Top 10 Nightlife and Fun After Work

The sheer scope for dining out in Bangkok pretty much characterises the place as being a food city – a place where it is more cost-effective to eat out than at home. While cheap food is abundant, Bangkok’s paradoxical character naturally dictates that it's also a luxury dining Mecca. Sprawling city views, fine wines and internationally acclaimed chefs are at the core of Bangkok’s most exclusive restaurants, typified by Lebua's Sirocco and Mezzaluna as well as the Banyan Tree’s Vertigo Grill.

An informal nightcap with a colleague or client can be the making of a business trip. Still, whether you are with clients, colleagues or alone, deluxe drinking in the 'Big Mango' has never been easier. Bar @ 494 in the lobby of the Grand Hyatt has been a long-term favourite of executive road warriors, with its extensive menu of fine wines and informal yet classy atmosphere. 87+ has a sexy feel to it with its curvaceous design and the Met Bar that first achieved notoriety in London back in the 1990’s, has just opened its branch to Bangkok’s elite.

So you have completed a successful day of cutting deals and negotiating contracts. Now, with all business complete it's time to let your hair down and hit the dance floor. The Grand Hyatt’s basement club – Spasso, is a hit with execs and its live band performs a set of classic covers and it doesn't hurt to know that the club's cocktail menu is extensive. Even after six years the hybrid Bed Supper club remains one of Bangkok’s most innovative and trendy nightclubs, gorgeous people, décor, music – what more can one ask for? Perhaps the sub-zero temperatures of Titanium might satisfy or the fiery Latino beats blasting out in Tapas? Still, for many, the Q Bar is undoubtedly the best in Bangers.

Some might argue that a trip to Bangkok is not complete without a trip to one of its 'massage' parlours, exotic bars or jaw-dropping shows. The hostess bars of Sukhumvit Soi 33 are interspersed with upscale restaurants and watering holes and for many these are the classiest in Bangkok. For something a bit more playful head on down to Soi Cowboy, the less touristy version of Patpong, popular with expatriates who want their money to go further. Soi Twilight is the gay world's counterpart to the infamous Patpong, popular with those who prefer male erotic displays.

The streets of Bangkok are laden with enthusiastic street vendors; so much so that a mere trip to the 7-Eleven can often result in a new shirt or a pair of sunglasses – albeit the counterfeit sort. Suan Lum is the locale with the city's most eclectic gathering of goods and the Night Bazaar brings a new meaning to the term ‘shop till you drop’, with its vast assortment of accessories, fashion, furnishings and handicrafts. Patpong Night Market enjoys the dubious pleasure of being squeezed right into sleaze central but nonetheless is a great place to bargain down high-end counterfeit brands.

Home to a number of Thai and international brands – the Siam Paragon and Emporium malls stand tall as Bangkok’s reigning lifestyle centres. Besides the abundance of high-end shopping, the top floor of the Emporium has the TCDC, one of Bangkok most progressive exhibition spaces and extensive design libraries, frequented by students and many of the city's creative types. The VIP cinemas take movie watching to new realms with reclining seats, quilted duvets and personalised service.

The Bull's Head and the Londoner are as traditionally British as you can get – thus their penchant for all things sporty. If you are looking for a sports bar where a great steak and good wine can be enjoyed while watching the game, then Tenderloins is your bar. The British pubs are more upbeat and a better choice for atmosphere with expats cheering on their teams but the Australian-run Tenderloins will suit those who prefer a more intense and focused sports-watching environment.

For those of you who love to have their 15 minutes in the spotlight, Karaoke is the natural progression from the Power Point presentation. Although Thailand is not as bold as Japan in the practice of karaoke, it sure is getting there. Maybe this is in part due to the surge in Japanese business travellers or the fact that in some cultures it is the quickest way to impress a client or love interest. If you prefer your own private booth in which to let rip your best Tina Turner or Ricky Martin impression then head on down to Big Echo. Alternatively, the crowd and equipment at Amadis – the New Peninsular Hotel, will leave you feeling suitably impressed or embarrassed with yourself.

Whether you are looking to unwind with some moody jazz or raunchy R&B, Bangkok provides the perfect setting in which to do so. Around the corner from the affluent Langsuan is Brown Sugar. Here, don’t expect plush couches and cutting-edge interiors but the live jazz is enough to keep you glued to your seat for a good few hours. Tokyo Joe's is a joint for guitar lovers who wish to be serenaded by professional musicians over an awesome sound system, topped off by relaxed décor. However, the best jazz in town is at the Skytrain Jazz Club close to Victory Monument, where cheap drinks and Thai food can be enjoyed in the living-room style club.