Lebua at
State Tower
Lebua at State Tower is one of the most iconic rooftop venues in Bangkok, and one of our favourite places to shoot. Two very different floors, a river panorama, and a glass arch we keep coming back to make this one of the first places we recommend to anyone visiting Bangkok.
The Work
Lebua Portraits
Two Floors, Two Very Different Shots
We shoot at lebua on two separate floors, and honestly, we love both for different reasons.
The 52nd Floor
This is where you will find Breeze restaurant, the Tower Club lounge, and a large glass arch that curves overhead. This is our go-to spot for portraits and intimate moments. That arch is our favourite location for marriage proposals in all of Bangkok. We also always tell clients to have their drinks or dinner here rather than rushing up to the Sky Bar straight away.
The 64th Floor
This is the famous Sky Bar. The views of the Chao Phraya River and the Bangkok skyline from up there are hard to beat. This is also the floor where the staircase from The Hangover Part II was filmed. We get asked to recreate that scene a lot, and it never gets old.
When We Shoot
We are big fans of that early evening light for portraits. The quality at that hour is just better than anything you get later in the night. That said, night sessions are possible too, and the city lights give you a completely different mood.
Flash is not allowed inside, so we carry a small pocket LED for spots where we need a touch of fill light. We keep it discreet so nobody around you notices.
Dress Code: What to Wear
This is the section to read carefully. Lebua enforces the dress code at the entrance, and we have seen people turned away or redirected to the lower-floor bar. It is easy to avoid if you know what to expect.
Men
- Long trousers are required. No shorts.
- Closed-toe shoes only. Sneakers are fine as long as they are not overly sporty or casual.
- No tank tops, singlets, flip-flops, slide sandals, beach sandals, or athletic wear.
Women
- Smart casual works well. Dresses, skirts, tailored trousers, and nice tops are all fine.
- No beachwear, flip-flops, or very revealing clothing.
Practical Details Before You Arrive
A few things we always brief clients on before they come:
- 1 Traffic around lebua is reliably bad. Long red lights, limited drop-off spots. Build in at least 15 extra minutes on top of whatever you think the journey will take.
- 2 Bags and backpacks go into storage at the entrance. They cannot come inside, so plan ahead and keep what you need in a small bag or on your person.
- 3 One drink per person is required for access, including us as your photographers. Drinks start at around 35 USD, main courses at around 65 USD. It is one of the priciest rooftops in Bangkok, so it is worth factoring that into your plans.
- 4 No reservation needed for bar access. For Breeze restaurant, we recommend booking a table in advance.
- 5 There is an ATM on the ground floor if you need cash before heading up.
- 6 Lebua is also a hotel. If your session is part of a bigger trip or celebration, staying here means you are already on-site and can get ready in comfort.
Marriage Proposals at Lebua
We do a lot of proposals at lebua, and the 52nd floor arch is our standing recommendation for where the moment itself happens. It gives the whole thing a sense of occasion without feeling overwhelming.
We cover both photos and video so you have the full thing documented. Floral setups are not something the venue offers, but we can bring a bouquet of flowers with us that we hand over right after the proposal. Just mention it when you reach out and we will take care of it.
Our proposal photography page has more on how we approach these sessions.
Groups and Celebrations
The open terraces on the 64th floor give us a lot of room to work with when the group is large, and the venue adds real energy to group portraits. If you are putting together a birthday, a corporate evening, or a group trip, our group and party photography page covers how we handle those sessions.
Combining Lebua with Other Locations
A lot of our clients combine lebua with somewhere else on the same day, and we are always happy to help plan that. Here are the pairings we suggest most often:
Before lebua (daytime)
- Chinatown is nearby and gives you a completely different visual language to work with. Colourful shopfronts, street life, and lanterns make for lively afternoon portraits. We shoot there, then head straight to lebua for 5:30 pm.
- Lumphini Park is a good option if you want something green and open earlier in the day.
- The Mahanakhon Tower area is great for urban architecture shots on the street level, around the tower and under the skywalk. It pairs well with lebua in the evening because the two locations feel very different from each other.
After lebua (night)
- Chinatown after dark flips completely into a neon photography location. It is one of our favourite ways to end a Bangkok session.
- Yao Rooftop Bar and Mimi's Rooftop Bar are both close by and worth considering if you want to keep the rooftop atmosphere going at a more relaxed price point.
Take a look at our pricing page for session rates, then drop us a message on the contact page with your date, group size, and anything specific you have in mind. We will come back to you with availability and everything you need to know.
You can also hit the floating chat button at the bottom of the screen to reach us directly, or click Contact in the menu.