Complete Guide to Asiatique the Riverfront
Distinctive for its tall Ferris wheel just beside the Chao Phraya River, Bangkok’s Asiatique the Riverfront is far more than just a place to go see the city from above. It’s a destination for shopping, socializing, and--of course--eating some incredible food!
Don’t miss our list of the top 6 things to do in Asiatique Bangkok!
Asiatique the Riverfront Hours:
4 PM to midnight daily
Arriving at Asiatique the Riverfront
See full guide: How to Go to Asiatique in Bangkok
In short, you have two main options: boat or taxi. Unless you get severely seasick, we recommend the boat! It’s free, and you won’t get stuck in as much traffic as you would by taking a taxi (although to be fair, Bangkok is the only place so far where we have actually gotten stuck in a boat traffic jam).
Dining at Asiatique the Riverfront
The majority of the nicer restaurants at Asiatique are along the river, or clustered in the western corner (to your left if you’re facing the river). If you arrive by boat, you’ll see these nicer restaurants as soon as you disembark! If you come by taxi, you’ll be at the opposite end, and need to walk all the way through Asiatique to get there.
Most of the restaurants in this area come with nice views and look quite nice in their own right. You’ll find sushi, shabu shabu, Italian food, and the dreaded “Authentic Real Thai Food Here!” places clearly designed for tourists. Of course, these restaurants also come with the price tag to match.
Unfortunately, most of these nicer-looking restaurants at Asiatique are in what we call the “mediocre middle,” meaning their higher cost doesn’t indicate significantly higher quality. (See our philosophy on dining out to understand more!)
Instead, we recommend the smaller, more casual restaurants in the heart of Asiatique. They’re still tourist-friendly, but the food tends to be better and more reasonably priced. Some of them are surprisingly good -- in fact, my all-time favorite tom kha was from a stall here at Asiatique! (I wish I could give you the name, but it doesn’t show up on Google Maps anyway. Besides, half the fun is exploring for yourself!)
Shopping at Asiatique the Riverfront
Asiatique is full of shops selling everything from soap and spices to furniture and clothing. We recommend shopping here if you want to buy some distinctively Thai souvenirs to take home. Many of the stalls seem geared toward this type of souvenir-shopping, rather than having things you might use in everyday life. (If you’ve been to Chatuchak Market, you have some idea of the types of stalls that I mean, although Asiatique is of course on a much smaller scale.)
Most of the clothing stalls, too, are places where you might buy “hey look I was/am in Thailand!” clothes, if you know what I mean. Pants with elephant prints, shirts with elephant prints, even backpacks with elephant prints. Amid these, though, there are a few places with surprisingly high-quality clothes made of really nice fabric for decent prices.
If you’re here to shop, don’t show up too early. Many of the shopping stalls don’t open until well after Asiatique is officially open, so wait until 6 PM or so before heading over if shopping is one of your main interests here.
Entertainment at Asiatique the Riverfront
The Ferris wheel
Asiatique is dominated and defined by the giant Ferris wheel circling over it. At 60 meters (almost 200 feet) high, this is actually Thailand’s tallest Ferris wheel.
As of November 2019, the Asiatique Ferris wheel costs 450 baht (about $15 USD) for adults and 250 baht (about $8.25 USD) for children and seniors. It’s a cool experience, but probably not one we would do again for that price. If you go up, we recommend timing it so that you’re on the Ferris wheel during sunset; you can get some amazing views from up there!
The haunted house
I was unreasonably entertained to see the haunted house at Asiatique, because I hadn’t been in one since I was a kid at the state fair. Without ruining too much, I’ll say that it was good for nostalgia’s sake. The only real fear I experienced while riding it was whether the mechanisms were safe or would leave us stuck inside.
Of course, we’re not exactly the target age of this kind of haunted house ride. 8-year-old me might have found it more scary! But at 200 baht (about $6.60 USD) per adult, it was worth it just for the nostalgia.
The carousel
Right beside the haunted house, you’ll find a charming carousel. Younger visitors who aren’t in the mood for ghosts and zombies may be delighted by the carousel instead.
The shows
If you’re looking for dinner and a show, you’ve come to the right place! Calypso Cabaret offers a glitzy show that might leave you wondering whether you’re in Bangkok or Las Vegas. The show features transgendered artists (not, they clarify, “ladyboys”) dancing and lip-syncing to music.
If you want something a little less exciting and glitzy, consider the Thai classical dance show instead. While this is performed during dinner, you can opt to just go for the dancing without the meal if you prefer.
Don’t worry if that doesn’t tickle your fancy either; you can watch traditional Thai puppetry or even Muay Thai instead if you prefer.
Shows price list as of November 2019:
Thai Classical dance (no dinner): 400 baht (about $13.25 USD)
Thai classical dance with dinner: 800 baht (about $26.50 USD)
Calypso Cabaret show: 1,200 baht (about $39.70 USD)
The works (Thai classical dance, dinner, and Calypso Cabaret show): 2,000 baht (about $66 USD)
Joe Louis Thai Puppet Theatre: 800 baht (about $26.50 USD)
Muay Thai Live: The Legend Lives: 1,200 to 1,500 baht per adult (about $39.70 to $49.60) ; 500 baht (about $16.50 USD) for children under 120 cm (just under 4 feet)
Our Suggested Itinerary for Visiting Asiatique the Riverfront
While Asiatique technically opens at 4 PM, the first boat doesn’t leave until 4, putting you there slightly after it officially opens. We recommend getting to the docks at Saphan Taksin in time to catch the first boat so you’ll be among the first to arrive at Asiatique.
Upon arriving this early, you’ll find that many of the shopping booths and dining options aren’t open yet. Take advantage of this slower, quieter time to do some photography before it gets super crowded, and to get the lay of the land. Of course, you should snack as you go, enjoying some coconut water, durian, or roti!
As the day shifts into twilight, make your way to the Ferris wheel and head up to watch the sunset. (Check sunset times for the day you’re visiting to make sure you time it right!)
After that, head back into the market to do some shopping. By now, all of the stalls should be open, and you can shop to your heart’s content.
Finally, enjoy dinner and a show! Either eat on your own and then head over to one of the shows (book your ticket in advance), or splurge on the package and eat while admiring Thai classical dancers.
