🔄 Updated 11 Aug 2026
Chidlom-Ploenchit packs luxury malls, Hindu shrines and good coffee into a stretch of skywalk you can cover almost entirely above street level, but without knowing which building connects to which, you can waste time going up and down stairs for no reason. Here's a route we've actually mapped out — starting at the Erawan Shrine early, while it's still quiet, moving to the Lakshmi shrine on the rooftop of Gaysorn Village, a coffee stop at a roastery tucked in a side soi, a seafood lunch at Central Embassy, a photo at the bookshelf wall upstairs at Open House, and a finish at Central Chidlom, the neighborhood's flagship department store. Every stop here is a real place Chidlom regulars go to, not a spot invented for a photo.
Suggested route
Morning to afternoon — Erawan Shrine, Gaysorn Village, Sarnies coffee, Somboon lunch, Open House, Central Chidlom
A timing trick so you're never rushed
Almost every stop in this plan connects by skywalk from BTS Chidlom — the Erawan Shrine, Gaysorn Village, and Central Embassy through to Central Chidlom, which links directly to Central Embassy. Rain or shine, you never have to touch street level. If you want the calmest possible visit to the Erawan Shrine, go before 9am as this plan does, and if you want a table at Somboon without much of a wait, aim to arrive right before noon.
Adjust the plan to your time and style
Chidlom lets you walk almost the entire route on skywalks, with the stops lined up from Ratchaprasong to Ploenchit. The order is easy to reshuffle around the time you have.
- Only three hours: keep the Erawan Shrine → coffee at Sarnies Roastery → lunch at Central Embassy. You still get the shrine, the coffee and a proper meal without walking far.
- Here for the shrines: add the Thao Amarindradhiraj shrine outside Amarin Plaza and the Trimurti shrine outside CentralWorld in the morning — both sit on the same skywalk as Erawan.
- With kids: the whole route is air-conditioned with lifts throughout, so you move mall to mall without touching street level. It handles a stroller far better than a market district.
- Prefer the evening: the Erawan Shrine stays open late and looks its best lit up after dark. Start at 3pm instead and finish there for a different atmosphere.
💡 Know before you go: Chidlom
From BTS Chit Lom the skywalk runs all the way to Ratchaprasong, Siam and Ploenchit, so you never go down to the road. It is one of the easiest walks in Bangkok even in strong sun.
Around 800-1,500 baht, since this is the luxury-mall belt. To keep it lower, eat in the upper-floor food halls rather than a full sit-down restaurant. All the shrines are free.
The Erawan Shrine is calmest before 10am. The malls peak on Friday to Sunday evenings, so shoot the Book Wall on a weekday afternoon if you want it people-free.
Barely an issue — skywalks and malls link the whole route. Only the short approach into the Erawan Shrine is out in the open.
Staying overnight in Chidlom?
Base yourself near BTS Chit Lom and you can start this plan first thing without a long commute. Compare Chidlom stays across the three big booking sites before you book.
Want to stay a night in Chidlom-Ploenchit so the malls and shrines are a lobby away?
See where to stay in Chidlom-Ploenchit →