Bangkok is renowned for its great nightlife and rooftop sky bars - the perfect places to escape the crowds, heat, traffic and chaos of the city below, while indulging in a cool cocktail and watching the tropical sun go down. Some of the city's best drinking spots are located high in the air, and the Centara Watergate Pavillion's new Walk Bar has joined the ranks of best bars with a view.

The cool atmosphere of Walk Bar — Photo courtesy of Centara Watergate Pavillion

Located up on the lofty 21st floor, Walk Bar is an open-air sky lounge that starts serving signature drinks and champagne just before the sun goes down, and then stays open until well after midnight, taking in all of Bangkok's night skies and bird's-eye views.

While most of Bangkok's airy bars sit along the Chao Phraya River or along Sathorn Road, Walk offers a new sky-high perspective on the metropolis from above. Located just minutes from the Airport Rail Link, Walk looks out at Bangkok's highest building - Baiyoke Tower - and gives a rare northeastern view of the city.

Walk has an open and spacious feel, with designer sofas and chairs sprawled across a wooden deck and illuminated by soft lighting. The Centara's Watergate Pavillion Fashion Mall vibe is in full effect here, the bar no doubt aiming to attract the city's well-dressed and well-heeled. A DJ station in the corner spins out hip tunes every night, and there is even an interactive video wall to go along with the jaw-dropping views all around. Walk Bar at night — Photo courtesy of Centara Watergate Pavillion

Lest you forget that Walk is more than just a bar with a vista, fine wines, champagne and signature cocktails are reason enough to pay a visit. Like many of the top bars in Bangkok these days, there is a strong move afoot to create drinks that utilize local ingredients and match the Thai food repertoire, and thus you see mixologists making all sorts of cocktail creations that involve chili, galanga, kaffir lime leave, lemongrass and Thai basil.

Walk is no exception, as evidenced by their spicy mojitos, which mix cane sugar, mint leaves, lime and Havana Club rum along with chilies, giving the drink some extra firepower and verve, while the tom kha martini, a play on the traditional tom kha gai herbal chicken soup, utilizes galanga Thai ginger and coconut to go along with the Malibu rum.

One floor below Walk, Chili Hip is a fashionable designer restaurant, and they deliver quality nibbles up to the 21st floor to go with the drinks, serving up everything from spring rolls to samosas to ensure the alcohol doesn't make you too weightless up in the thin air.

View of the cityscape from Walk Bar — Photo courtesy of Centara Watergate Pavillion