Where to go dancing, any kind of dancing, in Bangkok

As the city slowly comes back to life, tip-toeing towards full swing, we can all let out a collective sigh of relief as our favorite dance floors start reopening. Whether you like bopping to K-Pop or want to show off your Charleston steps, there’s a venue for all sorts of dancing in Bangkok. Here are some of the hottest spots to shimmy the night away. 

The Hop Bangkok

The Hop was founded in 2012 by swing dance teacher Oat Naviroj, who established his Bangkok Swing community in a discreet shophouse on Silom Road. The Hop offers classes on the various styles of swing dancing that were popular from the 1920 to 1940s, such as Lindy Hop, Charleston, Blues and Authentic Jazz Dance. At this vintage studio with red walls and wooden dance floors, Social Dances are held every Saturday night, starting at 8pm. The THB 200 entrance fee includes a 30-minute open class for beginners; then at 8.30pm, the floor opens for all to get into the swing of things. Bring out your bow ties and swirling skirts, because part of the fun at The Hop is checking out other people’s retro outfits.

The Hop is open on Saturdays, 8pm to 11pm.

BEAM

The cool crowd and beautiful citizens of Thong Lo go clubbing at the luxe industrial BEAM. Although the space looks like an empty warehouse, don’t be fooled: it’s fitted with cutting-edge light, sound and visual equipment that make for trippy lasers and bangin’ beats. Inside the main room is a “body kinetic” dance floor that provides vibration — it means you’ll feel the music’s rhythm pulsing under your feet as you dance. Currently, a lot of hip-hop is played by the live DJs, but keep an eye out for their upcoming lineup of events, because this venue is also a temple of deep house, trance and techno. It’s usually a packed experience at BEAM, and tables are scarce, so we highly recommend booking in advance.

BEAM is open from Friday to Saturday, 9pm to 2am.

OVERSEOUL BKK

If you want to see people break into an impressively synced flash dance mob to hit K-Pop tunes, this is the place to be. Overseoul is a cute, neon-splashed space with lots of Instagram-worthy photo ops. There’s even a huge projected screen that plays videos so you can follow along iconic dance moves — although the university and first-jobber crowd here is already on point with their dance covers. A hangout for fans of all things Korean, stans love this spot for their Blackpink playlist, variety of soju drinks and comfort Korean dishes, such as fried chicken and giant flower kimbaps.

Overseoul is open every day from 6pm to 12am.

Havana Social

Inspired by pre-revolution 1940s Cuba, cocktail bar and cigar lounge Havana Social takes you back to a time when Havana was the ‘Las Vegas of the Caribbean’. To get inside, you’ll have to press the right code into their phone booth first. Alongside a time warp to the colonial capital, you’ll also be greeted by a mix of Latino, Cuban, Salsa and Reggaeton music. A fun detail is the bar’s array of straw fedoras guests can pop on to look the part. Salsa Sundays are now back and start at 8pm. Every week, you can learn a new Latin American dance style for free — from Salsa, Bachata, Merengue, Cha Cha to Reggaeton. A large international crowd loves this classy and entertaining spot for its live Latin band and tequila cocktails.

Havana Social is open every day from 6pm to 1.40am.

House of Heals

Even if you don’t fall under the LGBTQIA+ group, there’s no need to feel shy about visiting House of Heals — everyone is welcome to check their worries at the door and feel the joyful vibe at this drag show bar. Founded by renowned drag queen and Drag Race Thailand host Pangina Heals (Pan Pan Narkprasert), this is where some of the finest drag talents from all over Thailand perform. On any given night, it’s likely you’ll come across a handful of Drag Race Thailand alums dancing or strutting their stuff for a runway show. Belt out your favorite diva tunes and dance the night away at this high-energy spot, charmingly equipped with a pole and decorated with a display of stilettos from Thai superstars like Chompoo Araya A. Hargate

House of Heals is open every day except Tuesdays, from 8pm to 2am.