Sukhumvit and Bangkok Riverside are two trendy areas in Bangkok. Sukhumvit is the heart of modern Bangkok known for its cosmopolitan atmosphere and diverse range of malls, nightlife, and food. The Riverside is known for its quiet, upscale atmosphere, and proximity to major historic attractions.
If you’re wondering which area is better for your stay, you’re in the right place. In this article, I’ll compare the two areas so you can choose the one that best suits your preferences. I’ll focus on their location, accommodations, nightlife, shopping, food, and attractions.
Bangkok is one of the favorite places to visit in Thailand. I visited this city several times, and stayed in different parts of the city. I’ve also traveled extensively around Thailand, so I hope to give you the best suggestion possible
Sukhumvit vs Bangkok Riverside, which area is better to stay in?
I prefer staying in the Sukhumvit area because it has more connections to the public trains, so I can easily explore the city on public transportation. Additionally, Sukhumvit is the modern heart of the city, offering a well-balanced mix of shopping malls, nightlife, and dining options.
Bangkok Riverside, on the other hand, is a better base for those who want a quieter atmosphere, upscale vibe with many luxury hotels and stunning river views. It is an excellent base to explore Bangkok’s iconic attractions in the old town and Chinatown.
The Riverside is very-well connected to the boat system, so you can easily explore attractions along the river like Wat Pho, Grand Palace, Wat Arun, Khao San Road, Icon Siam, or Asiatique. The Riverside Bangkok is not very well connected to the public BTS skytrain and MRT underground train.
The downside of Sukhumvit is that it does not have historical charm. The downside of staying in Bangkok Riverside is that it is further away from Suvarnabhumi Airport and it has a quieter nightlife scene than Sukhumvit.
Both Sukhumvit and Riverside are huge areas with some areas like Upper Sukhumvit is a bit away from major attractions, and some areas on the west side of Chao Phraya River are away from the public trains.
If you choose Sukhumvit, I recommend staying in Lower Sukhumvit, around Asok and Nana Station for its central locations and accessibility to multiple train lines.
If you choose to stay in Bangkok Riverside, I recommend staying somewhere near the MRT subway or BTS skytrain station such as Old Town Riverside or Silom Riverside.
Best Hotelsto stay in Sukhumvit:
- luxury: Grande Centre Point Hotel Terminal21
- mid-range: Mercure Bangkok Sukhumvit 24
- budget: ibis Styles Bangkok Sukhumvit 4
Top recommended stays in Bangkok riverside:
- luxury: Chakrabongse Villas
- mid-range: Aurum The River Place
- budget: River Home Bangkok
Location and Size
Sukhumvit is the area around Sukhumvit Road in the modern part of Bangkok. It is surrounded by other popular neighborhoods like Siam/ Pratunam and Silom.
Sukhumvit is around 500km long road spanning from Bangkok to the border with Cambodia. The most popular area of Bangkok’s Sukhumvit is the first 6km long stretch of Sukhumvit Road. This area includes Nana Plaza, Terminal 21, Soi Cowboy, Emporium, Emquatier, Thong Lo, and Ekamai.
Bangkok Riverside is the area on the both left bank and right bank of Chao Phray area. The most popular area along the Riverside is the 8km long of the river stretching, from Phra Arthit in Bangkok Old Town, to Asiatique Mall near Silom.
Along Bangkok Riverside, you can find some popular points of interest like Wat Pho, Wat Arun, Grand Palace, Chinatown, ICON Siam, and Asiatique.
Sukhumvit is closer to the Suvarnabhumi Airport while the Riverside is closer to the historical part of Bangkok. If you want to stay close to the airport with easy train rides, Sukhumvit is a better choice. If you want to stay close to the old town and its famous cultural attractions, the Riverside is the better choice.
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Public Transportation
Sukhumvit has better connection to the public trains than the area along Bangkok Riverside. BTS skytrain running though most parts of Sukhumvit and MRT trains also serve this area.
With the riverside, only some parts around Silom Riverside and Old Town Riverside are connected to the city’s BTS and MRT train system. However, the riverside has better connection to the boat systems, taking you to the most famous cultural sights of the city along the river.
In Sukhumvit, you can use the BTS Skytrain line to get around the neighborhood itself and visit other popular areas like Siam, Silom, Pratunam, Chatukchak Weekend market. With the MRT train, you can get to Silom, Chinatown, Old Town, and some parts of Bangkok Riverside.
The MRT and BTS trains are very well connected to the Airport Rail Link train. So, depending where you’re staying in Sukhumvit, you can easily take the airport train and then use either the MRT or BTS to reach your hotel.
It is possible to use a combination of airport train and MRT/ BTS train to get from Suvarnabhumi Airport to Bangkok Riverside area especially if you stay near some stations such as Sanam Chai MRT station or Saphan Taksin BTS Station.
Accommodations
Both areas have hundreds of accommodations for all preferences. If you book in advance, you can find good quality hotels that suit your budget.
Sukhumvit has a wide range of budget, mid-range, and luxury accommodations. There are hotels, guest houses, hotels, and serviced apartments.
The accommodations in the lower Sumhumvit (around Nana and Asok) are usually more expensive than ones in Upper Sukhumvit in the area around Ekamai and Thong Lo.
You can find a high concentration of luxury highrise hotels on the east side of the river from the area around Saphan Taksin to Asiatique Mall. There are also good luxury boutique hotels along the Old Town Riverside, as well as a couple of popular upscale hotels near ICON Siam.
If you are looking for mid-range and budget accommodations along the riverside, you can choose to stay in the Chinatown Riverside area or the west side of the Chao Phraya River such as the Thonburi area.
Whether you choose to stay, Sukhumvit or Bangkok Riverside, always make sure to book your hotel well in advance, especially if you are traveling to the city in the high season. Accommodations are often in high demand in the period from November to May.
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Nightlife
Sukhumvit generally offers a better nightlife scene. You can find a huge variety of nightclubs, rooftop bars, cocktail‐bars, go‐to party areas like Nana Plaza, Soy Cowboy, Soi 11, Thonglor, or Ekkamai. If you want to keep going late till 2-4am, Sukhumvit has more of those options.
Bangkok Riverside has quieter nightlife, which is a good place to relax, enjoy good food, cocktails, and views. There are riverside restaurants, hotel bars, rooftop bars with river views, or diner cruise to enjoy along the river. Nice if you want something more peaceful or romantic, the riverside is for you.
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Shopping
Sukhumvit offers easier access to more shopping malls than in the Riverside. The area itself is home to two several major malls like Terminal 21, Emporium, and EmQuartier. It has a broad range of luxury, mid‑range, lifestyle shopping malls.
It is also located right next to Siam, Silom, and Pratunam, which offer more shopping opportunities. You can easily get to CentralWord, Siam Paragon, Siam Square, MBK, or Pratunam Market.
The Riverside is home to a couple of modern shopping malls, including ICON Siam and Asiatique. These malls often offer stunning river views. People staying by the riverside usually travel to Sukhumvit/ Siam area for more shopping because they’re the shopping hub of Bangkok.
Food
Sukhumvit is known for its cosmopolitan, so this area offers more international food than in Bangkok Riverside area. You can find Korean, Japanese, Indian, Arab, Italian food throughout the neighborhood.
If you like diversity, you can try many cuisines in Sukhumvi. There are street stalls, food courts, small local Thai places, high‑end restaurants, fusion, and international cuisines.
Bangkok riverside has a good range of restaurants, foot courts, and street food stalls for you to enjoy. It’s just not as diverse as in Sukhumvit.
The Riverside is close to Bangkok Chinatown, which is a vibrant place to try street food at night. There is a Chinatown night market, as well as many street food stalls along Yaowarat Road for you to explore.
Attractions
Bangkok Riverside is a better location for sightseeing due to its close proximity to the city’s most famous cultural attractions. You can easily use the hop on hop off boats to visit places like the Grand Palace, Wat Pho, Wat Arun, and Khao San Road.
Sukhumvit is further away from major attractions of Bangkok. If you want to visit these sites, you will need to travel by train and on boats. Major attractions in Sukhumvit are shopping malls, red light district area, some parks, and a variety range of food from all over the world.
Family-friendly Atmosphere
Both areas have a good range of family-friendly accommodations for all budgets. If your family wants a lively atmosphere in the heart of modern Bangkok, Sukhumvit is the place to go.
Keep in mind that Sukhumvit has several entertainment zones, which can be noisy, crowded, and not suitable for families with kids. I recommend staying somewhere a bit away from Naza Plaza and Soi Cowboy for the best experience.
If your family enjoys a calmer atmosphere and quieter nightlife, Bangkok Riverside is a place to stay. To easily get around with your kids using trains, I recommend staying near either Saphan Taksin or Sanam Chai Station.
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So there you have it, my comparison between Sukhumvit and Bangkok Riverside, the two popular neighborhoods to stay in Bangkok. Overall, Sukhumvit is a better choice if you want to modern areas well connected to public trains, and offer a wide range of shopping, nightlife, and food.
Bangkok Riverside is suited for those who want quieter atmosphere, upscale vibe, and close proximity to the iconic attractions in the historical part of Bangkok like Chinatown, and Bangkok Old Town.