Ploenchit, Bangkok

Ploenchit is the stretch of Bangkok between Siam and Nana, around BTS Chit Lom, Phloen Chit and Ploenchit stations. It is home to Central Embassy, Central Chidlom, the Gaysorn malls and several embassies and luxury hotels. It is a quick hop from lower Sukhumvit by train and has a polished feel.

Smart, quiet and hotel-led. The evening is about cocktail bars, wine and champagne bars, rooftop lounges and the malls, rather than a red-light street. Crowds are smaller than in Sukhumvit and the mood is calmer. It suits a relaxed drink before heading on to Nana, which is only a couple of stops away.

No. No red-light hub is listed in Ploenchit, and the district has no gogo bars or beer bars. The adult side is limited to 8 massage shops and 1 nightclub, Mixx Discotheque. Nana Plaza on lower Sukhumvit is the nearest hub if you want gogo bars.

Of 36 places, 20 are bars, 8 are massage shops, 4 are malls, 3 are attractions and 1 is a nightclub. The bars lean towards cocktails, wine and cigars: La Casa del Habano, The Champagne Bar, The Riddler and Octagon Bar are among those listed. It is an upscale pocket with little pure nightlife.

Ploenchit is more polished and much quieter on the adult side. Sukhumvit has the gogo bars, beer bars and street freelancers, while Ploenchit has hotel bars, cigar lounges and the Central malls. They are neighbors on the same BTS line, so a drink in Ploenchit and a night in Nana make an easy combination.

Ploenchit suits travelers who want an upscale hotel, shopping and a quiet street in the evening, with Nana a short ride away. For the start of a night, a hotel bar or a rooftop gives a good view before you head east. Check any hotel's guest policy before you book.

By BTS Skytrain on the Sukhumvit line to Chit Lom, Phloen Chit or Ploenchit stations, with covered walkways linking several malls. The area is walkable on pavements, and the trains stop around midnight. After that, Grab, Bolt or a metered taxi covers the ride back.

Hotel-bar bills and the occasional tout near the mall entrances. Bars here can be pricey, so check the menu before ordering. Be wary of anyone who offers a cheap tour or a gem shop deal on the pavement, and of taxis near the malls that refuse the meter.