Where drinkers walk on air
Hua Hin’s new Vana Nava Sky bar is surrounded by thrilling views – including straight down through the glass floor
When they say “Belly up to the bar!” at the Vana Nava Sky bar in Hua Hin, they mean way up – 110 metres above the ground. Lofty watering holes are nothing new, but this one’s got a drinking deck with a see-through floor.
Vana Nava Sky opened recently on the 27th floor of the Holiday Inn Vana Nava Hua Hin, boasting a design by renowned architect Ashley Sutton, the creative genius behind Maggie Choo’s and Iron Fairies in Bangkok and Ophelia in Hong Kong.
The 60-square-metre glass-bottomed observation deck offers not only exciting looks straight down but also fine views of the mountains, the sea and the city, so basically you don’t know which way to look first.
One of the great signature drinks, Thai Urban Iced Tea.
Proudputh Liptapanlop, executive director of Proud Real Estate, which manages the Vana Nava Hua Hin Water Jungle and Holiday Inn, greeted a huge crowd of celebrities and other honoured guests at the opening.
“What great destinations around the world have in common – Paris, London, Bali or wherever – are rooftop bars,” she said. “Tourists love places with panoramic views, somewhere they can literally drink in the sights and the liveliness of the city. And we recruited the top names in the industry to create this new icon for the city of Hua Hin.”
When you imbibe at Vana Nava Sky, you’re enjoying the vast sea, the sparkling urban sprawl and imposing Mount Ta Kiab and Mount Tao.
Proudputh Liptapanlop, second right, with some of her guests.
More frequently, though, you’re glancing at your feet every couple of minutes for another spacewalker thrill. Moving across the glass floor of the Sky Deck, despite its support base of tempered iron, feels like walking through the air. The glass is only 12 millimetres thick, but it’s specifically designed for safety and can easily hold as many as 40 people at a time.
The bar decor features a lot of mother-of-pearl, evoking the elegance of the sea, while the ceiling arches mimic the curl of waves breaking on the beach.
Celebrity bartender Geo Valdivieso has taken mixology to new heights at the destination bar.
“This, married with crafted timber ‘shell’ panels, lends the place that seaside atmosphere we all love,” said Sutton. “I also came up with a selection of Cambodian sandstone, imported European fabrics and authentic leather and white marble from Tibet to add luxury and finesse.”
Vana Nava Sky managed to snag Joseph Boroski, a celebrity mixologist, to conceive a range of refreshing cocktails that similarly bring the ocean to mind, using seasonal and local fruits, indigenous herbs and flowers. The menu has four categories – Clouds, Tropical, Solid and Easy – together entailing more than 20 drinks.
One of these, Thai Urban Iced Tea, derives from the iced tea that was once a big draw at Hua Hin’s Chatchai Market. Served in a hanging vessel, it contains 24-hour-cold-infused dry lemongrass, cinnamon, Thai lime and black tea shaken with either vodka or homemade jackfruit syrup.
While the morning or midday sun is overhead, Sky Brunch is served on the high deck, the stunning views paired with delicious food from a menu that will change monthly.
