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Drive out along the expressway to Bang Na and the area changes fast. New condo towers line the road, more places keep opening and the district is coming good. It's a small city taking shape, and the latest arrival comes on August 21.
That's Happitat, and it opens in style. The Grand Celebration on August 21 runs under a 'Butterfly Phenomenon' theme, with the butterfly symbolising how small moments of happiness can be shared, spread and grow into something bigger. All three buildings open at 10am. More than 100 artists, celebrities and special guests from home and abroad turn out, a mascot parade winds through the crowd and workshops run from August 21-23, and live performances take place across four stages throughout the site.
Come evening, the site moves up a gear. Stars walk the Green Carpet at Festie Town, among them Chinese actor and singer Zhou Yiran, Chompoo Araya’s family, Freen Sarocha and Butterbear and Bianca,Then comes the night's big spectacle, The Sky Canvas of Happiness, with more than 2,222 drones lighting up the sky in the biggest drone display the country has staged. Mahidol Chamber Orchestra, with more than 40 musicians, provides the soundtrack alongside pianist Tor Saksit and singers Violette Wautier and WIM (Karn Kasidej), bringing music, live performance and technology together. The celebration then carries on with an After Party featuring THE TOYS and Nittaya Boonsungnern.
So what is it? Happitat calls itself the ‘World's First Happiness Destination’, a big claim until you clock the size. More than 200,000 square metres are built around one idea: that anyone, of any age, finds their own happiness here. Most developers obsess over footfall; this lot starts with moments of happiness, so every corner gives you a reason to stop and spend time – whether that's catching a show, sitting in a garden, or simply sharing time with family and friends – rather than just moving on to the next building.
The site splits across three buildings. Bloominas is the premium lifestyle end, bringing together restaurants, cafés, shopping, IT and tech, health and wellness, alongside the Grand Stairs,featuring the largest and highest-resolution indoor digital screen in Southeast Asia. Spanning 385sqm, the screen becomes a canvas for an immersive experience that will rotate throughout the year. It opens with two.
'The Butterfly Trail – From UK to Bangkok' by Pixel Artworks, making its Thailand and Southeast Asia debut, has you tracking rare butterflies on your phone, while 'Forest of Time' by BoraBora Studios wakes long-extinct wildlife as you go. Wonderwild is the family end, built around The Whimsical Market and its 60-plus places to eat, a magical tree as tall as a three-storey building and light and sound show running in rounds throughout the day. Festie Town handles the performances, events, celebrations, and shows that rotate throughout the year.
What sets the place apart is the detail. Storytelling carries through everything, from the soundtrack in each zone to the décor and its own cast of characters, so even a quick coffee comes with a story. The Signature Experiences show the same care, from nature, with pocket gardens on every floor and 30-plus rai of forest out the back, to immersive shows, fantasy, an edutainment zone and pet allowed spaces so dogs, cats, birds, and even rabbits are welcome too.
And the first week gives you plenty of reasons to come back. For example, grab a Happitat Passport and collect stamps from August 21-27. Complete all stops, then show your passport at the redemption counter to claim a complimentary gift. And if you download the Happitat app through Amaze Super App between August 21 and September 30, you'll pocket a welcome gift worth B100 in coupons for shops taking part.
Whether you come for the butterflies overhead, a slow lunch under the trees or a wander with the dog, Happitat gives you a full day and plenty of reasons to return. Go and find your own kind of happiness.