Cover Dana Cheong and her husband Darren at the Cartier High Jewellery dinner at Ayutthaya
Dana Cheong and her husband Darren at the Cartier High Jewellery dinner at Ayutthaya
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Fitness enthusiast Dana Cheong heads to Bangkok on the regular for its amazing food. The gyrotonic and gyrokinesis trainer shares what she gets up to each time she visits the Asian city of angels
Bangkok, the Asian city of angels, is filled with a myriad of things to see and do. When it comes to finding the coolest spots in the city, fitness trainer Dana Cheong is the one to ask—after all, it’s one of her favourite cities to be in. “In less than three hours, I can bring myself to this buzzy and vibrant land of smiles with good food and excellent service,” she explains.
From her favourite bar to her must-have dish, Cheong shares some of her must-visit places in the bustling city.
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Above Capella Bangkok
Capella Bangkok
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My favourite hotels are...
Capella Bangkok for the peace and tranquillity afforded by the Chao Phraya River, and Siam Kempinski for the convenience of food and shopping. A few tips: at the former, be sure to wind down with drinks on the verandah of your suite. At the latter, start the day by having its signature SunRise breakfast, a delicious bowl of yoghurt with mango and coconut, against the backdrop of the rising sun.
The first thing I do when I arrive in the city is...
Order a glass of refreshing Thai iced tea.
My favourite breakfast spot is...
Capella Bangkok—I love having breakfast by the Chao Phraya.
Above Le Du
Le Du
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My favourite restaurants are...
Thong Smith, a casual establishment that I think serves the best Kurobuta pork boat noodles; Kub Kao Kub Pla, another casual dining place that in my opinion serves the best Thai salads; and Benjarong in Baan Dusit Thani, a lovingly restored, historic stately home hidden within a beautifully landscaped garden in Bangkok’s CBD.
For modern Thai, I adore Potong for the masterful storytelling by chef Pam, who’s behind the endless flow of good food. There’s also Le Du, where chef Ton showcases his pride in Thai cuisine by using locally grown and produced Thai ingredients, combined with modern cooking techniques to produce tastefully fanciful and extraordinary dishes.
I love Ojo as well, which serves up fine Mexican food alongside excellent views.
The one dish I can’t leave without eating is...
Kurobuta pork boat noodles from Thong Smith. They’re simply irresistible. I actually eat them daily while in Bangkok!
Above The rooftop at Potong
The rooftop at Potong
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The best bar I’ve been to is...
Lennon’s in Rosewood Bangkok. Guests can freely play its extensive 6,000‐plus vinyl collection and experience the music of yesteryear ... It has a good view and great service too. I also like Tichuca, a tropical cocktail rooftop bar with possibly one of the best panoramic views of the city. There’s a tower on the rooftop with two extra bars as you climb up.
My favourite way to spend a day in Bangkok is...
To eat, eat and eat—especially those Kurobuta pork boat noodles.
The best massage is to be had at...
The spa in Waldorf Astoria Bangkok.
Above Dana Cheong at the rooftop bar Tichuca
Dana Cheong at the rooftop bar Tichuca
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My favourite boutique is...
Soda.
For a first‐time visitor to Bangkok, something you shouldn’t miss is...
A day trip to Ayutthaya, Thailand’s magnificent old capital city that was razed by the Burmese army in 1767. Though now largely abandoned, it remains a fascinating testament to the city’s former dignified splendour, with many architectural glories still well preserved.
My favourite memory of Bangkok so far is...
Attending the Cartier High Jewellery dinner at Ayutthaya in February this year, an event graced by a Thai princess!
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About
Aun started his career in media, working at illustrious publications in NYC, Paris, and Hong Kong before launching his own Asia-regional lifestyle magazine, East, that was called "Asia's hippest magazine" by Asiaweek and "an Asian Vanity Fair" by Fortune. Committed to community service, Aun has helmed the visual arts and literary arts divisions for the National Arts Council in Singapore; led the marketing, communications, and corporate community investments teams at the National Volunteer & Philanthropy Centre; was the founding Chair of the Pangdemonium Theatre Company; and currently sits on the Board of the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts. In 2006, Aun co-founded The Ate Group, a content strategy and communications agency specialising in F&B, hospitality, luxury and lifestyle. Aun has run the content and communications teams at Tripadvisor; similarly run content and communications at a sustainability focused tech start up; and run marketing and communications at a global BPO with over 17,000 employees worldwide. Aun has also been a consultant for Mediacorp and has produced and hosted two food & travel television series for them. In 2015 he began working on the creation of a private members club, Straits Clan, which he launched in 2019 and sold the following year. Returning to his roots, Aun joined Tatler Asia in 2023 as editor-in-chief in Singapore and is committed to telling great stories of change makers through Tatler’s online and offline platforms.
Work
As Editor-in-Chief of Tatler Singapore, Aun leads all the content teams: branded content, print, digital, and the creative teams. He works closely with the heads of each team to ensure that Tatler continues to cover the most important, inspiring and exciting stories that are affecting Singapore and our region. He also works closely with the events and commercial teams and is always excited to collaborate on new ideas and projects that the Tatler team can activate.
Follow Aun on Instagram at @aun_koh (primarily a food account) and on Linkedin here.
