342 Bar Bangkok

Almost opposite you can see the Grand Palace, Bangkok’s most famous landmark, which is spectacularly lit up at night. Slightly south, on the same side of the river as 342 Bar, is Wat Arun, which too becomes all the more impressive as the sun sets over the Chao Phraya, with the iconic pagoda glowing in a deep golden tone.

With views this good, best go for one of 342 Bar’s range of signature cocktails such as the ‘342 of paradise’ (vodka, blue curacao, lime juice, and lychee juice) or the equally fruity ‘342 upside down’ (rum, mango, lime juice, and mint). The cocktails here aren’t going to win any critically acclaimed prizes for their originality, but they sure are easy to drink and most come in at less than 300 baht – not that bad considering the great views. Look out for their buy-2-get-1-free offer between 6pm and 10pm, too.

The menu at the restaurant downstairs is far more substantial, but Bar 342 does have a few tasty snacks and sandwiches to soak up your drinks, including burgers, French fries, onion rings and platters. There’s also Hoegaarden on tap and a small mix of local and imported bottles of beer and wine.

Few bars along the river offer views this good, other than the luxurious hotels lining the banks where a slap-up meal is always going to set you back a few thousand baht. The 342 Bar is also a winner in our book because you can conveniently combine coming here with a browse around the cute nearby market, or use it as a post-sightseeing watering hole after you’ve checked out the famous Wat Arun a short way down the river.