Ekkamai (Bangkok) Travel Guide - Free

Explore Ekkamai in Bangkok with Evendo's free guide. Find the best shops, historic streets, restaurants, and gems on web or mobile.

Download on the App Store Get it on Google Play
Ekkamai
Ekkamai photo 2
Ekkamai photo 3
All photos

Ekkamai in Bangkok blends Sukhumvit cafés, Thai dining, Wat That Thong, the Planetarium, local shopping and lively evening streets.

A Sukhumvit Neighbourhood with Its Own Rhythm

Ekkamai occupies the stretch of Sukhumvit around Soi Sukhumvit 63, east of central Bangkok and served by Ekkamai BTS station. Its main road is busy with taxis, buses, condominium towers and shopping centres, while the side streets lead into a more varied landscape of low-rise homes, cafés, restaurants, temples, garages and entertainment venues. This contrast is central to the neighbourhood’s character: Ekkamai is urban and well connected, yet its quieter lanes reveal traces of Bangkok’s older residential fabric.
Read more about Ekkamai

Temples, Science and Everyday Bangkok

Wat That Thong stands beside the BTS line as Ekkamai’s most visible historic institution, its grounds offering a calm counterpoint to the traffic of Sukhumvit Road. Nearby, the Science Centre for Education and Bangkok Planetarium provide a family-oriented cultural attraction, while the Eastern Bus Terminal connects the neighbourhood with destinations in eastern Thailand. These places give Ekkamai a broader identity than its reputation for restaurants and late-night venues alone.

Food, Design and Evening Life

Ekkamai Road and its intersecting sois contain an ever-changing selection of Thai restaurants, international dining rooms, coffee shops, bakeries and bars. The area attracts residents, office workers, students and visitors staying in the wider Sukhumvit corridor, producing a dining scene that ranges from casual noodle shops to polished contemporary venues. After dark, activity gathers around selected side streets and entertainment compounds rather than forming one continuous nightlife strip. The neighbourhood is best experienced through this shifting pattern of main-road energy, shaded temple grounds and exploratory walks down its smaller sois.

Best attractions in Ekkamai

Ekkamai’s attractions reflect its mixture of established institutions and contemporary urban life. Wat That Thong, beside the BTS station, is the neighbourhood’s principal religious and cultural landmark, with temple buildings and grounds that offer a quiet contrast to Sukhumvit traffic. The Science Centre for Education and Bangkok Planetarium on Sukhumvit 40 provide an accessible educational outing, particularly for families and visitors interested in astronomy and science. The Eastern Bus Terminal is less a sightseeing attraction than an important piece of local life, giving the area its long-standing connection with journeys towards Thailand’s eastern coast. Away from these anchors, the most characteristic experiences are informal: exploring Ekkamai Road’s side sois, noticing the contrast between low-rise homes and new developments, and pausing at cafés, small shops and public-facing spaces around the BTS station.

Show more attractions

Best landmarks in Ekkamai

Wat That Thong is Ekkamai’s most important landmark, occupying a prominent position beside Sukhumvit Road and the BTS line. Its temple grounds, religious buildings and associated Buddhist spaces preserve a sense of institutional continuity amid the neighbourhood’s rapid redevelopment. The Eastern Bus Terminal is another defining structure, significant less for architectural display than for its role in connecting Bangkok with the eastern provinces and for the movement of passengers that has long shaped Ekkamai’s public identity. The BTS station and elevated track are modern landmarks too, marking the transport-led transformation of Sukhumvit and making the area immediately recognisable to visitors. The Science Centre for Education and Bangkok Planetarium add a civic and educational dimension, while the surviving low-rise buildings and narrow sois provide a useful physical record of Ekkamai’s earlier residential character.

Show more landmarks

Explore Ekkamai on the map

A handpicked selection of must-see spots in Ekkamai, mapped for you.

Best restaurants in Ekkamai

Ekkamai’s food scene is spread along Sukhumvit 63 and its side sois, where casual Thai restaurants, noodle shops, cafés, bakeries and modern dining rooms occupy shopfronts, converted houses and mixed-use developments. The area is particularly useful for visitors who want variety without limiting themselves to one regional cuisine: everyday Thai dishes sit alongside northern Thai cooking, Japanese food, international restaurants and contemporary menus shaped by Bangkok’s design-conscious dining culture. Hom Duan, on the Ekkamai side of Sukhumvit, is associated with northern Thai cooking, while smaller local eateries provide a more informal experience around the main road and nearby lanes. Gateway Ekkamai adds convenient food options close to the BTS station. As businesses change frequently, the strongest approach is to use the main road and its sois as a dining map, checking current menus and opening arrangements locally.

Show more restaurants

Best bars in Ekkamai

Ekkamai’s evening scene is more dispersed than the concentrated nightlife zones of central Bangkok. Restaurants and bars along Ekkamai Road and its side sois attract residents, office workers and visitors staying in eastern Sukhumvit, with the mood shifting from relaxed café and dinner venues to louder bars and entertainment spaces later in the evening. Several compounds and side-street clusters are known for live music, drinks and socialising, while the main road remains busy with taxis and diners. The neighbourhood also has a substantial residential presence, so nightlife is interwoven with apartment buildings, homes and local businesses rather than occupying an entirely separate district. Visitors should check current venue details before travelling, as individual businesses and entertainment concepts change, and should arrange their return transport before moving deep into the smaller sois.

Show more bars

Best nightclubs in Ekkamai

Ekkamai’s evening scene is more dispersed than the concentrated nightlife zones of central Bangkok. Restaurants and bars along Ekkamai Road and its side sois attract residents, office workers and visitors staying in eastern Sukhumvit, with the mood shifting from relaxed café and dinner venues to louder bars and entertainment spaces later in the evening. Several compounds and side-street clusters are known for live music, drinks and socialising, while the main road remains busy with taxis and diners. The neighbourhood also has a substantial residential presence, so nightlife is interwoven with apartment buildings, homes and local businesses rather than occupying an entirely separate district. Visitors should check current venue details before travelling, as individual businesses and entertainment concepts change, and should arrange their return transport before moving deep into the smaller sois.

Show more nightclubs

Best shops in Ekkamai

Shopping in Ekkamai is centred on practical retail, food and lifestyle businesses rather than a single traditional market or large luxury boulevard. Gateway Ekkamai, close to the BTS station, provides an air-conditioned stop for everyday shopping, dining and services, while Ekkamai Road and its side sois contain convenience shops, salons, home-related businesses, cafés and small specialist retailers. The neighbourhood’s newer commercial developments reflect its condominium population and creative dining culture, whereas older shopfronts serve local residents and transport users. Visitors are more likely to find design-led goods, food products and independent businesses by exploring individual buildings and side streets than by following a formal shopping route. For a broader retail selection, major shopping districts elsewhere along Sukhumvit are easily reached by BTS, leaving Ekkamai’s own appeal in its mixed local-commercial atmosphere rather than a concentration of landmark stores.

Show more shops

Ekkamai essentials

Getting There
The simplest arrival point is Ekkamai BTS station on the Sukhumvit Line, positioned beside Sukhumvit Road and close to the Eastern Bus Terminal. From central Bangkok, visitors can travel east along the BTS corridor and then continue into Ekkamai Road, also numbered Sukhumvit Soi 63. Taxis and app-based cars are useful for destinations deeper in the side sois, though traffic can be slow at peak times. The Eastern Bus Terminal is directly accessible from the station area and serves eastern Thailand. Visitors arriving from elsewhere in Bangkok can also use buses along Sukhumvit Road, but routes and stopping patterns should be checked locally.
Getting Around
Ekkamai is easiest to understand as a main-road-and-soi neighbourhood. The BTS station, Gateway Ekkamai and the bus terminal are close together, while restaurants, residences and entertainment venues spread along Ekkamai Road and its branching lanes. Walking works well for short daytime stretches, but heat, uneven pavements, traffic and the distance between sois can make longer journeys tiring. Motorbike taxis are commonly used for local connections, and taxis are practical when carrying luggage or travelling late. The BTS is the most reliable option for moving along Sukhumvit, rather than crossing the neighbourhood from one side street to another.
Safety
Ekkamai is a busy urban area, so visitors should take ordinary Bangkok precautions around the BTS station, bus terminal, markets and crowded pavements. Keep phones and wallets secure when boarding vehicles, and take care near traffic, driveways and motorbike taxis on narrow sois. At night, remain aware when leaving busy entertainment areas and use a known taxi, app-based car or clearly identified transport service. Side streets vary in lighting and pedestrian activity, particularly away from the main road. Visitors should also watch for sudden rain, slippery surfaces and deep puddles during the wet season.
Emergency Situations
In Thailand, call 191 for police, 199 for fire and rescue services, or 1669 for medical emergencies. The Tourist Police can be reached on 1155 and may assist international visitors with communication and practical guidance. Give the operator the name of the nearest main road, BTS station, temple or shopping centre, as small sois can be difficult to identify. For urgent medical treatment, follow official emergency advice or ask hotel staff, transport personnel or the Tourist Police for the most appropriate nearby facility. Keep your accommodation address written in Thai when travelling beyond the main road.
Do's and Don'ts
Dress and behave respectfully when visiting Wat That Thong: cover shoulders and knees where appropriate, remove shoes when requested and avoid intrusive photography during religious activity. Around restaurants and independent shops, queue patiently and ask before photographing staff, customers or private interiors. Keep noise down near homes, temples and residential lanes, particularly late at night. Do not touch Buddhist images casually or point your feet towards people or sacred objects. At food stalls and small eateries, carrying some cash can be useful, while tipping is generally discretionary rather than an automatic requirement.
Local Tips
Use Sukhumvit Road and Ekkamai BTS station for orientation, then treat Ekkamai Road as a series of distinct pockets rather than one compact visitor centre. Wat That Thong and the Science Centre provide useful daytime anchors, while Gateway Ekkamai is a convenient place to pause near the station. The central sois are generally more rewarding for dining and evening activity than for formal sightseeing, so allow time to browse rather than following a fixed attraction list. During hot or wet weather, plan indoor stops and avoid assuming that a short map distance will be a quick walk.
Eve, your Evendo local guide

From Eve

Local phrases worth knowing

You don't need to get them perfect. A few words go a long way, and locals appreciate the effort.

6 phrase groups · English, local and pronunciation

Basics
EnglishLocalSay it
Helloสวัสดี[sawadee]
Goodbyeลาก่อน[laa kon]
Yesใช่[chai]
Noไม่[mai]
Please/You're welcomeโปรด/ยินดีต้อนรับ[proht/yindee dton rub]
Thank youขอบคุณ[kop khun]
Excuse me/Sorryขอโทษ[kor toht]
How are you?สบายดีไหม[sabai dee mai]
Fine. And you?สบายดีค่ะ และคุณ[sabai dee ka lae khun]
Do you speak English?คุณพูดภาษาอังกฤษได้ไหม[khun poot paa saa angkrit dai mai]
I don't understandฉันไม่เข้าใจ[chan mai khao jai]
Eating & Drinking
EnglishLocalSay it
I'd like to see the menu, pleaseขอดูเมนูหน่อย[kor doo menu noi]
I don't eat meatฉันไม่กินเนื้อ[chan mai kin neuua]
Cheers!ชั้นให้[chon hai]
I would like to pay, pleaseฉันต้องการจ่ายค่า ขอบคุณค่ะ[chan tong gaan jai khaa, kop khun ka]
Emergencies
EnglishLocalSay it
Help!ช่วยด้วย[chuay duay]
Go away!ลาออกไป[laa ok bpai]
Call the Police!โทรตำรวจ[tor tamruat]
Call a doctor!โทรหมอ[tor mor]
I'm lostฉันหลงทาง[chan long tang]
I'm illฉันไม่สบาย[chan mai sabai]
Shopping
EnglishLocalSay it
I'd like to buy...ฉันต้องการซื้อ...[chan tong gaan seuu...]
I'm just lookingฉันเพียงแค่ดู[chan piang kae doo]
How much is it?ราคาเท่าไร[ra kha thao rai]
That's too expensiveแพงเกินไป[paeng geen bpai]
Can you lower the price?ลดราคาได้ไหม[lot ra kha dai mai]
Time & Numbers
EnglishLocalSay it
What time is it?ตอนนี้กี่โมง[ton nee gee mong]
It's one o'clockเป็นโมง[pen mong]
Half past (10)ครึ่ง (10)[kreung (sip)]
Morningเช้า[chao]
Afternoonบ่าย[bai]
Eveningเย็น[yen]
Yesterdayเมื่อวาน[meua waan]
Todayวันนี้[wan nee]
Tomorrowพรุ่งนี้[proong nee]
1หนึ่ง[neung]
2สอง[song]
3สาม[sam]
4สี่[see]
5ห้า[ha]
6หก[hok]
7เจ็ด[jet]
8แปด[paet]
9เก้า[gao]
10สิบ[sip]
Transport & Directions
EnglishLocalSay it
Where's a/the...?...อยู่ที่ไหน[...yoo tee nai]
What's the address?ที่อยู่อยู่ที่ไหน[tee yoo yoo tee nai]
Can you show me (on the map)?คุณแสดงให้ฉันดูหน่อยได้ไหม[khun sa-dang hai chan doo noi dai mai]
When's the next (bus)?รถต่อไปเมื่อไหร่[rot tor pai meu raai]
A ticket (to ....)บัตรโดยสารไป...[bat doy saan pai...]

History of Ekkamai

From Sukhumvit Fringe to Urban District

Ekkamai developed along the eastern expansion of Bangkok’s Sukhumvit corridor, where roads, canals and formerly less densely built land gradually gave way to housing and commercial activity. The name is most commonly associated with the road now designated Sukhumvit Soi 63, although the surrounding area has never functioned as a sharply bounded historic quarter. For much of the twentieth century, its landscape combined detached homes, small businesses, religious sites and transport-related activity rather than the dense towers seen today. This layered development explains why modern condominiums and restaurants now stand close to older temple grounds and low-rise residential lanes.

The Eastern Bus Terminal Era

The Eastern Bus Terminal at Ekkamai made the neighbourhood an important departure point for journeys towards Thailand’s eastern provinces, including Chon Buri, Rayong, Chanthaburi and Trat. Its presence brought a practical transport role that differed from the commercial and office functions of inner Sukhumvit. Travellers, vendors, drivers and residents contributed to the area’s everyday movement, while the terminal helped establish Ekkamai as a recognisable eastern gateway within Bangkok. Although intercity transport patterns have changed over time, the terminal remains part of the neighbourhood’s identity and gives the district a connection to places beyond the capital.

BTS Access and Rising Land Values

The opening of the Ekkamai BTS station in 1999 transformed access to the neighbourhood and reinforced its integration into Bangkok’s expanding mass-transit network. The station made the area more convenient for residents and visitors travelling along Sukhumvit, while improved connectivity encouraged new condominiums, offices, retail projects and restaurants. Ekkamai Road consequently became more commercially active, but development remained uneven: some side sois retained a low-rise, residential character while others filled with entertainment venues and contemporary dining. The result was not a complete replacement of the older neighbourhood, but a rapid layering of new uses over an established urban setting.

Contemporary Ekkamai

In recent decades, Ekkamai has become associated with Bangkok’s creative dining, café and nightlife economy, alongside its continuing residential and transport functions. New mixed-use developments and independent businesses have appeared near the main road, while long-established institutions such as Wat That Thong and the Eastern Bus Terminal remain important reference points. The neighbourhood’s current identity is therefore shaped by coexistence: local services and family homes share space with design-led venues, international residents, condominium living and late-evening entertainment. This ongoing change has made Ekkamai one of the more recognisable modern districts along eastern Sukhumvit without erasing its older landmarks.

Ekkamai in Photos

Browse through our photo collection highlighting the charm and character of the destination.

0 / 0

Neighbourhoods near Ekkamai

The closest neighbourhoods to Ekkamai, if you have time for more than one stop.

Explore more

Bangkok
More of the region

Explore more of Bangkok

Discover the vibrant heart of Thailand in Bangkok, a city where ancient temples meet modern skyscrapers, and bustling markets offer a taste of local life.

Explore Bangkok
The Evendo app on two phones

Your all-in-one travel companion app

Explore expert travel guides, compare and book tours, experiences, hotels, and more, all from the palm of your hand. Download now for seamless trip planning wherever your wanderlust takes you.

  • Travel guides to regions, countries, cities, landmarks and attractions worldwide
  • Photos, local tips, maps, opening hours and contact details for every place
  • Easy booking for hotels, tours, tickets and experiences
Download on the App Store Get it on Google Play
More about the Evendo app

Evendo is a 100% free travel guide app: plan a trip, find what is worth seeing and book it, all in one place.

  • Restaurants, bars, nightclubs and shops picked for every destination
  • A "Near me" view of the attractions and amenities around you
  • History and travel essentials for each country and city

From world regions down to a single landmark, every guide brings together the places to see, where to eat and drink, and where to stay, with descriptions, photos and maps to help you plan.

No in-app purchases and no hidden costs. Download Evendo and take your guides with you wherever you travel.

Get the latest from Evendo

Hand-picked travel deals, new destination guides and trip ideas, straight to your inbox.