Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
innovative 'noodle-less' version, where strips of crispy green papaya are substituted for
the traditional rice noodles.
Salt
INTERNATIONAL
$$$
(
www.saltbangkok.com
; cnr Soi Ari 4 & Soi 7 (Ari), Th Phahonyothin; mains 180-1450B; 5pm-midnight Mon-Sat;
; Ari exit 1)
With a DJ booth flashing a conspicuously placed copy of
Larousse
Gastronomique,
Salt is the kind of eclectic place that's currently shaping Bangkok's res-
taurant scene. Appropriately located in Ari, suburban Bangkok's trendiest 'hood, the
menu ranges from sushi to pizza, with an emphasis on grilled and smoked dishes. Seating
is (loud) indoor or (sweaty) outdoor, and there's draught Belgian beer and house cocktails.
Drinking & Nightlife
Once infamous as an anything-goes nightlife destination, in recent years Bangkok has
been edging towards teetotalism with strict regulations limiting the sale of alcohol and in-
creasingly conservative closing times. Regardless, the city still boasts a diverse and fun
bar and club scene, and there are even a few places to go if you find 2am too early to go to
bed. Keep in mind that smoking has been outlawed at all indoor (and some quasi-outdoor)
entertainment places since 2008. Surprisingly for Thailand, the rule is strictly enforced.
Bangkok's watering holes cover the spectrum from English-style pubs where you can
comfortably sit with a pint and the paper to chic dens where the fair and beautiful go to be
seen, not to imbibe. But many visitors associate Bangkok with the kind of bars that don't
have an address - found just about everywhere in the city. Think streetside seating, plastic
chairs, auto exhaust, and tasty dishes that are absent-mindedly nibbled between toasts.
Bangkok is also one of the few big cities in the world where nobody seems to mind if you
slap a bar on the roof of a skyscraper (
Click here
)
.
During the day, Th Khao San is dominated by just about everybody but Thais. At night
the natives deem it safe to join the crowds, giving the area an entirely different vibe. In
addition to the main strip, Th Rambuttri and Th Phra Athit also draw drinkers and fun
seekers from across the city, and the world.
Bangkok's nightclub scene is as fickle as a ripe mango, and that really fun disco you
found on your last trip three years ago is most likely history today. To find out what is go-
ing on when you're in town, check listings rag BK or the
Bangkok Post
's Friday supple-
ment, Guru. Alternatively, check in with organisers of hugely popular monthly parties
