ไทย 
IconSiam
IconSiam sits on the Thonburi bank of the Chao Phraya and is the most ambitious retail development built in Bangkok in recent years. What separates it from the Siam malls is the river itself, which turns a shopping trip into something closer to a day out. For guests at Mercure Bangkok Siam Ratchathewi, it pairs naturally with an afternoon on the water and an evening by the river.
Getting to IconSiam from the hotel
The pleasant route is by boat. Take the BTS from Ratchathewi to Siam, change to the Silom Line and ride to Saphan Taksin, then walk to Sathorn pier where IconSiam runs a free shuttle boat across the river every few minutes. The crossing takes around five minutes.
The faster route is the Gold Line, a short automated service from BTS Krung Thon Buri that stops directly at Charoen Nakhon beside the mall. Either way, allow around forty minutes from the hotel. Our article on the network covers planning days around a hotel near the BTS Skytrain.
SookSiam and the indoor floating market
The ground floor holds SookSiam, an indoor recreation of a Thai floating market and provincial street scene covering produce, crafts and regional food from all seventy-seven provinces. It is unapologetically a reconstruction rather than the real thing, but the food is genuine and it is the easiest way to try regional dishes that rarely appear in central Bangkok.
Prices are higher than a true market and lower than the restaurants upstairs. It is busiest at weekends from late morning.
Shopping across the floors
The upper levels run from international luxury houses through Thai designers to a large department store. There is a cinema complex, an Apple store facing the river, and enough seating that it works as somewhere to escape the heat for a few hours.
The scale is genuinely large, so it is worth deciding what you want before arriving rather than walking the whole thing.
The riverside and the fountain
The real draw is outside. The river terrace runs the length of the building with uninterrupted views back across to the Bangkok side, and it is one of the better places in the city to watch the light change at sunset. A choreographed fountain show runs on the water in the evening.
Walking the terrace costs nothing, which makes IconSiam a reasonable destination even if you have no intention of shopping.
Eating at IconSiam
Dining ranges from the SookSiam stalls at the bottom to riverside restaurants on the upper floors with terrace tables facing the water. Booking is sensible at weekends if you want a table with a view at sunset.
The food hall options are strong and considerably cheaper than the restaurants, with much the same outlook from the public terrace a floor or two below.
Combining it with the river
IconSiam works best as part of a river day rather than on its own. The Chao Phraya Express Boat connects Sathorn pier to Wat Arun, Wat Pho and the Grand Palace, so a morning at the temples followed by an afternoon and evening at IconSiam uses the water for the whole day and avoids traffic entirely.
Asiatique, the other riverside night market, is a short boat ride downstream from the same pier.
When to go
Late afternoon into evening is the best window. Arriving around four gives time for SookSiam and the shops before the light softens, then the terrace and dinner as the sun drops. Weekends are considerably busier than weekdays, and the fountain show draws a crowd.
During the rainy season the terrace can close briefly in heavy downpours, though the interior is unaffected.
Practical notes
The free shuttle boat from Sathorn pier runs through the day into the evening, but check the last crossing if you are staying late, as the Gold Line and taxis are the alternatives. Cards are accepted throughout, unlike the street markets.
Guests planning several days around the city centre may find our article on choosing a hotel in Ratchathewi useful, and the wider area is covered in our things to do guide. Rooms are set out on our accommodation page.
The Thonburi side
IconSiam sits on the west bank, the older Thonburi side of the river, which most visitors never reach. Stepping out of the mall and walking ten minutes inland leads into quiet residential lanes, canal-side temples and small local markets that feel a long way from the retail floors behind you. Wat Anongkaram and the lanes around Khlong San market are both within easy reach and make a good contrast if you have an hour before dinner.
Visiting with children
The scale that makes IconSiam tiring for some adults works well for families. The ground-floor market is easy to graze through, the terrace gives children room to move without traffic, and the fountain show holds attention in a way shopping floors do not. Pushchairs are straightforward throughout, and the shuttle boat tends to be the part children remember.
FAQs about IconSiam
Q: How do I get to IconSiam from Ratchathewi?
A: Take the BTS to Siam, change to the Silom Line for Saphan Taksin, then the free shuttle boat from Sathorn pier. Alternatively use the Gold Line from Krung Thon Buri to Charoen Nakhon. Allow about forty minutes.
Q: Is the shuttle boat to IconSiam free?
A: Yes. IconSiam operates a free shuttle from Sathorn pier across the river, running every few minutes through the day and into the evening.
Q: What is SookSiam?
A: An indoor recreation of a Thai floating market on the ground floor, selling regional food, produce and crafts from across Thailand’s provinces.
Q: Is IconSiam worth visiting if I am not shopping?
A: Yes. The riverside terrace, the evening fountain show and the SookSiam food hall are all worthwhile on their own, and the terrace is free.
Q: When is the best time to visit IconSiam?
A: Late afternoon into evening, so you catch the shops, then sunset from the river terrace and dinner afterwards. Weekdays are quieter than weekends.
