Bangkok vs Kuala Lumpur

Bangkok or Kuala Lumpur? It's the question every traveller faces when they're picking which great drinking city to visit next. SE Asian cocktail rivals. This is barsforKings's editorial side-by-side: drinking culture, signature drinks, price, scene density, and the four bars from each city we'd send you to first.

We don't pick winners. Both cities are great in different ways — that's the point of comparing them. What we do is help you decide which is the right pick for the trip you're planning, the budget you're working with, and the kind of night you want.

Use the side-by-side as a decision aid, not a leaderboard. Read the editor verdict at the end if you only have time for one. Then deep-link into either city's full guide for the rooms we'd actually send you to.