Khao San Road

Khao San Road is a short street in the Old Town that became the backpacker capital of Southeast Asia from the 1980s onwards: cheap guesthouses, travel agents, street food, bars and stalls selling everything from fake ID cards to fried insects. Today it's as much a nightlife strip for young Thais as for travellers, and still unmistakably itself.

What it's like

• By day: fairly quiet — shops, cafés, massage parlours and travel agencies.
• From late afternoon: stalls set up, bars spill onto the street and the music gets louder.
• Late at night: packed, loud and party-focused, especially at weekends.

It's chaotic, sticky and fun if you're in the mood — and exhausting if you're not.

Who it suits

Good for: budget travellers, people who want an easy social scene, a first night out, cheap massages and street food.

Not for: a good night's sleep if you're staying right on it, families with young children in the evening, or anyone looking for authentic local life.

The quieter streets next door

• Soi Rambuttri, curving around the temple behind Khao San, has guesthouses, cafés and bars at a gentler volume.
• Phra Athit Road, by the river, has small bars with live music, cafés and Thai students; it's one of the nicest evening streets in the Old Town.
• Wat Chana Songkhram, the temple between Khao San and Phra Athit, is a calm spot in the middle of it all.

Practical tips

• Agree prices first for massages, tuk-tuks and anything without a price tag.
• Avoid "cheap tours" from tuk-tuk drivers — they usually end at shops. See Bangkok scams.
• Laughing gas balloons are sometimes sold on the street; authorities have cracked down on them, and they're not safe.
• Watch your drink and belongings in crowds.
• During Songkran, Khao San becomes one of the city's biggest water fights. See Songkran in Bangkok.

Staying near Khao San Road

The area has some of Bangkok's cheapest accommodation, from hostels to small boutique hotels. Stay a street or two away — on Rambuttri or towards Phra Athit — for quieter nights with Khao San still within walking distance.

The trade-off: there's no BTS or MRT station nearby. The nearest pier, Phra Arthit, is a short walk away for the river boats, and taxis or Grab are the other option. See where to stay in Bangkok.

Eating on and around Khao San

Pad thai stalls, fruit shakes, fried insects (more photographed than eaten) and roti are the Khao San classics. For better food, walk to the shophouse kitchens of the Old Town around Phra Athit and Maha Chai Road.

Getting there

• Chao Phraya Express Boat to Phra Arthit pier, then a few minutes' walk.
• MRT to Sam Yot, then about 20 minutes on foot or a short taxi ride.
• Taxi or Grab — the road itself is pedestrianised at busy times, so you'll be dropped nearby.

Khao San is part of the Old Town — see our Old Town guide for the temples on its doorstep, and Bangkok nightlife for other areas to go out.