renov

From April 22-26, the Ministry of Culture is throwing a massive five-day celebration across three very different corners of Bangkok in celebration of the Rattanakosin –  the period that began in 1782 with the founding of Bangkok and, 244 years on, continues to define both the city’s historic heart and Thailand's cultural identity. Living Rattanakosin – that's the name they've given it and it says everything. Not ‘remembered’ or ‘preserved’, but ‘living’ – 244 years old and still with a pulse.  The full billing in Thai is ’The Rattanakosin Cultural Festival 2026’ (มหกรรมวัฒนธรรมรัตนโกสินทร์ 2569) and the Ministry of Culture has clearly decided that a city this old deserves a birthday party that actually feels like one. For five days in April, contemporary stages and night-time museums come alive, as well as temple fairs and architecture that looks its most beautiful once the sun goes down – all of it happening simultaneously across three corners of the city. Chulalongkorn University Centenary Park Photograph: Chulalongkorn University The massive urban park of Chulalongkorn University becomes a creative playground for the week. An outdoor multimedia exhibition marks 244 years of Rattanakosin, setting the mood with plenty more to get stuck into besides. Dress up in royal Thai costume and have your portrait rendered through generative AI, browse the cultural market for local products, food and drinks, or join the creative cultural courtyard for Thai heritage demonstrations, tra

If you've ever watched one of those old films or music videos with a packed ballroom and thought – God, I wish I could actually be there – well, now you can. Clear the evening of April 5, because Jelly Roll Jazz Club is throwing ‘Lumpini Swing Station’, a night that takes the grand and storied Lumpini Hall and turns it into what might just be Bangkok's most electric dance floor right now. The music comes courtesy of Yusu Jazz Band and the Silpakorn University Jazz Orchestra, both bringing the kind of live swing that gets into your chest and moves your feet before your brain has any say in the matter. Woven in between are special dance performances that'll keep the energy high all night long. Photograph: Swing Era Thailand Photograph: Swing Era Thailand Never swung a day in your life? Not a problem. The event is genuinely beginner-friendly, with free introductory dance classes on the night – no prior experience needed and no, you don't need to bring a partner! Just come with good energy and your finest vintage outfit. It all kicks off from 5pm at Lumphini Sathan, right in the heart of Lumphini Park. Jazz obsessive, dance floor regular or just vintage-curious – you're going to want to be there.

Open-air cinema, wine sipping and Bangkok have been getting very cosy of late – and Sam Yan community space Slowcombo is leaning right into it with the second instalment of Cut, Action, Sip! Movie Night. But this is no normal film screening. This is a live-dubbed take on the original script masterpiece courtesy of legendary outfit Master Studio, guaranteeing a night that's as funny as it is action-packed because who knows what might get thrown in when everything's dubbed on the fly. Photograph: Slowcombo The headline act is Panda Plan (2024), the gleefully chaotic Chinese action-comedy starring Jackie Chan – and it won't be screening in any ordinary fashion.  And while the film and ridiculous dubbing is what everyone’s here for, wine lovers are also generously catered for: Happy Drinks is on hand with a curated pairing offer, so you can sip something excellent while Chan does what Chan does best.  And if you'd like to make a full evening of it, there's plenty to keep you hanging around after the credits roll – Movie Scene Colouring, Wine Glass Painting and a Trading Card 101 workshops hosted by CardWorld BKK offer something a little more interactive for anyone curious about getting into the collecting world. Photograph: Slowcombo Tickets: Adult B600 (screening plus two glasses of wine) or B450 (screening plus one glass of wine). Students (13-19) B275 (screening and popcorn). Children (3-12) B150. Under-3s free. Book via LINE OA: @slowcombo. March 28. Living Space, G/F, S

Photograph: S2O Songkran Music Festival S2O Songkran Music Festival hits its 11th edition from April 11-13 at its shiny new home, S2O Land on Ratchadaphisek – bigger venue, bolder production, 360-degree water cannons firing in sync with the drops, fireworks and a lineup that goes very deep into the A-list. And because three days apparently wasn't enough, the team has launched K2O: a brand-new spin-off festival running the day after.   S2O Songkran Music Festival Photograph: S2O Songkran Music Festival 'The world's wettest party' is, for once, not hyperbole – and for 2026, it's getting wetter. Running April 11-13 under the theme 'Party in the Universe', S2O has moved to a new purpose-built venue with a bigger footprint for both production and water play.  The signature 360-degree cannon system, firing in sync with the drops, remains. As does its complete unpredictability.  Quick heads-up before we get into the lineup – tickets are already flying and the lower tiers are pretty much gone. If you’ve been thinking about it, this is your sign.   Early Bird 3-Day Pass – B3,500 Tier 1 3-Day Pass – B4,300 Tier 2 3-Day Pass – B4,500 Tier 3 3-Day Pass – B4,800  Single-Day Pass (April 11, 12 or 13) – B2,100 VIP 1-Day Pass – B3,600 (Fast lane, VIP bar and dry zone platform) VIP 3-Day Pass – B7,900 (Full run, all VIP perks)   The line up: Day 1 (April 11): Lonely Club (Alan Walker x Steve Aoki), Lost Frequencies, I Hate Models, William Black, AC Slater. Day 2 (April 12): Zedd, Don Diabl

Bangkok is full of spots made for losing yourself in a good atmosphere. Looking at the cosy book cafe scene that we covered recently in Bangkok's 14 best book cafes for avid readers and the National Book Fair from March 26 to April 6 at Queen Sirikit National Convention Center, the city is going book-mad.  Now, one of the city's great green spaces is getting transformed into a meeting point for book lovers and curious minds of all kinds. Put it all together and it's pretty clear: the reading habits of city people have forever shifted. A new generation of bookworms are proving that a patch of public green space in the heart of the capital can be just as good a place to crack open your favourite title as any trendy cafe in town. So if your weekend is wide open, here's a plan worth having. Swap the air-con for a shady tree and come settle in at BKK Read & Learn Festival 2026 – Bangkok's reading festival, themed ‘Different Ages, Learning Together’ – held at the Sundial Plaza in Lumpini Park. Photograph: Bangkok Learning City The programme is packed with activities designed for every generation: panel talks swapping perspectives on how we learn at different stages of life, alongside creative activity zones where kids and families can let their imaginations run completely free.  It's a reminder that knowledge doesn't live only between the covers of a textbook – it lives in conversation and laughter, out in the open air, right in the middle of the city! March 21-22. Free. Lumpini

That grain, that colour tone, the warmth of a film photograph no filter can quite fake. The crackle of a needle finding its groove. There's a reason people keep coming back to analogue life – it's not nostalgia for the sake of it, it's about keeping something tangibly close and physically owned. Photograph: Outdoor Bkk time If any of that speaks to you, clear your weekend – because Lido Connect is about to transform into a full-on retro paradise. Film Day Craft & Indies Market is the kind of market worth wandering: thoughtfully curated, unhurried and stacked with personality. Photograph: Outdoor Bkk time Whether you're hunting for a rare film camera, eyeing up a Y2K digital point-and-shoot for that crunchy throwback look or just want to flip through crates of vinyl, cassette tapes and collectible books – it's all here. Photograph: Outdoor Bkk time There's live drawing, DIY craft workshops, a rail of both new and second-hand clothes, homeware and even accessories for your dog. When your legs give out, a matcha café with fresh-baked croissants is standing by. And to seal the whole vibe properly, DJ Ball is spinning 90s records live on March 21 from 5-8pm. Off a real deck, naturally. March 20-22. Free. Lido Connect, Siam Square, 11am-8pm

Isaan is Thailand's vast, spirited northeast: the region that gave the country its fiery food, its most infectious music, and a word for carefree, wholehearted fun – muan – that simply doesn't translate. That's the heart of Muan Muan Market, a cultural celebration that’s lifting the warm, wonderfully chaotic joy of an Isaan festival and dropping it into one of Bangkok's most storied corners: the grand historic precinct of Na Phra Lan Road. Photograph: Silpakorn University The weathered, beautiful bones of Silpakorn University’s Wang Tha Phra campus. The smell of pla ra on the breeze – a fermented fish staple at the heart of Isaan cooking. The twang of a phin, the region’s three-stringed lute. And everywhere you look, handmade goods from a younger generation proud of their roots. Food-wise, expect handpicked Isaan dishes – the sweating-and-grinning kind. Live music serenades you: folk rhythms laced with something more contemporary, perfect for a slow wander as the afternoon softens and the old palace walls catch the last of the sun. There are workshops too, if you want to get your hands to work – the kind that offer a real, felt sense of what muan means. Carefree, wholehearted fun. Bangkok locals, curious wanderers, or Isaan exiles chasing that full-body feeling of home – this one's got your name on it. April 2-4. Free entry. Silpakorn University, Wang Tha Phra (Na Phra Lan–Suan Kaew), 2pm-8pm.

จากผู้ตอบแบบสำรวจกว่า 2,600 คนทั่วภูมิภาค กรุงเทพฯ ติดท็อป 3 ถึง 4 ใน 5 ตัวชี้วัดด้านความโรแมนติก ตั้งแต่ความถี่ในการมีเซ็กซ์ การออกเดต การจีบ ไปจนถึงจำนวนคืนที่พัฒนาความสัมพันธ์ พูดง่ายๆ คือเมืองนี้ไม่ได้แค่มีคนออกไปข้างนอก แต่มีอะไรเกิดขึ้นจริง และกรุงเทพฯ ไม่ได้เป็นแบบนี้เพราะ ‘คน’ อย่างเดียว แม้ว่าสถิติจะบอกว่าพวกเขามีเสน่ห์และเปิดรับโอกาส แต่ ‘เมือง’ เองก็มีส่วนสำคัญ ตั้งแต่บาร์ที่เซ็กซี่ที่สุดออกแบบมาให้บทสนทนาไหลลื่น หรือร้านอาหารที่เหมาะกับเดตแรก ไปจนถึงจังหวะชีวิตที่เปิดพื้นที่ให้การพบกันเกิดขึ้นได้อย่างเป็นธรรมชาติ นี่คือเมืองที่ไม่ได้บังคับให้ความสัมพันธ์ต้องเกิดขึ้น แต่ทำให้มันเกิดขึ้นได้อย่างง่ายดาย แน่นอนว่าตัวเลขเหล่านี้สะท้อน ‘ปริมาณ’ ไม่ใช่ ‘เคมี’ เพราะแต่ละเมืองมีภาษาของแรงดึงดูดเป็นของตัวเอง บางเมืองเคลื่อนไหวเร็ว บางเมืองใช้เวลา แต่กรุงเทพฯ ชัดเจนว่าอยู่ในจังหวะที่แอกทีฟกว่าใครส่วนใหญ่   กรุงเทพฯ อยู่อันดับไหนบ้าง อันดับ 2: สำหรับความถี่ในการมีเซ็กซ์ กรุงเทพฯ เฉลี่ยอยู่ที่ 9.1 ครั้งต่อเดือน เป็นรองมาเก๊าเพียง 9.2 และมากกว่าเมืองอื่นทั้งหมดในเอเชีย อันดับ 2: สำหรับจำนวนคืนที่นำไปสู่ความสัมพันธ์โรแมนติก เฉลี่ยอยู่ที่ 7.4 คืนต่อเดือน เป็นรองเพียงมาเก๊า แต่ยังนำหน้าเมืองใหญ่อย่างกัวลาลัมเปอร์และปักกิ่ง อันดับ 3: สำหรับการออกเดต กรุงเทพฯ เฉลี่ยอยู่ที่ 6.9 ครั้งต่อเดือน ติดท็อป 3 ของภูมิภาค อันดับ 3: สำหรับการจีบ กรุงเทพฯ อยู่ในอันดับต้นๆ ของเอเชียในเรื่องการจีบ ไม่ใช่แค่พบกัน แต่มีการส่งสัญญาณบางอย่างต่อกันอย่างลึกซึ้ง อันดับ 6: สำหรับแนวโน้มการพบคนที่น่าดึงดูด แม้อาจจะไม่ใช่อันดับ 1 แต่เมื่อดูจากอันดับอื่นๆ กรุงเทพฯ เป็นเมืองที่ชัดเจนว่า ‘ไม่ปล่อยโอกาสผ่านไปเฉ

Time Out Loud's latest dating and romance survey has Bangkok sitting sexy at the top of the rankings – and we've got the juicy breakdown. Based on over 2,600 Time Outers across Asia (plus 1,300 in Australia, analysed separately), the data identifies the spiciest cities in the region for dating and desire. A little tease before we show the whole ranking: Bangkok ranks in the top three across four of five romance metrics – we're talking categories that measure real romantic momentum: how often people are having sex, flirting, dating, nights out with steamy action potential. It's partly the people here – the stats say they're attractive and game – but the city creates the conditions too. Bangkok's infrastructure works in your favour: the spaces, the social rhythms, the sensory pull. Dim-lit spots that feel inherently sexy, first dates that don't default to bar stools. And this shows, to an extent, how Bangkokians actually date, flirt and build romantic lives, a vital slice of the full spectrum of human connection. The scoreboard tracks volume, not voltage. Every city writes its own erotic grammar, its own clockwork and courtship dance. Some pounce, others prowl. Statistics tally encounters, not electricity!   Bangkok’s rankings Have sex: Second place  Again just behind Macau (9.2 times monthly versus Bangkok's 9.1) and ahead of every other Asian city listed. Have a night out that might lead to romance: Second place  Only Macau ranks higher. Bangkok clocks in at 7.4 nights per mo

Just when you thought Lisa couldn’t possibly squeeze anything else into her schedule, she’s gone and bagged herself a lead role in a Netflix Notting-Hill-style romantic comedy, according to sources. And yes, we’re absolutely holding out hope that Thailand might just sneak its way into the frame. Netflix dropped the news on February 5 that Lisa will star in an as- yet- untitled rom-com penned by Katie Silberman, the writer behind Set It Up and Booksmart. Translation: – this one’s going to be good. Lisa is also reuniting with David Bernad, the executive producer she bonded with on the set of The White Lotus season three, which, let’s not forget, was filmed right here on our gorgeous shores in Koh Samui, Phuket and Bangkok. Photograph: ShutterStock According to reports, the entire concept for the film was born during those six months of filming in Thailand. Lisa and Bernad apparently spent their downtime gushing over Notting Hill, the 1999 Julia Roberts classic about a famous actress falling for a regular bloke who runs a bookshop. They loved it so much they decided to create their own version, tapped Silberman to write it and now here we are. So the big question – will any of this film actually be shot in Thailand? Netflix is keeping plot details locked down tighter than a vault, but the inspiration tells us plenty. If they’re riffing on Notting Hill, we’re looking at a celebrity meets normie romance. And where better to set that than a country that’s already proven itself as