Sukhumvit: What to See & Do

There aren't many traditional tourist attractions on Sukhumvit Road. There are few temples and no palaces to explore. Instead what gives Sukhumvit magnetism is its modern face: towering luxury hotels, colossal condomoniums, air-conditioned shopping malls and entertainment complexes, fine restaurants, trendy shops and world-class nightlife.

Then there are the crowds you find walking its streets - an attraction in themselves. Where else can you see veiled Muslim women brushing past provocatively dressed ladyboys as middle-aged European men walk hand-in-hand with exotic Thai women.  Each soi, or lane, has its own personality and target audience and endless hours can be spent exploring these. To see multi-culturalism at work, visit Soi 3 (Soi Nana), a Middle Eastern enclave known as 'Little Arabia'.

Traditional Attractions

There are some conventional attractions on Sukhumvit. Opened to preserve and boost creativity in the Kingdom, the Thailand Creative & Design Centre (TCDC) is a design showcase of Thai and foreign trends and talent. It's located on the 6th floor of the Emporium, which is the trendiest shopping mall on Sukhumvit and also houses the SF Cinema City complex. The Siam Society on Soi 21 (near BTS Asok) puts on interesting exhibitions and lectures on all aspects of Thai culture, and features Kamthieng House - a 19th century teak house full of interesting domestic and agricultural relics.

Natural Relief

Sukhumvit is also home to many popular day spas. And Soi 23's Benjasiri Park (next to the Emporium), often referred to as the 'Queen's Park', provides green relief from the frenetic pace of the surrounding area. It's worth seeing alone for the many Thai sculptures dotted around its grounds and the large groups of locals who gather here at dusk for energetic aerobics sessions. For kids, the National Science Centre for Education in Ekkamai is worth exploring for an edutainment experience, while the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre hosts many interesting events all year-round.

Learn more about Sukhumvit: Where to Stay, List of Sukhumvit Hotels, Nightlife, Where to Eat, Shopping, Getting Around, Nana Plaza, Soi Cowboy, Emporium, Nightclubs, Thailand Tatler Sukhumvit Restaurant Reviews, Cinemas

Learn more about Attractions: Chidlom-Ploenchit, Silom, Siam, Ratchaprasong, Khao San Road, Sathorn, Riverside, Old City (Rattanakosin), Chinatown, Chatuchak, Pratunam, Ratchadapisek

Asia's first design learning and resource facility, the Thailand Creative and Design Centre (TCDC), was established to foster the country's creativity and inspire innovative ideas among design professionals and entrepreneurs. TCDC is part of the Thai government's attempt to build Thailand as a knowledge-based society under the supervision of the Office of Knowledge Management and Development. (READ MORE)

A former 19th rice farmer's teak house transplanted from the banks of Chiang Mai's Ping River to Bangkok in 1964, Kamthieng House is now the headquarters of the the Siam Society - dedicated to preserving and promoting Thai culture and heritage.

Inside this beautiful wooden house is a collection of agricultural and domestic items, including woven fish baskets and terra-cotta pots, which show the everyday lives of ordinary people in the past. The spirits of three ladies - previous occupants are said to haunt the house and watch over it. The gardens, Lanna style, are landscaped like a northern Thai garden.

There's an excellent library (Siam Society members can borrow, but the general public can browse) which includes rare books about Thai history, palm-leaf manuscripts and old maps. The Siam Society is dedicated to providing information on all aspects of Thai culture, especially the regions, arranging regular lectures and study trips to historic sites and wildlife sanctuaries.

Open: 09:00 - 17:00 (Tuesday - Saturday)
Location: 131 Soi Asok, north of Sukhumvit on Soi 21
Skytrain:  Asok (about ten minute walk)
Admission: 100 baht for adults, 50 baht for children

Built in 1992 to celebrate Queen Sirikit's 60th birthday, Benjasiri Park is often referred to as 'Queen's Park'. This is definitely the place to be for sculpture lovers, as several of the best examples of Thai sculpture are scattered around the park. Benjasiri Park is located next to the Emporium right in the middle of the busy Sukhumvit area.

Location: Next to the Emporium Shopping Centre, Sukhumvit 23

Aiming to both educate and excite, the Science Centre for Education near Ekkamai is the place to bring the kids if you want them to learn about science and technology, natural history, the environment and space in informal surroundings. The Science Museum aims to open the door on scientific experimentation and discovery with special events, lectures and discussions on science, astrology and related subjects. The Planetarium has a giant projection of the solar system and a section on the life of stars. On top of that the Aquatic World, Nature and the Environment area, Health Science area and Children's Discovery House can all be explored.