Bangkok neighbourhoods
Sukhumvit: the modern Bangkok that never sleeps
If Sathorn is the old heart of business, Sukhumvit is its modern face. It is the longest, densest and most international axis of Bangkok: hundreds of hotels, thousands of restaurants, great shopping malls at every elevated metro station. Here is why this district resembles no other.
Why Sukhumvit is so modern
Sukhumvit owes its modernity to a recent history. When the rest of Bangkok was organising itself around the river and the canals, this long avenue remained, until the end of the 20th century, a residential and commercial artery expanding eastward.
Everything changed with the arrival of the BTS, the elevated metro, in 1999. By passing above the city's legendary traffic jams, the train transformed Sukhumvit into the backbone of contemporary Bangkok: offices, hotels, shops and residential towers multiplied there at great speed.
It is also the district of expatriates and international travellers. This demanding and cosmopolitan population has driven up the offering of hotels, restaurants and shops, to the point of making it one of the liveliest areas in Southeast Asia.
The BTS, backbone of the district
In Sukhumvit, you find your way by BTS stations more than by addresses: Nana, Asok, Phrom Phong, Thong Lo, Ekkamai. Each has become a mini-district with its own personality, its hotels and its own dining scene.
The elevated metro has also made the district walkable despite the heat and the traffic: covered walkways, direct access to the shopping malls, an interchange with the underground metro at Asok. You move from one air-conditioned tower to the next almost without touching the ground.
This connectivity largely explains the area's appeal. In Sukhumvit, everything is designed for fluidity: lodging, eating, shopping and going out, all within a few minutes' train ride of one another.
The great shopping malls
The district has several major shopping malls. The most prestigious is the "EM District", around Phrom Phong, which brings together three galleries: the Emporium, high-end, the EmQuartier, spectacular with its indoor waterfall and its panoramic restaurants, and the EmSphere, the most recent, opened at the end of 2023.
At Asok, Terminal 21 is one of the most original malls in the city: each floor reproduces a great capital, from Tokyo to Paris by way of Istanbul and San Francisco, with more than six hundred shops. Further along, Gateway Ekamai cultivates a much-loved Japanese theme.
In all, Sukhumvit lines up at least five or six great shopping malls along a few kilometres, a density that few districts in the world can claim, and one of the reasons for its success with visitors.
Hotels and restaurants in abundance
On the accommodation side, Sukhumvit presumably concentrates several hundred hotels, from the international palace to the small house of charm, by way of countless boutique hotels and residences. It is, by far, the densest hotel corridor in Bangkok.
On the dining side, we are talking about several thousand restaurants: every cuisine in the world is represented there, often at a remarkable level. Thong Lo and Ekkamai, in particular, have become the gourmet epicentre of the city, from Japanese izakayas to creative Thai tables.
This abundance has a flip side: quality there is very uneven. That is precisely the role of our selection — to single out, in this profusion, the few addresses that are truly worth the detour.
The sub-districts of Sukhumvit
Nana and Asok form the business and nightlife heart, dense and lively, the meeting point of the BTS and the metro. Phrom Phong, around the EM District, is more residential, favoured by families and by Bangkok's large Japanese community.
Thong Lo, soi 55, is the trendy district par excellence: sharp restaurants, cocktail bars, designer cafés and private clubs follow one another there. Ekkamai, right next door, plays a quieter, more residential card, appreciated by creative Bangkokians.
This mosaic of sub-districts makes the richness of Sukhumvit: you can spend a hushed evening, a festive night or a Sunday with the family there without ever leaving the same avenue. Few districts offer such variety.
Frequently asked questions
How many shopping malls does Sukhumvit have? At least five or six major malls, including the Emporium, the EmQuartier, the EmSphere (the "EM District"), Terminal 21 and Gateway Ekamai, not counting many smaller galleries.
Is Sukhumvit a good district to stay in? Yes, it is often the most practical choice: several hundred hotels, ideal service by the BTS and the metro, and thousands of restaurants within reach. Phrom Phong and Asok suit first stays well.
Why do you see so many Japanese signs? Sukhumvit, particularly around Phrom Phong and Thong Lo, is home to one of the largest Japanese communities in Southeast Asia. This explains the density of Japanese restaurants, grocers and shops in the district.