Travellers' ChecksBangkok’s 314-metre-high Mahanakhon Skywalk is not for the faint-hearted
- 360-degree views through the glass floors at top of new tower are impressive
- Also in travel news, Asian cycling adventures to help you achieve your New Year health and fitness resolutions
Bangkok’s newest tourist attraction is the 314-metre-high Mahanakhon Skywalk, which has just opened at the top of the 77-storey King Power Mahanakhon. Looking like it has taken a couple of hits from a meteor shower, this unusual building was declared Thailand’s tallest in 2016, so the 360-degree views are impressive, especially through the glass floors.
A subtle but sobering reminder of the pace of the Thai capital’s development over the past 50 years can be seen in one of the photos (above) on the Skywalk website. Barely visible down on Silom Road is the 15-storey Narai Hotel (magnified in the picture), which, when it opened in 1968 promising “the ultimate in luxurious accommodation”, was said to be the city’s tallest building. With Thailand’s first revolving restaurant providing sweeping views over the then-low-rise city, it was overtaken by the 23-storey Dusit Thani hotel in 1970.
The Mahanakhon was bought by duty-free operator King Power this year – hence the name change – and was originally going to contain a luxury boutique hotel, the Bangkok Edition, managed by Ritz-Carlton. It was touted as one of the most anticipated hotel openings of 2018, but was withdrawn from the “coming soon” section of the Edition Hotels website soon after the sale. Industry rumours suggest that the 154-room property will soon be taken over by either Rosewood’s Khos brand or Belmond.
The Skywalk is open daily from 10am, with last admissions at 11pm.
Peddle your way to fitness in the New Year with SpiceRoads cycle tours
