Bangrak

Phraya River. It includes the Silom Road area, which is both the heart of Bangkok's business centre and a popular entertainment area. The world-renowned redlight district of Patpong is off Silom, as is Japanese favourite Soi Thaniya, hip Silom Soi 4 and eatery-packed Convent Road. The district is home to some of Bangkok's most exclusive hotels, including The Oriental Hotel, Shangri La and Dusit Thani.

You'll also head to Bangrak if you're an antiques fanatic -- long-time favourite River City is by the river -- or just wish to dine in style by the wind-cooled river. Do remember that typical backpacker attire is frowned upon in the more flashy hotels and the Oriental won't let you in at all if you're not dressed appropriately.

Since the introduction of the BTS Skytrain in early 2000, the Silom area in particular has become more easily accessible to tourists. The underground MRT has connected Silom, near the corner of Lumpini Park, to the rest of the city, making the area an excellent base from which to explore Bangkok.

 

The boosted accessibility has led to a mushrooming of new hotels and restaurants catering to Thais, expats, and foreigners alike, while the nightlife has become more popular. Even if you're staying over on Khao San Road, these days you're likely to head down here for either some sightseeing or clubbing.

Weekdays the streets get absolutely clogged with traffic, but weekends can be relatively peaceful. If you're staying in the area, you can always retreat to Lumpini for a jog or some Tai Chi in the early hours of the morning, although most of Bangkok often has the same idea.

The Patpong street market is still immensely popular at night and you can get a load of shopping done here in one hit: Think everything from cheapie T-shirts and knock-off handbags to original designer lampshades and offbeat clothes. A so-called social order campaign a few years ago however cracked down a bit on the lascivious nightlife. While there is still a preponderance of go-go bars, the action has toned down somewhat, the scams have become less prevalent, and the bars now shut far before dawn.

Thaniya is home to a few more sedate bars, Silom Soi 4 is popular among the clubbing set (absolutely no Chiang Beer T-shirts here please) and Convent Road has the best fried chicken and som tam possibly in the world.

While the area is truly a must-visit for shopping, dining, and nightlife, it's best to always watch your wallet and keep your cool in the vibrant and bustling Silom/Patpong area.

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