Rooftop Bar, Glass Floors, Bangkok in 360° — Mahanakhon Skywalk Will Have You Walking on Air
King Power Mahanakhon, the pixelated skyscraper in Sathorn business district, is now one of Bangkok’s most iconic structures. At the top of this building sits the city’s latest landmark. Mahanakhon Skywalk offers an exquisite experience with a full 360° view of the cityscape. The sight of high-rises in Sathorn and Bangrak with the Chao Phraya cutting through in the middle can feel different as the day goes on. In our case, we arrived just in time to watch the sunset and stayed for the vibrant city lights. This scenery alone has convinced us Mahanakhon Skywalk will leave a lasting impression on most of its visitors.
The first accessible area up the tower is the indoor observation deck on the 74th floor, where you can gaze out at the city and learn about its history. To get up there, you need to take Thailand’s fastest elevator; a trip only takes about 50 seconds. During the ride, a short animation clip will play, showcasing Bangkok tourist locales. As you step out of the elevator, you’re greeted with tall glass panes overlooking Sathorn-Bangrak district on all sides. You can use interactive screens to read about the city with descriptions available in both Thai and English.
Near the screens is a set of coin-operated binoculars that lets you spot various landmarks across Bangkok. Two ten-baht coins give you 150 seconds (two and a half minutes) of peaking through the lenses. As you explore the indoor deck, you will come across a red postbox in the center. This is a replica of Thailand’s first postbox, which was a gift from Germany in 1883. Next to the postbox is a blue postcard vending machine. The postcards cost 40 THB each and are stamped and ready to be sent out to anywhere in the world.
To add to these awesome features, you can download Mahanakhon Skywalk application. The app utilizes AR (Augmented Reality) technology; as you move your camera around, infographics about the buildings below will appear. You can click on any of them to see more information instantly.
Going up one floor on the 75th, you’ll find a glass elevator that takes you to the top of King Power Mahanakhon on the 78th floor. The rooftop area features three highlights, starting with the highest rooftop bar in Bangkok. It offers a variety of drinks to pair with the 360° spectacle. The menu includes soft drinks such as juice, Italian sodas, coffee, tea, and even mocktails, while the alcoholic options range from beer, cocktail, wine, to champaign (80-940 THB per item). Fun snacks such as fruits, flavored banana chips, and ice creams are also available for 150 THB per item.
For the drinks, we chose to sample one of the mocktails. Mahanakhon’s Dragon Sunset (290 THB) is a blend of lime, orange, and pineapple juice with dashes of pomegranate and almond syrup, and topped with pomegranate seeds. Sweet and tangy, it reminds us of a fruit punch with its velvety and refreshing taste. We also tried these cute popsicles by Thongdee Ice Cream (150 THB). They come in three shapes to match their flavors: mango, coconut, and pineapple.
The next highlight is the Glass Tray; a 63-square-meter balcony with glass floors elevated 310 meters above ground. You can go on the see-through boardwalk to get a bird’s-eye view of the city. Cloth shoe covers are mandatory on the glass floor, and extra accessories are not allowed. But if you just want to snap a photo from afar, you can do so from behind the dividing line.
Our visit to Mahanakhon Skywalk ended on The Peak. Currently Bangkok’s highest accessible rooftop deck, it stands at the height of 314 meters. Watching the Chao Phraya parting a sea of skyscrapers in the sunset felt like celebrating a special occasion. After the sun had gone down and the city lights began to glow, Bangkok’s mesmerizing nightscape revealed itself.
Tickets start at 850 THB for access to the indoor observation deck on the 74th floor and go up to 1,050 THB for the basic package plus the rooftop area. While the price no doubt matches the sky-high location, the experience is well worth it if you’ve got the opportunity. From this vantage point, one can truly see how monumental Thailand’s “City of Angels” is.