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Royal City Avenue (RCA) Bangkok

Royal City Avenue (or just RCA as it is known by locals) is one of the biggest entertainment areas in Bangkok, but as visitors are concerned, probably the least know. RCA is a long road hosting a multitude of different types of bar and clubs. Very much a Thai scene, RCA is frequented by Bangkok’s young scene, mainly university students letting off steam. Lots of variety of music depending on the bar you visit. Multi-million watt sound systems blast out Thai disco, house, R&B, and the usual American / Brit pop.

What’s great about RCA is the wide range of places to eat and drink and the variety of themes in the clubs and restaurants. Catering for the local youth, it’s not an overpriced venue. The new MRT connections have made RCA more accessible and so it is more often finding itself on the tourist map. Be warned though, if you are over 30 you’ll feel old! Great place to visit if you are young and in Bangkok for an extended period, otherwise it’s probably not going to be a high priority against some of the more central entertainment areas.

Youthful partygoers, or those looking to recapture their misspent youth, should head straight for RCA. One of few government-designated nightlife zones, the myriad clubs along this long, rather soulless road have the modest honour of being allowed to stay open until 02:00 - an hour or two later than at bars, pubs or clubs that fall outside of these 'zones'.

On weekends especially the whole road is overrun with inebriated young things, most of them locals in their late teens, early 20s.The vibe is young and the mood carefree, but with all the security and crowd management, it feels a tad sanitised. Broadening the people mix is a small smattering of backpackers tired with Khao San Road's scene, and expats bored with Sukhumvit Road. Prices for entry and drinks are typically very reasonable, much lower than at many of Sukhumvit's trendiest offerings.

Most clubbers attend one of many clubs that blasts hip-hop and R'n'B, including Slim/Flix and Route 66. These are impressive super-clubs by any standards, all hip interiors, funky furniture and dazzling lighting. Many get so packed that all you'll see from outside come midnight is bodies squeezed up against the windows. Fortunately most have an enclosed seating area outside where revelers can retreat and find a table.

Others like Club Time Out, JazzIt and Club Astra push other genres of dance music than just hip-hop, regularly playing host to top-notch international DJ'ing talent. There's also Zeta, a girls-only bar catering to the city's blossoming after-dark lesbian scene.

With RCA notorious in its previous incarnations as a magnet for underage teens, bringing ID is a must. All of the clubs will ask you for it as a matter of course - whether you look 17 or 27. Also, with the music volumes set ear-splittingly high, clubbing in RCA is not for you if you want to chat all night long with friends, not unless you're especially good at lip-reading.

If the party spirit doesn't infect you, RCA's House Cinema is another good option. Screening films from all the corners of the world it's the place to catch the Korean, Japanese or Indie flick the bigger cinema complexes wouldn't touch.

Details: Only a few of the clubs on RCA have entrance fees. This area is a designated ‘Entertainment Zone’ but the 01:00 curfew applies here like everywhere else.

How to get there: The quickest way to RCA is by MRT or BTS and a quick taxi ride the rest of the way. The nearest MRT is Pharam 9 station, and the nearest BTS Asok or Phrom Phong. From any of these stations the taxi fare should be no more than 50-60 Baht depending on traffic (it is a bit built up the area).