Thonglor & Ekkamai, Bangkok

Thonglor and Ekkamai are two neighboring stops on the BTS Skytrain's Sukhumvit line, east of Asok, along Sukhumvit Soi 55 and Soi 63. The district is where affluent young Thais live and go out, with cocktail bars, restaurants and clubs instead of gogo bars. It is a short train ride from lower Sukhumvit.

Stylish, well-dressed and mostly Thai. Cocktail bars and Thai-style clubs fill with a young, affluent crowd, and the prices and dress code lean upmarket. Expect almost no bar-girl scene, so it is a night for drinks, music and conversation rather than a punting night. Many clubs fill later in the evening, so go late.

No. No red-light hub is listed here, and the district has no gogo bars. The adult side is the two beer bars and the 14 massage shops among the listings, and some of the clubs run hostess-style rooms. If you want a classic punting street, Nana Plaza or Soi Cowboy on lower Sukhumvit is a few stations back.

Bars dominate. Of 72 places, 38 are bars, 14 are massage shops, 10 are nightclubs and 6 are rooftop bars, with 2 beer bars, 1 market and 1 attraction. Ekkamai Beer House and Beer Cap sit among the beer bars, and Do Not Disturb and Sherbet are among the nightclubs listed.

Thonglor and Ekkamai are smarter, younger and pricier, with the focus on cocktails and clubs. Sukhumvit has the gogo bars, beer bars and street freelancers, so it is the better choice for a punting night. Many visitors do both: Sukhumvit early, then a taxi or BTS ride east for a late club or a drink somewhere calmer.

Stay here if you want clubs, restaurants and a Thai crowd rather than bar streets, and pick a hotel close to a BTS station. For a start, a cocktail bar or a Thai-style pub gives you a feel for the area. If gogos are your plan, lower Sukhumvit is a better base and Thonglor an occasional taxi trip.

By BTS Skytrain on the Sukhumvit line to Thong Lo or Ekkamai, or by taxi or Grab from lower Sukhumvit. Traffic on Sukhumvit Road is heavy at rush hour, so the train is quicker early in the evening. After the trains stop around midnight, a Grab or Bolt car is easiest, and the price is fixed in the app.

Door policies and the bill. Some clubs here pick their crowd at the door, so dress smartly and expect a cover or a table minimum to be mentioned at the entrance. Check what a bottle or table includes before you order. Taxis in the early hours are scarce when the clubs close, so book a ride before you need it.