Ronald namaste Plantopia Khaosan road

Thailand: Visiting Khao San Road For the First Time

Date: January 20, 2023

Yesterday, I most spent my time photographing famous Buddhist temples — first Wat Saket, and later Wat Arun. Today, after finishing my work, I decided to visit yet another popular Bangkok destination I had yet to explore — the famous Khao San Road.

Panthera Group Bangkok Thailand
Right outside my hotel was a company that is in the marijuana business. From the luxury cars outside… you can tell it’s clearly a profitable business!
Crab fried rice Bangkok
I had crab fried rice for a quick lunch

After that I decided to take the BTS.

Blackpink Lisa True ad banners BTS Bangkok
BlackPink is hands down the most popular K-pop girl group in Thailand. And Thai member, Lisa is literally the biggest celeb Thailand. Lisa is everywhere!

I got down at Chit Lom BTS station, walked through Gaysorn Village mall, and reached Pratunam Pier.

Pratunam Pier Canal taxi Bangkok
I was once again going to take the canal boat taxi service to get to the ‘Old Bangkok’ area

You can watch a video I made about my visit to Wat Saket, to get an idea about the canal boat ride:

The boat taxi is the quickest and cheapest way from Sukhumvit to the Old Bangkok quarters. You can take the canal boat taxi to the stop for Wat Saket, and just walk a kilometre to get to Khao San Road.

Wat Ratchanatdaram Worawihan road
I spotted a large Buddhist temple
Wat Ratchanatdaram Worawihan Bangkok
This temple is Wat Ratchanatdaram Worawihan, built in 1846
Wat Ratchanatdaram Worawihan 37 iron spires
It’s famous for its 37 iron spires

Since I have seen enough temples like this in Thailand, I didn’t feel like exploring it. Instead, I began my walk towards Khao San Road.

Democracy monument Bangkok Thailand
This is Bangkok’s Democracy Monument — a joke of a structure considering what happened to the young Move Forward Party in the last Thailand elections.
Ratchadamnoen Klang road Bangkok
I walked down Ratchadamnoen Avenue
Four headed elephant statue Bangkok
A marble four headed elephant statue
Wat Chanasongkhram Ratchaworamahawihan Bangkok
This is the Wat Chanasongkhram Ratchaworamahawihan (wat = temple). It’s right opposite the entrance to Khaosan Road
Khao San road entrance
And here I finally am!

Even when I first visited Bangkok back in 2009, I contemplated staying in Khaosan Road. This popular stretch became a hub for backpackers from all over the world. But once I realized how bad traffic in Bangkok is, and the fact Khaosan Road has no easy access to a metro station, I always end up staying in the Sukhumvit side, near a BTS or MRT station.

Khaosan Road Thailand panorama
Much of Khaosan Road now is a shopping street and a party destination once the sun sets
Tattoo henna Khaosan road Thailand
Touristy activities such as getting henna designs, hair braiding, and Thai tattoos are all available. Just don’t get tattoos when drunk.

Just like the rest of Bangkok, the legalization of marijuana has resulted in vendors springing up everywhere.

Ronald McDonald weed Khaosan road
Khaosan Road is the only place on earth where you will be misled into thinking Ronald McDonald is promoting marijuana consumption
Ronald namaste Plantopia Khaosan road
But look closely to the left and you will see a McDonalds inside this shopping complex

There are only a few hostels left in Khaosan Road now. Post-COVID, even some hotels are yet to recover.

Khaosan Palace Bangkok Thailand
Khaosan Palace is one of the bigger hotels on Khaosan Road. A good choice if you wish to stay right in the action.

But do note — Khaosan Road can get very noisy at night. A lot of loud music is played at the bars and night clubs here.

Urbar Khaosan road Bangkok
The bars on Khaosan Road liven up only once it gets dark
The One nightclub Khaosan Bangkok
This is The One, one of the popular bars on Khaosan Road. The DJ plays from the very top.
Khaosan spa Bangkok Thailand
And if all the partying gets a bit much, you have plenty of massage parlours as well
Alligator grill Khao San road Bangkok
Khaosan Road has stalls such as this one selling alligator meat

Just a warning about these alligator meat stalls. Given the shock value, you would naturally take a photo — but the stall owners don’t like it. So some of them will demand money to take photos or videos, especially if you aren’t going to buy the meat to try. If you want to take just a photo, offer 20 Thai Baht or something.

Indian restaurant Khaosan road
You have some Indian restaurants on Khaosan as well
Khao San road Chang Bangkok
Khaosan Road is less than half a kilometre long, so once I reached the end of the stretch, I walked back
Rocco club Khao san road Thailand
At the entrance to Khaosan Road is Rocco, a long popular club

As much as I wanted to stay until sunset and see what the party scene of Khaosan Road was like, I had to move on. It’s nice I finally got to see Khaosan Road but clearly this stretch has changed. It’s no long the backpacker hub it once was. During COVID, Khaosan Road got a makeover too.

Just like many popular places in Thailand, touristy activities and heavy commercialization follow, and that has changed Khaosan Road into yet another tourist zone in Bangkok.

Still, there’s still fun to be had at Khaosan Road, and a kilometre or two away are Bangkok’s iconic attractions — the Grand Palace and The Reclining Buddha, and the Chao Phraya river. So it’s not a bad area to stay in.

Here’s a walkthrough I recorded, if you wanted to get an idea about vibe of Khaosan Road, before the loud music starts:

Previous posts in this series:

Thailand: Capturing Wat Arun at Sunset

Thailand: Hindu god shrines around Sukhumvit, Bangkok

Thailand: Siam Square Walking Street, a good place to find K-pop stores in Bangkok

Thailand: Phayathai Food Center and Bangkok’s Gundam Base

Flying AirAsia from Manila to Bangkok

Wat Arun Bangkok panorama

Thailand: Capturing Wat Arun at Sunset

Date: January 19, 2023

I began my afternoon of sightseeing by visiting Wat Saket and climbed up to the Golden Mount. Once I left that place, I decided to head towards Chao Phraya river

Boriphat road Bangkok Thailand
I was walking up Boriphat Road
Wood workshops Boriphat road Bangkok
The shops here are mostly in the wood trade, some run by Chinese migrants who came to Bangkok over many waves, decades ago
Wooden arts shop Bangkok Thailand
A lot of wood craftsmen in this community
Maha Chai road Bangkok Thailand
This is Maha Chai road, famous for its eateries

Maha Chai road is where you will find the restaurant Raan Jay Fai — famous for its goggles-wearing lady owner and her Michelin-starred crab omelette. Another bucket-list item for next time.

Rommani Nart park Bangkok
I walked through Rommani Nart park
Continue reading “Thailand: Capturing Wat Arun at Sunset” »
Wat Saket golden mount pagoda Thailand

Thailand: Bangkok’s Wat Saket and the Golden Mount

Date: January 19, 2023

I began my day covering some Hindu shrines in Sukhumvit before walking to Phetchaburi Road via Ratchdamri Road. My plan now was to head to Wat Saket, a popular temple in Bangkok that I had never been to before.

The fastest and cheapest way to get from the Sukhumvit area of Bangkok to Wat Saket is to take the San Saeb canal boat taxi service. I boarded a boat from Pratunam pier.

San Saeb canal ferry Bangkok Thailand
See the video blog at the end for instructions on how to get to the boat station
Saen Saep canal boat Bangkok
A ticket from Pratunam pier to the Wat Saket stop costs ฿14 (₹31/$0.38/€35)
Khlong Saen Saep ferry stop Bangkok
The boat made stops at a few stations but each stop is barely a minute long
Saen Saep canal Bangkok Thailand
It took just around 15 minutes to get to my destination

Taking a taxi post lunch, on any day, would have easily taken you more than 30 minutes — just to get out of the Sukhumvit traffic. So I highly recommend taking the canal boat service to get to the Old Bangkok side!

Continue reading “Thailand: Bangkok’s Wat Saket and the Golden Mount” »
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