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Bangkok · Attraction Guide

ICONSIAM
An indoor floating market, a river promenade and a free boat across the Chao Phraya

The Bangkok mall locals cross the river to wander as much as to shop — eat your way through 77 provinces at the indoor floating market, catch the breeze on the River Park terrace, wait for the evening fountain show, then ride the boat back without spending a single baht on the trip.

What it is

Why ICONSIAM is worth crossing the river for

There is a moment on the free shuttle boat out of Sathorn pier, around five in the evening, when the bow swings toward the Thonburi bank and the long curved glass facade ahead catches the last of the sun and turns gold. A few minutes later the boat ties up directly in front of the mall. All of it costs nothing — and that is just the ride in.

ICONSIAM opened in late 2018 on the Thonburi side of the Chao Phraya in Khlong San district, reportedly costing around ฿54 billion — one of the largest private developments Thailand has ever built. The rippling glass walls are said to draw on the sabai, the draped Thai sash, and inside are Thailand's first Apple Store and Siam Takashimaya, the Japanese department store's only branch in the country.

But the reason we are pointing you at what is, on paper, a mall is that it works even if you never buy a thing — Sook Siam, an indoor floating market that brings food from all 77 provinces to the G floor; River Park, a roughly 400-metre riverside promenade where you can watch the boat traffic for an hour without noticing; and a free fountain show every evening. Even getting there is half the fun, because the best way in is by boat.

ICONSIAM seen from the Chao Phraya River — the curved glass riverside mall on the Thonburi bank with the two Magnolias towers behind
ICONSIAM from mid-river — the full sweep of the rippling glass facade, said to be modelled on the draped Thai sabai sash
🎫
Entry
Free
It's a mall — you pay only for what you eat or buy
🕔
Best time
From ~5 pm
Sook Siam first, golden light on the terrace, then the fountains
⛵
Free boat
Sathorn pier ↔ ICONSIAM
BTS Saphan Taksin exit 2 · roughly every 10–15 min
🚆
Skytrain
BTS Gold Line, Charoen Nakhon
One stop from Krung Thon Buri · ~฿16 · walkway into the mall
🕙
Opening hours
10:00–22:00
Daily — double-check around festivals
⛲
Fountain show
Evenings ~18:30 / 20:00
At River Park · free · times can shift, check ahead
What's inside

5 things worth doing at ICONSIAM

From the indoor floating market to the riverside promenade — ranked by how we would spend the time.

Want a high angle too? Directly across the river is the Sathorn–Silom side and Mahanakhon SkyWalk, Thailand's highest observation deck on the King Power Mahanakhon tower (BTS Chong Nonsi). The two pair well in one evening — tower in the late afternoon, then the boat across for dinner at ICONSIAM. Check SkyWalk ticket prices on Klook →
Visiting tips

Time it right — and collect the riverside angles

🌇 When to go

Our favourite window is from about 5 pm onward — arrive as the heat eases, graze a first round through Sook Siam, step out to River Park while the late sun turns the far bank gold, then stay for the 18:30 or 20:00 fountain round. Food, a walk and the view, all in one visit.

One thing to know: weekends and long holidays get very crowded, both inside Sook Siam and in the shuttle-boat queue. If you can choose, a weekday afternoon is a far easier wander — and on holidays, allow extra waiting time for the boat in both directions.

📸 Where to photograph ICONSIAM

The best angle on the building is not inside it — it is mid-river, from the shuttle boat. As the boat closes in on the pier you get the full rippling glass facade in frame, with the two Magnolias towers rising behind. It works in the warm evening light and again after the building lights come on.

Inside Sook Siam, the canal and paddle boats photograph well from almost anywhere. Higher up, the Starbucks terrace on floor 7 and the window tables on floors 4–6 catch the long curve of the river in one sweep. After dark, head down to River Park for the fountains against the lights on both banks — there is enough light that a phone handles it; no tripod needed.

The Chao Phraya at night seen from ICONSIAM — the River Park terrace below, riverside hotels on the far bank and lit boats mid-river
The Chao Phraya after dark from ICONSIAM's terrace — lights on both banks and boats sliding past River Park

🍜 What to eat here

On a budget, go straight to Sook Siam on the G floor — savoury dishes, desserts and regional plates you would otherwise drive provinces to find, mostly from a few tens of baht to just over ฿100. Graze as you go and you can fill up for roughly ฿100–300 a person.

A step up are the branches of well-known Bangkok restaurants spread through the mall, and the river-view window tables upstairs for a special meal. And if you want dinner actually on the water, several dinner cruises board directly at ICONSIAM's own pier — you walk down to the boat in front of the mall, no transfer to another pier needed.

Getting there

How to reach ICONSIAM

The most fun way in is the free boat; the fastest and most reliable is the BTS Gold Line — both start from the BTS Silom Line.

⛵
Free shuttle boat
Sathorn pier → ICONSIAM pier
BTS Saphan Taksin exit 2 puts you at Sathorn pier; boats run roughly every 10–15 min from morning until about 23:00 — free, with a river view thrown in
🚆
BTS Gold Line
Charoen Nakhon station
One stop from Krung Thon Buri (Silom Line), about ฿16, with a walkway straight into the mall — the move on a rainy day or in a hurry
🚤
Tourist boat & Grab
ICONSIAM pier
The Chao Phraya Tourist Boat (blue flag) calls directly at ICONSIAM pier, about ฿30–35 a ride; Grab and taxis work too, but Charoen Nakhon Road jams badly in the evening
A half-day riverside plan: Mahanakhon SkyWalk in the late afternoon (BTS Chong Nonsi) → two BTS stops to Saphan Taksin → free boat across to ICONSIAM → Sook Siam plus the evening fountain round → finish with a dinner cruise from ICONSIAM pier, or ride the Gold Line back to the BTS. Every leg connects by skytrain or boat — no traffic involved.
Nearby

Pair ICONSIAM with the rest of the river

All on the same stretch of the Chao Phraya — a few boat stops apart.

Chao Phraya Boat Guide
Which flag boats to ride, which piers matter and which dinner cruises earn their price — the river is the attraction
Read →
Wat Arun
The riverside prang a few boat stops upstream — at its best from late afternoon into the evening
Read →
Bangkok Attractions — the full list
The Grand Palace, Wat Pho, Chinatown, Chatuchak and more in one guide
Read →
Frequently asked

FAQ · ICONSIAM practical

Is ICONSIAM free to enter, and what are its opening hours?
Entry is free — it is a shopping centre, so you only pay for what you eat or buy. It opens daily from roughly 10:00 to 22:00. The Sook Siam indoor floating market on the G floor keeps mall hours, while some upper-floor restaurants serve slightly later. Hours can shift around festivals, so it is worth checking ICONSIAM's own pages before you go.
What is the easiest way to get to ICONSIAM?
Two main routes. The first: take the BTS Silom Line to Saphan Taksin (exit 2), walk to Sathorn pier and board ICONSIAM's free shuttle boat, which runs roughly every 10–15 minutes from morning until about 23:00 — a free river view on the way. The second: ride the BTS Gold Line one stop from Krung Thon Buri to Charoen Nakhon station (about ฿16), which connects straight into the mall by walkway. Grab and taxis work too, but Charoen Nakhon Road jams badly in the evening.
What is Sook Siam?
Sook Siam is the indoor floating market on ICONSIAM's G floor — a recreated Thai market complete with a canal, paddle boats and wooden houses. The idea is to gather food and crafts from all 77 Thai provinces under one roof. Most dishes cost from a few tens of baht to a little over ฿100, closer to outside-market prices than you would expect, and it is fun to wander and photograph even if you buy nothing. If your time is short, give this zone the biggest share of it.
What time is the ICONSIAM fountain show?
The ICONIC Multimedia Water Features light-and-water show runs on the River Park promenade, usually twice an evening at around 18:30 and 20:00. Times and the number of rounds change with festivals, so check ICONSIAM's schedule before you go. It is free to watch from the riverside terrace. The fountain stretches about 400 metres — said to be among the longest in Southeast Asia.
What else can you do near ICONSIAM?
The simplest move is to use the river as your road — from ICONSIAM pier, boats continue to Wat Arun and Tha Tien within a few stops, and several dinner cruises board directly at ICONSIAM's own pier. For a high viewpoint, cross to the Sathorn side for Mahanakhon SkyWalk, Thailand's highest observation deck (BTS Chong Nonsi), before or after your visit. Our Chao Phraya boat guide covers the river in detail.
Bangkok City Guide
Hotels, attractions, food and everything practical before you go
Read →
10 Bangkok Hotels Worth Booking
Across neighbourhoods and budgets — including riverside hotels on ICONSIAM's bank
Read →
What to Eat in Bangkok
Street food, neighbourhood favourites and the desserts worth saving room for
Read →
Klook · Bangkok

Chao Phraya dinner cruises — several board right at ICONSIAM pier

Dinner on the water past the lit banks of the Chao Phraya, gliding by Wat Arun and the river bridges after dark. Several boats board at ICONSIAM's own pier in front of the mall — book ahead on Klook for clear prices and your pick of departure times.

Browse Chao Phraya dinner cruises on Klook →
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