Swing Bar Rooftop

Our take

Old-town Bangkok doesn't do skyscrapers, which is exactly why this works: six flights of hostel stairs buy you the Giant Swing and Wat Suthat's tiled roofline directly below your beer, with the Grand Palace and Wat Arun tracing the horizon. It's a no-dress-code, backpacker-priced kind of place where the local and craft beer list works harder than the kitchen — precisely right for what it is. At dusk, when the temples light up, you'll forgive every stair.

Insider tip

There's no lift — you're climbing every flight through the hostel — and the upper tiers fill fast before sunset, so arrive early to claim a rail facing the Swing. Keep the food order simple and the beers cold; that's the format.