There are about 250,000 expats living Bangkok, Thailand. But one of the things that hold many more of them back from moving there they don’t know the best areas for expats to live. There are many areas in Bangkok that offer quality housing at fair prices, easy access to transportation, excellent shopping, and diverse entertainment options expats would enjoy. But for people that have never lived in Bangkok, finding the right place to live can be a challenge. The key is to find a vibrant expat community.
Let’s look at some good places in Bangkok that many expats call home.
Silom
Silom Bangkok looks like Wall Street in New York. There are beautiful skyscrapers which house some of the world’s best known financial institutions. Silom is also home to some of Bangkok’s most luxurious hotels. The area also offers many exciting options for expats looking to have some fun at night. There are numerous small sois that that host burgeoning crowds looking for fun after nightfall. Silom is also home to the infamous Patpong, an area some refer to as a den of sleaze while others see it as a good place to have a great time. Silom offers easy access to the Bangkok Sky Train or BTS, and numerous hospitals, museums, and shopping malls.
Riverside (Khlong San)
Bangkok’s riverside is where its historic roots lie; the traditional heartland of this magical city with origins that read like an epic novel – complete with fallen and rising Kingdoms, heroes and traitors.
It’s probably one of the best places for expats to stay in Bangkok. It’s very relaxing, away from the city’s hustle and bustle. However it is also very well situated and offers easy access to the city center via 3 BTS station or via boat. Places like Sawaya & Moroni Residences, for example perfectly combines spectacular riverside views, at calm and at the same time luxury environment.
Sathorn
Sathorn is another Bangkok community that’s very popular with expats. The area runs from Lumpini Park in the north to the Chao Phraya River in the south. Many expats like the Sathorn area because of the scenic views of the river and access to some of the trendiest hotels in Bangkok. Sathorn also has a number of excellent serviced apartments and a whole host of fine restaurants which offer both local and international cuisine. Sathorn is a relatively new area on the famous Sukhumvit Road and served by the Surasak and Saphan Taksin Skytrain stations only minutes away. There are many exotic locales and plenty of places to just relax and take in panoramic views of beautiful Bangkok.
Sukhumvit
Sukhumvit is one of Bangkok’s new, exclusive districts. It has ultramodern apartments, beautiful villas, and a wide variety of bars, clubs, and restaurants. Sukhumvit is very popular among expats. Sukhumvit Road is one of the longest boulevards both in Thailand and in the world. Its rice paddies have been replaced with high-rise apartment buildings. The streets are jammed with traffic and the BTS Skytrain runs overhead. The district is awash with hotels, restaurants, and shopping centers. It also has some of Bangkok’s best food stands, with everything from Indian to Japanese, Arabic, and Thai food. Sukhumvit is also close to the famous Khlong Toei Market.
Ari
Ari is one of Bangkok’s nicest areas and a magnet for expat families. It’s very modern, has fantastic condo developments, amazing bars, coffee shops, and restaurants, and has a great vibe. Plus it’s cleaner, quieter, and has less traffic than most laces in Bangkok. The houses are amazing and parents rave about the local school for young children called British Early Years Centre. Two Villa Markets offer any type of western foods expats want and there are also many hip eateries. The three-story community mall called ‘The Villa’ sells all the latest fashions upstairs. Downstairs, wildly popular beer gardens are packed with expats every night. The Ari BTS Station makes getting around a breeze.
For most expats Bangkok is a world away from where they were raised. But finding the right expat community makes them feel right at home. Whether they stay at Bangkok’s spectacular Klapsons Hotel with its gorgeous vistas of the enchanting Chao Phraya river, Bangkok’s social and economic heart, and the spectacular skyscrapers, luxurious, modern condos, apartments, or quaint single family homes, they’ll never love a place they way they love Bangkok.
