As Thailand’s capital, Bangkok boasts the outstanding monuments of country’s past. Bangkok’s best temples include Wat Trimitr with its five and a half ton solid gold Buddha, Wat Po with its huge reclining Buddha – the first traditional massage school in Thailand, (massages are avalable.) and Wat Banjamaborpitr – the White Marble Temple – one of Bangkok’s most beautiful temples with impressive Thai architecture. Even if you’re short on time you should visit with the Grand Palace – Bangkok’s most famous landmark is a former residence of the Kings of Thailand. In November Bangkok hosts the Royal Rattanakosin Loy Krathong Festival. Loy Krathong is celebrated in different styles. This special festival includes a revival of traditional ceremonies, games, contests and competitions: Krathong Competition, and Thai costume contest. The festival lasts several days. You can choose only one of them – and see the most beautiful Thai’s traditions and the most impressive national dresses.

here are many areas in which you can bar-hop between many close-by pubs, or you can take a taxi to a stand-alone club which will typically feature live music and lots of whisky. Most places in Bangkok close at 1am or 2am at the latest, leaving you to either go home (the sensible option!) or continue on to find an illegal “after-hours” pub which often involves quickly ducking under a half closed shutter and tip-toeing upstairs into a packed and sweaty room filled with other like-minded party-goers. Some after hours places don’t actually open until 3:30am or even 4am, meaning that the many pavement bars on Sukhumvit Road may be your only option.

There are various clusters of bars in which tourists inevitably find themselves. Khao San Road has probably the highest density of bars per square metre, and they play a large variety of musical styles including hip hop, drum and bass, house, trance, chart music, rock and Thai music. Bars here are lively, cheap and draw a predominantly foreign crowd, although in recent years it has become a popular destination for more cosmopolitan Thais. Also, Silom Soi 4 is worth a look as it has a sophisticated mix of both gay and straight bars. Just nearby is the Langsuan area in which the bars have mainly Thai clientele and most also feature live music.

For the expat scene, head to Sukhumvit Road, along which you can do a pub crawl of the many British, Irish, German and American style pubs. These are a bit more pricey and there’s rarely a Thai customer to be found. Also in this area are many larger clubs, which have large dance floors and often very talented DJs spinning the tunes.

But if big, banging clubs are your thing then look no further than RCA – six huge clubs next to each other, all playing hip hop, R&B or drum and bass. These swanky places pull in moneyed Thais and a few of the more hip expats. Be sure to take a photocopy of your passport here though as absolutely everyone is checked on the door.

Of course you can hardly talk about Bangkok nightlife without mentioning the go-go bar scene – it’s the much loved and much loathed phenomenon that Bangkok’s been famous for for a long time. There are three main areas in which the go-go bars are concentrated: the Nana Entertainment Plaza, Soi Cowboy and the infamous Patpong. Although they’re tamer these days than they were in the more hedonistic 80’s and 90’s, they’re still pretty full-on and probably unlike anything you’ve seen back home. Although these bars are plentiful, they’re segregated enough from the ‘normal’ bars so that if this scene is not to your taste it won’t encroach on your evening’s enjoyment.

Finding a trendy place to dine and wine in style is a great way to start your evening. Bangkok is home to a couple of rooftop venues where you can enjoy sweeping views of the city and the exquisite Chao Phraya River. The most famous, open-air spots include the Sky Bar (Sirocco) on Silom road (tel: +66 2 624 9999) on the 64th floor of State Tower and Moon Bar (Vertigo) (tel: +66 2 679 1200) on the 61st floor of Banyan Tree Hotel, on Sathorn road.

But if it starts pouring down, stay safe and dry at Three Sixty at Millennium Hilton Hotel (tel: +66 2 442 2000), the newest rooftop venue in Bangkok offering breathtaking 360° views. Three Sixty is roofed so you don’t need good weather to have a good time.

Get yourself a map of Bangkok before planning the rest of your evening. Famous among party-goers of all ages and tastes, Sukhumvit is the longest and perhaps the hippest road in Bangkok, boasting a variety of nightlife venues. It is on this happening road where you can find Nana Plaza on Sukhumvit soi 4 and soi Cowboy, off Sukhumvit soi 23, the notorious zones of dodgy go-go bars.

Hanky-panky business aside, Sukhumvit is also home to many hip clubs, pubs and bars including the white and stylish Bed Supperclub on Sukhumvit soi 11 (tel: +66 2 651 3557) and Q Bar (+66 2 252-3274), also on the same soi, well-known among tourists, expats and locals, offering a full range of Cuba cigars.

While most of you might only want to mingle with the same crowds you have back home, but some want to try something different. Visiting local venues is an eye-opening experience. You can see for yourself what locals do when they go out. Try Escudo on Sukhumvit soi 55 (tel: +66 2 381 0866) and Escobar on Sukhumvit s63 (tel: +66 2 711 6565) and observe the world of Ferrari boys and daddy’s little girls flashing platinum cards.

At the centre of any Bangkok map, and another area worth exploring is the heart of Bangkok, home to two popular areas, Siam and Silom. Check out CM2 (tel: +66 2 209 8888) at Novotel Siam Square where live band plays on the main area and hip-hop tunes buzz out from the Boom Room. This place is usually secretly swarmed by ‘business’ girls and their customers. If you don’t plan to have anything to do with them, it’s still fun to watch them working their magic.

More discreet is Silom soi 2 (Patpong) where various go-go bars dot the area. Watch out for the guys who usually shove a menu of shows at you in an aggressive manner.

Located in the old town, Khao San road always makes it to the top of the list of tourist-friendly favourites, and it’s the centre of the Bangkok map for all backpackers. This area is packed with a dizzying array of clubs, pubs and bars. Grab a can of Singha beer and watch the world you are familiar with go by at one of many bars including Buddy Beer (tel: +66 2 629 4477) equipped with pool tables, Brick Bar (tel: +66 2 629 4477), or Silk Bar (tel: +66 2 281 9981).

If you aren’t exactly into crazy clubbing and drinking until dawn, try Bangkok’s many cultural treats that take place in the evening. Siam Niramit is unarguably the most famous among tourists, featuring a refined 80-miniute show about Thailand (or Siam). The awesome performance combines fascinating stories of Siam in the past, Thai spiritual beliefs and some practical Buddhist lessons with splendid visual and sound effects as well as spectacular costumes. The show is on everyday at 20:00 at the Ratchadda Grand Theater (tel: +66 2 649 9222).

No matter what you are looking for to have a good time in Bangkok when the sun goes down, you will find it. If one night in Bangkok doesn’t make the world your oyster, nothing else probably would. Remember, you can easily get lost and Bangkok is a big place so study your map carefully before an evening out.