Khao San Road – Tours & Adventures Travel Guide

The mere mention of Khao San road to the seasoned backpacker conjures up images of flickering neon lights and the endless clatters of a never ending festive mood. Located in Banglamphu of the Phra Nakhon district in central Bangkok, Khao San road has been known as “A short road with the longest dream in the world.” Just one kilometer northward from the Grand Palace, this short road has evolved throughout the years as a classic example of a backpackers’ haven teeming with clean and decently priced accommodations.

Well serviced by buses to most of major tourist spots in Thailand, many backpackers uses Khao San road as the focal point to begin their exploration of exotic Thailand. In addition, the Khao San road boast of a proliferation of bars and pubs with their street-side sound systems blasting away into the night letting revelers drown their night with the alcohol soaked ambiance. Love it or loath it, the ambiance here is undeniably electric. Here you can find everything imaginable or unimaginable. Upscale or downscale, there is always something for everyone in Khao San road.

History of Khao San road:

Established in 1782, the center of Bangkok city was the Grand Palace and for over two hundred years, Khao San road was just a quiet residential area. Today, the tranquility of this road is shattered by the bustling tourist trade as result of the Bangkok’s bicentennial anniversary in 1982. Hugely successful then in drawing visitors from all over the world, the hotels in Bangkok were saturated with bookings.

Backpackers unable to find any accommodations managed to persuade the residents of Khao San road to rent out their spare rooms as the most spectacular celebrations were held at the Grand Palace. Generating more profits than any aspiring entrepreneurs could anticipated, the guest houses business have molded Khao San road into what it is today, a mecca for weary travelers of different nationalities to meet and discuss and plan their travel adventures.

The Sights:   

The Markets – Despite the veneer of commercialization, Khao San road has not lost its charms. One of the things that give Khao San road its character are its markets, both day and night markets. Here, shoppers can find a diverse assortment of goods that range from pirated CDs, DVDs, handicrafts, T-shirts to realistic looking Guccis or Louis Vuitton or anything that a backpacker traveler will ever need. For the famished, they will be spoilt for choice with the culinary delights that can be found here, from fried insects to curries tamed for the western palate.

In addition to Khao San road markets, visitors who want to savor markets that caters more for the locals can hop to Banglamphu Market at Jakkapong Road, just north of Khao San Road. This market is opened from 8am to 6pm daily and is a place for bargain Thai goods that ranges from clothing to footwear. There are also several internet cafes and second hand bookstores here as well, a good place to start digging for information to plan your excursion in Thailand.

Moving on, just a stone throw away from Khao San road are the main cultural sites like Wat Chanasongkram or ‘Victory in War’ temple, the Golden Mount Temple, the National Gallery, the Grand Palace, the National Museum and Wat Phra Kaew.  Those of you who want to explore Bangkok’s waterways can head up to Phra Arthit road, a mere 10 minutes walk away from Khao San road, which runs to the Chao Phraya River. There is a water taxi pier located here and is an excellent location to start your exploration of the “Venice of the East.”

Eating:

The one thing that travelers to Thailand never have to worry about is food. Eating is a way of life for the Thais. Central to their philosophy of life is the concept of “sànùk” which means fun. Everyday is celebrated with food and banters. These friendly and hospitable people simply love to “gin lên” (eat for fun). For the uninitiated, take heart, food in Thailand is an adventure in itself.

Food in Khao San road ranges from literally the exotic creepy crawlies to the mundane MacDonald’s. In fact, there’s a wide varieties of international menus around here due to the different nationalities that ply this road. For vegetarians, this is food paradise. Being a Buddhist country, vegetarian menus are abounding in addition to the Indian and Muslims varieties.

At Khao San road, hanging out always mean waiting and waiting in Thailand always mean eating. Sit in a café, stall or a cheap restaurant; people here spend the whole day eating. And things doesn’t get any easier who those looking to lose weight! The number of culinary heaven or hell…, depending on how you look at it, is astonishing. Apart from the roadside stalls, below is a list of some of the more popular hangouts for the budget conscious culinary aficionados:

Tom Yum Kung Restaurant

This is probably one of the top restaurants on Khao San road serving Thai food. Dishes to try included the spicy tom yum soup and papaya salad.

Address: 18 Khao San Road

Tel: + 66 (0) 2 629 1818

Hours: 12:00 – 01:30

Sunset Street Bar and Garden Restaurant

Situated in a quaint courtyard encircled by colonial buildings, this restaurant serves both Thai and western cuisines. There is also a live band playing from Thursday to Sunday.

Address: Soi Sunset Street, Khao San Road

Tel: +66 (0) 2 282 2565

Hours: 18:00 – midnight

Ethos International Vegetarian and Vegan Restaurant

Highlights here included authentic tasting “meats” made from tofu. This restaurant also provides free WiFi and the prices here are actually quite cheap.

Address: 82/5 Tanao Rd

Tel: +66 (0) 2 282 2748

Hours: 09:00 – 20:00

Entertainment:

When it comes to the thrilling nightlife, Bangkok offers an unending list. Once the sun sets, you will be stunned by the exhilarating activities of the city’s nocturnal revelers. Whatever are your preferences, be it a modest affair or a boisterous one, Khao San road has something to offer to everyone. It is this enormous selection of swanky jazz clubs, electrifying discos and enchanting go-go bars that make this part of the “City of Angels” such an alluring destination.

For dance music lovers, they should check out Caf- Democ, Immortal, The Club and Lava Bar where the local energetic DJs are able to work up a storm to pull in the crowds. For those who prefer live band music to the raucous dance music can check out Brick Bar, Gazebo, Hippie De Bar, Jazz Gallery Art & Music Club and Shamrock. The other places worth checking out for those who prefer to lounge and have a round of pool include Buddy Beer, Cinnamon Bar, Gullivers and Silk Bar.

Brick Bar

Address: #265 Khao San Road, downstairs and at the back of Buddy Lodge complex

Buddy Beer

Address: #265 Khao San Road, upstairs of Buddy Lodge complex

Caf- Democ

Address:  Ratchadamnoen Road, Beside Democracy Monument

Cinnamon Bar

Address: #106 Soi Rambuttri  

Gazebo

Address: Upstairs of #44 Chakrapong Road 

Gullivers

Address: #2 Khao San Road 

Hippie De Bar

Address: #46 Khao San Road 

Immortal

Address: #249 Khao San Road, at the 1st floor of Bayon Building 

Jazz Gallery Art & Music Club

Address: The rooftop of #44 Jakrapong Road 

Lava Bar

Address: #249 Khao San Road, at the basement of Bayon building 

Shamrock

Address: The 2nd floor of Khao San Centre on Khao San Road

Silk Bar

Address: #129-#131 Khao San Road

The Club

Address: #123 Khao San Road 

Accommodations:

Naturally as a backpacker Mecca, Khao San soi (lanes) are filled with a maze of guesthouses and hotels. The listed accommodations below are the popular ones situated on Khao Sao road or just a few minutes walk away.

At Home Guesthouse

Simple and clean accommodation and reasonably priced, the lobby here boasts of an open air restaurant, big screen TV and free WiFi. Tucked away from the main hive of activities of Khao San road, this place is an excellent starting point for bar hopping or shopping without the hassles of drunken revelers or the noisy traffic. The price for a double bed room is about 500 baht per night.

Address: #117 Tanao Rd, Bangkok.

Email: athome117@hotmail.com    

New Joe Guesthouse

Just a couple minutes walk away from Khao San road, the 60 rooms New Joe Guesthouse offers a garden restaurant and a lobby equipped with a pool table. Prices range from 280 baht for a single bed and 300 to 450 baht for a double.

Address: #81 Trok Mayom, just off Khao San Road. 

Email: reservation@newjoe.com 

Khao San Palace Inn:

This place is more cotemporary than the traditional guesthouses that you find along Khao San road. The top floor boasts of a swimming pool and a panoramic city view. Rates range from 290 to 450 baht for a single and 400 to 750 baht for a double. Despite its more cotemporary setup, this place currently does not accept online bookings.

Address: #139 Khao San Road, Phra Nakorn (In the middle of Khao San Road)

Rambuttri House

One of the newer budget guesthouses around Khao San, the Rambuttri house is still sparkling clean and very reasonably priced at 650baht for a single and 800 baht for a double. Travelers should take note that there is another budget guesthouse with a similar name, the Rambuttri Village Inn, which is more for the upscale traveler than the budget conscious backpacker. Rooms there can cost up to 1200baht during promotional period.

Address: #323 Rambuttri Road, Taladyod, Pronakhon

Email: reserved@rambuttri–house.com

Villa Guest House

For those travelers who really want a taste of traditional Thai flavor, head to the Villa Guest House and spend a night in a quaint traditional teak house. Even the furnitures are antiques. Single rooms here cost 300baht for a single and 400 to 600 baht for a double.

Address: #230 Soi 1, Th Samsen, Bangkok

Travel Tips & Safety Issues:

As one of most touristed regions of Bangkok, Khao San road is a favorite spot for the professional con artists. Not all of them are Thais but they will definitely be smooth talkers and speak English fluently. Their usual gambit will be to trick you that the sights that you want to visit are closed for whatever reason and they will help you arrange an alternative tour. This is just a lure for the notorious gem scam. The tuk-tuk drivers are normally the most obvious perpetrators. Beware of accepting an invitation from these people. Most of the time, you will end up with more than you bargain for.

Culture Issues:

In this country, religion and the King are divine. Never make jokes or insult these two aspects of the Thai culture or you might find yourself arrested.

Lifestyle:

Being a tropical country, the weather in Thailand is naturally humid. The Thais pay great attention to personal beauty and thus if you are soap shy, you might find yourself the center of unwarranted attention especially on the bus. Use talcum powder to help you absorb the sweat and the smell during a hot day.