 |
| Lumpini Park |
Attractions in Silom are as diverse as the area’s polarizing daytime and night-time personalities. When the Thai sun is high in the sky, Silom is Bangkok’s answer to Wall Street, with high-rise office blocks full of workers who spill out into the streets at lunchtime and after work for their fill of local food. Come night, however, and Silom shows its true colors. Bustling markets stalls pop up in a flash, fine-dining restaurants open their doors and naughty nightclubs come alive. Silom is not just about shopping, bars and restaurants though: from niche museums to quirky galleries – not forgetting Lumpini Park, one of the few treasured expanses of green space in central Bangkok – there are plenty of interesting attractions and sights to see too. Explore the area’s historical, cultural and generally better-behaved side with our Top 10 Attractions in Silom.
1. Lumpini Park
Terms like ‘a tranquil oasis, ‘a haven from Bangkok’s traffic’, and ‘an escape from the city’ are forever used to describe Lumpini Park - and they are all spot on. Bangkok is not big on green spaces, so Lumpini Park, which lies in the shadow of the towering Silom/Sathorn skyline around its perimeter, stands proud as one of the city’s largest and well-loved parks. The 142 acres of grass, ponds and walkways draws in the locals and tourists morning, noon and night, although most people tend head here in the evening for some exercise when the heat of the day has subsided. Ride your bike around during non-peak hours (10:00-15:00) or enjoy evening dance/fitness sessions, an onsite gym, a swimming pool, or their many other sports courts. If you’re lucky, you might be able to catch a glimpse of one of Lumpini Park’s famed water monitors, which occasionally slither out of the water for a curious look around.
Opening Hours: 04:30 - 21:00
Location: Rama IV Road, Pathumwan (Lumpini or Silom MRT Station)
2. Patpong Night Market
Depending on how you look at it - or rather which direction you look from - Patpong Night Market is either a gauntlet of pop-up stalls selling all your usual tourist items, or one of Bangkok’s naughtiest night time destinations. Take a stroll along the street without paying attention to the surrounding bars, and Patpong Market presents a fun shopping experience with plenty of bargains to be had on knock-off designer bags, T-shirts, shoes and sunglasses, as well as electronics, tourist souvenirs and artwork. However, those paying closer attention will know that Patpong is not just about the shopping. Bars along either side of the road often have open doorways providing unsuspecting shoppers/potential customers a preview of the antics going on inside. The whole of Patpong Road and surrounding Silom ‘sois’ are famous for go-go bars, late night gentlemen’s clubs and the occasional eye-popping gillie show. Definitely not your usual Thai market experience.
Opening Hours: 18:00 - 01:00 (every day) - some bars close later than this.
Location: Patong Road (off Silom Road, near Sala Daeng BTS)
3. Bangkokian Museum
For a journey back in time to when teak houses stood proudly as Bangkok’s main form of accommodation (rather than glistening new condo blocks), and when jungles were of the green variety rather than concrete, there’re few better places than the Bangkokian Museum near Silom. Although not a prominent fixture in most Bangkok travel guides (probably due to its discrete location tucked away in a small soi) this interesting museum is well worth a visit for its range of traditional Siamese artefacts, two beautiful wooden houses and lush tropical gardens. The Bangkokian Museum is sometimes referred to as the ‘Bangkok Folk Museum’, and can be found just off Charoen Krung (turn into soi 43, pass under the bridge, then look to your right for the main sign). Entrance is free too.
Opening Hours: Open: 10:00 – 16:00, Wednesday-Sunday
Location: Soi Charoen Krung 43, Bangkok
Tel: +66 (0) 2234 6741
4. Sky Bar
The Sky Bar at the Lebua State Tower is more than another rooftop bar in Bangkok. It is a holiday experience in itself, an iconic building (helped in no small part by the popular Hangover II movie) and a Bangkok must-see attraction etched firmly into the travel itinerants of visitors from all over the world. Whilst now a little overcrowded – and in the opinion of some – over commercialized, the Sky Bar at Lebua State is still consistently named as one of the top-10 rooftop bars, not just in Thailand or Asia, but in the whole world. So what sets it apart from the rest? Perched 63 storeys up, the views over downtown Bangkok, the Chao Phraya River and across to the suburbs are hard to beat. You’ll also find a stunning central dome, a luxurious menu prepared by some of the most recognized chefs in town and a sumptuous range of cocktails and wines. Expect a hefty price tag and don’t forget to dress smart. Read More...
Opening Hours: 18:00 - 00:00
Address: The Dome at Lebua, Silom Road, Bangrak, Bangkok, Thailand, 10500
Tel: +66 (0)2 624 9555
5. Flight Experience Bangkok
Excluding what goes on after dark, Bangkok’s Flight Experience is possibly the most fun thing you can do in Silom - as well as the most expensive. For around 4,000-7,000 baht you can take to the captain’s seat and try your hand at taking off, cruising around the skies and landing at one of 24,000 airports around the world. The whole experience is ultra-realistic and attention to detail in the model cockpit is second to none; just like the real thing but without the responsibility of having 300 passengers sat behind you. The package gets you training from a professional pilot who will instruct before as well as guiding you through each stage of the flight. Prices start at just over 4,000 baht for thirty minutes or around 6,500 for the full hour (which is actually cheaper compared to similar set ups in Asia and Europe). You can find Flight Experience tucked away off Silom Road on Soi Covent, inside the Sibunruang Building.
Address: Sibunruang Building, 1 Convent Rd. Silom, Bangrak, Bangkok 10500
Tel: +66 2 2379895
6. Christ Church
Although more famed for its abundance of stunning Buddhist temples, Bangkok boasts its fair share of buildings representing other beliefs of the world, and one of the most prominent of them is Christ Church on Convent Road. The current structure was built in 1904 when King Rama V granted permission for a bigger church to be built in the Thai capital, replacing the very first Protestant Church in the country on Charoenkrung Road. Christ Church still stands proudly today, white in colour with a gothic/colonial architectural style. The church is fully operational and serves a congregation of over 500. Inside follows the white-washed theme and you’ll find a few impressive stained glass windows alongside Thailand’s only pipe organ. Read More...
Opening Hours: 08:30 – 16:30 (closed Saturday and Sunday)
Location: 11 Convent Road, Sathorn
Tel: +66 (0)2 234 3634
7. Kathmandu Art Gallery
Kathmandu Art Gallery shies away from those sterile, white-washed and often uninspiring interiors you normally find in a more typical art gallery. Instead, Kathmandu flips the whole concept on its head, with the gallery space being a spectacle in itself; bright green wooden ceiling and walls, a clashing black and white American diner-style floor and vintage furniture scattered about the place really bring this quirky little gallery to life. As for the art, which almost takes second stage to Kathmandu Art Gallery’ bold and brash look, there are exhibitions every 2 months (6 per year) that showcase some of the best creative talent from around Bangkok and the rest of Thailand. Kathmandu is well worth a visit if you’re an art lover, antique enthusiast or just looking for unique Bangkok experience. Find Kathmandu Art Gallery on Pan Road near Silom’s Hindu temple.
Opening Hours: 11:00-19:00 (closed Mondays)
Address: 87 Pan Road, Bangkok
Tel: +66 (0)2 234 6700
8. Sri Mariamman Hindu Temple Bangkok
For a little taste of Indian architecture right in the heart of Bangkok, head to the impressive Sri Mariamman Temple, which is dedicated to the Hindu Goddess of the same name. The colorful and intricately designed temple was built by Tamil immigrants during the 1860s and is well-known by local worshipers for being able to protect against ill-health and even death. The tall central structure is plastered full of detailed, entwining Hindu deities and the shrines found inside the temple are dedicated to both Shiva's consort and also the elephant-headed Ganesha, with others paying homage to Gods Vishnu and Krishna. This colourful and striking building presents a great photo-op from the outside, however, no photos can be taken inside as this area is dedicated purely for worship.
Opening Hours: 06:00 - 20:00
Location: The corner of Pan Road and Silom Road, Silom, Bangkok
9. Snake Farm
From Cobras to Malayan Pit Vipers, Banded Kraits to rare Russell Vipers, Silom’s Snake Farm has a wide and interesting range of slithery reptiles. The snakes here are all are 'milked' (their venom extracted) which means that a bite from these poisonous animals would hurt but not kill their handlers. The extracted venom, which you can see being done, is then used to produce anti-venom serum for snake-bite victims over the country. There are lots of informative displays and educational resources available and the daily shows (14:00 on weekdays and 11:00 on weekends) also offer a spectacle for the tourists that flock here. Unlike other more ‘local’ shows, this snake farm is praised for its careful handling of the animals and their conservation attempts. However, this is still is a show using wild and exotic animals to entertain a crowd, which will inevitably draw criticism from some.
Opening Hours: 08:30 to 16:30 pm on weekdays - 08:30 to noon on weekends and holidays
Location: Thai Red Cross Institute, Rama IV and Henry Dunant Road intersection.
Tel: +66 2 252 0161
10. Bangkok Seashell Museum
The Bangkok Seashell Museum is up there with some of the more niche museums in the world, and niche museums often draw negative connotations as being a bit geeky. It’s true that if you like your museums varied and diverse, a seashell museum might not be your best bet. However, for those with an artistic eye, an interest in marine life or just all the ‘oncologists’ out there, this interesting little museum offers a worthwhile place to visit for an hour or so in Silom. On display are over 3,000 specimens of 600 species, all creatively arranged making pretty, almost artwork-like displays. Commentary is available in English and Thai, and there are several useful illustrations and diagrams for those keen to learn more about this form of sea life. Look out for the giant clam too, which weighs no less than 300 kg! Entrance is around 200 baht.
Opening Hours: 10.00 – 18.30 Daily
Location: Silom Road (next to Soi Silom 23, opposite the Lerdsin Hospital)
Tel: +66 (0)2 234 0291
Price Range: 200 Baht
