Sukhumvit
The Sukhumvit district is remarkably popular among tourists, perhaps even on a par with the famous Khaosan Road. Unfortunately, it can offer little to those who are fans of educational and informative excursions; the major architectural and historical attractions of Bangkok are situated in the other parts of the city. On the other hand, those who have come to Thailand for good shopping, rich culture and night life will have promptly found themselves in heaven. A range tourist temptations are gathered in Sukhumvit: luxury hotels, large shopping malls with an abundance of shops, gourmet restaurants and wine bars, as well as entertainment complexes and countless Bangkok nightclubs.
The Sukhumvit district originally got its name from its primary street (Sukhumvit Road), which is one of the main highways in Thailand. It starts from the capital’s business center Silom, before running through east Bangkok, where it gradually turns into Phloen Chit Road and continues to the Cambodia border. It is the longest road in the Kingdom – with a length of more than 400 kilometers.
Sukhumvit is renowned as Bangkok’s main trading district and for those who come to the city for shopping, there is simply no better place. Rows of huge shopping complexes, housing the shops of Thai designers as well as boutiques from international brands, stretch along the street. These offer a wide selection of clothes, shoes, cosmetics and perfumery, alongside sporting goods and other products. Sukhumvit also features another form of trade, perhaps less glamorous, but equally attractive with its colour. These are the street shops, whose counters are peppered with a huge range of goods: original souvenirs, clothing (including high-quality replicas of classic brands), audio and video products. Their main advantage is that, unlike most of the shopping centers, they are open until late at night.
Sukhumvit Road and its adjoining streets are known as the place where the best Bangkok restaurants, serving the dishes of different world cuisines, and stylish bars with large selection of strong drinks are congregated. Moreover, fast-food restaurants belonging to well-known international chains, such as McDonald's, KFC, Burger King, Subway and Starbucks, are scattered around the quarter. If you still find yourself a little peckish, numerous street food points offer a taste of authentic Thai dishes.
Sukhumvit is also famous for its high concentration of theaters, art galleries, spa centers, bars - including traditional British pubs - and nightclubs with good music. Among other things, local the spas offer renowned Thai massages.
The best (as well as the fastest and cheapest) way to move around the Sukhumvit district is to use the elevated metro Skytrain, the tracks for which are laid above the main street. You can also easily reach other parts of the city from the Sukhumvit Road, while simultaneously admiring the capital’s landscapes from above.
