Asiatique night market on Bangkok’s Riverfront (2022 guide)

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Bangkok doesn’t have enough shops and markets, right? If you want to try something a little different, Asiatique night market (Asiatique: The Riverfront) might be for you. Situated on the banks of Bangkok’s Chao Phraya river, Asiatique offers a mix of stalls, restaurants and entertainment plus you can arrive in style via free river shuttle.

This night-time shopper’s and food lover’s paradise is billed as Bangkok’s first ‘large-scale riverside shopping centre’ (although in terms of size and retail range, it has recently by surpassed by nearby Icon Siam shopping mall that opened in 2018).

Asiatique night market on Bangkok's Riverfront

We last visited Asiatique: The Riverfront night market in November 2022 and post COVID, things seem to have changed quite a bit. Whilst still worth a visit if you haven’t been to Asiatique before (and several night-time river cruises also depart from here), many of the shops seem to be currently vacant.

Some of the Asiatique bars and restaurants away from the waterfront have closed down too (once again, likely through reduced visitor numbers either due to COVID or Icon Siam opening) but there are new culinary additions like the Sirimahannop heritage ship restaurant.

There is still enough to do at Asiatique night market including the iconic ferris wheel but if haven’t visited for a while, you might be surprised how much it has ‘shrunk’ in terms of things to do at Asiatique.

Ferris wheel at Asiatique night market on Bangkok's Riverfront — *Ferris wheel at Asiatique*

*Mystery Mansion ghost house at Asiatique*

Asiatique night market, Bangkok

Once comprising of over 1500 stalls, as at November 2022, we’d estimate it to be more around the 150 mark with approx 30 bars and restaurants places bars and restaurants (including a few chain restaurants like Swensen’s). Asiatique: The Riverfront night market was once of Thailand’s busiest shipping ports receiving freight from all over the world and has been transformed into a shopping village and replica warehouse complex.

Asiatique the riverfront Bangkok - first time visitors ultimate guide — *Riverfront restaurant at Asiatique*

We’ve been to Bangkok several times and often stay in riverside hotels in this area so Asiatique is one of our regular go to places at night, in terms of easy accessibility (just a 10 minute free boat ride from Saphan Taksin BTS station) and a good variety of street-food stalls, restaurants and bars.

Asiatique is broken down into several distinct areas including the fashion stalls, waterfront dining establishments plus the entertainment plaza, that regularly hosts the likes of Thai boxing bouts, Thai ladyboy shows and puppet shows (we haven’t been to any of these yet so can’t vouch for their quality).

Update: on our most recent visit to Asiatique in November 2022, the Thai boxing and other entertainment arena options weren’t available but we aren’t sure if this is permanent or temporary in light of reduced international tourist numbers.

There are also several hangars / warehouses that host lots of smaller stalls (great for souvenir and jewellery shopping) – although haggling doesn’t seem to be the done thing here (unlike say Chatuchak Market), a lot of the stalls sell the same wares so a few minutes walking around comparing stalls can save you beaucoup de Baht.

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Sirimahannop Tall Ship – The Heritage

The most recent new attraction at Asiatique is the Sirimahannop tall ship, moored out front and next to where free Asiatique water shuttle arrives and departs from. Newly built, it was designed to commemorate the legacy of the Thoon Kramom ship, once the largest vessel and trading ship in the kingdom of Siam.

As well as an onboard museum, the Sirimahannop Tall Ship is now one of Bangkok’s most unique dining settings with an onboard bar and restaurant – seriously a cool place to have cocktails at sunset, as the sun goes down over the Chao Phyra river. Sirimahannop at Asiatique night market is open daily from 4pm to midnight. Check out their menu here >

Open from 4pm daily, Asiatique is fun way to spend a laid-back night in Bangkok, shopping, eating and drinking to your heart’s content (much more so than say a visit to Soi Cowboy). If you also time your visit to coincide with one of Thailand’s festivals, there will likely be some form of special event or fireworks taking place at Asiatique – so always check their website before you visit.

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How to get to Asiatique night market, Bangkok

Unless you are already staying in a hotel in the area, the best way to arrive at Asiatique is via their free shuttle boat service from Sathorn Pier. Take the BTS Skytrain to Saphan Taksin station and follow the signs to the pier – the Asiatique shuttle generally leaves from the last pier on the far left, and takes 10 minutes to arrive.

Asiatique night market free shuttle boat service timetable — *Asiatique free shuttle boat service timetable*

Some riverside hotels such as Avani Riverside and the Chatrium offer their own free shuttle boats.

Note that the queues for the shuttle can be quite long early on in the evening so allow plenty of time to make the transfers, especially if you have a dinner reservation.

The free shuttle departure point at Asiatique The Riverfront — *The free shuttle departure point at Asiatique*

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Asiatique: The Riverfront opening hours

Asiatique The Riverfront in Bangkok
Opening hours: Daily from 11am to midnight
Address: 2194 Charoenkrung Road, Wat Phraya Krai, Bang Kho Laem, Bangkok 10120, Thailand