An Evening at the Top of the City of Angels: Magic and a Culinary Feast in Bangkok

An escape above the clouds and the red sun over the metropolis

Bangkok is a city that never sleeps, and its pulsating, bustling energy can be as fascinating as it is overwhelming. A trip to the famous Baiyoke Sky Hotel is the perfect way to view this bustling concrete jungle from a completely different perspective, cutting yourself off from the hustle and bustle of the streets. Ascending to one of the top floors of this massive, over 300-metre-tall colossus is like travelling to another dimension. The evening began at the perfect moment – just before dusk. Through the huge windows, one could watch the thick haze characteristic of Asian cities rise above the city, through which the perfectly round, blood-red disc of the setting sun struggled to break through, yet with incredible charm. Below lay an endless sea of buildings – a dense forest of skyscrapers with varied, often futuristic architecture, interspersed with countless construction cranes. This is clear proof that this metropolis is still reaching for the sky and constantly evolving. Such a view creates an incredible atmosphere, offering a sense of calm and detachment high above the hot, chaotic life of the Thai capital.

A culinary journey without boundaries or rigid rules

Another, extremely important part of this trip was a visit to the hotel restaurant. Baiyoke Sky has long been renowned for offering guests not only breathtaking views, but also a true culinary feast. The selection of dishes served there is a veritable culinary melting pot, where the intense flavours of Asia blend freely with Western classics, allowing for complete freedom in putting together your meal.

On the one hand, seafood reigned supreme: huge, perfectly grilled river prawns with crispy shells, served with a classic, hot-and-sour Thai chilli sauce that brought out their flavour phenomenally. Alongside them were fresh black mussels and appetising purple squid tentacles. The dish served piping hot in a metal dish also looked incredibly intriguing – a composition of prawns, mussels and tiny octopuses baked in a delicate, fluffy mixture, generously drizzled with a spicy sauce containing chopped herbs.

On the other hand, the plates reflected the relaxed, casual atmosphere typical of international buffets. Alongside the exotic seafood, there was room for Western delicacies: slices of pizza with stretchy, golden-brown cheese, a generous portion of fluffy mashed potato lavishly topped with thick, dark gravy, and slices of well-done steak. This varied feast was rounded off with deep-fried spring rolls, crispy meatballs and a refreshing cucumber salad. This proves that on evenings like these, every moment and every flavour is celebrated.

Memorable moments and a view of the colossal architecture

After such a delicious meal, it was time for a bit of fun and to document our visit to this iconic spot. A photo taken next to the large, illuminated model of the Baiyoke Sky Hotel makes for a great souvenir. Posing right next to the model in a flowing blue dress, with your hand raised high towards its spire, you can perfectly – and with a touch of humour – illustrate just how gigantic this structure really is. The backdrop against which this photo was taken, featuring a painted panorama of the city at sunset, perfectly complements the view seen through the windows just a few dozen minutes earlier. It is these casual moments that usually become the most fondly remembered highlights of a journey.

The golden rivers of Bangkok by night and the scale of its engineering

The absolute highlight of the whole trip was going out to admire the metropolis’s night-time panorama. Once the sun had completely disappeared below the horizon and the sky was shrouded in deep black, Bangkok transformed into a gigantic, shimmering light display. From this immense height, the city looked like an endless, intricate integrated circuit powered by electricity.

The most striking, almost mesmerising sight was the massive, multi-level motorway junction, which, from a bird’s-eye view, resembled a gigantic, golden river winding its way through the very heart of the dense urban landscape. The orange-yellow streaks of light from thousands of cars, flowing ceaselessly in both directions along collision-free flyovers, created an incredible, dynamic scene. All around these transport arteries stretched entire neighbourhoods, illuminated by bright neon signs, street lamps and the windows of countless office blocks and apartment buildings, stretching all the way to the horizon. Standing in the darkness and gazing at this incredible feat of human ingenuity and complex engineering, one fully appreciates the mind-boggling scale, density and power of Bangkok.

Interesting facts

• Bangkok’s iconic skyscraper: Baiyoke Tower II stands at 309 metres (328 metres including the spire) and has 85 storeys. For nearly two decades (1997–2016), it held the title of Thailand’s tallest building.
• 360° rotating terrace: On the 84th floor, there is an open, rotating viewing terrace. The platform rotates automatically, completing a full revolution in around 5 minutes, allowing you to take in the entire city panorama without taking a single step.
• A web of lights: Visible from above, the Sirat Expressway is one of the most complex road structures in South-East Asia. From above, it resembles a giant, glowing jigsaw puzzle.
• The highest-altitude eateries: The restaurants at Baiyoke are among the highest-altitude dining venues in Thailand, serving hundreds of kilograms of fresh seafood every day, sourced directly from Thailand’s coastlines.