Khao San Road
Travel Guide
Despite it being one of the least Thai-like places in the kingdom, the vast majority of Bangkok's independent travellers head straight into neon-lit, pumping and thumping Khao San Road to find a room. It's a backpacker ghetto of Disneyesque proportions, originally projected into fame by pot-smoking hippies ambling their way along the four Ks of Kabul, Kathmandu, KSR and Kuta. Despite its complete transformation since then, it has stayed alive in traveller imaginations, fired partly due to Leonardo DiCaprio and his role in the rather lacklustre film The Beach.
Situated in the heart of Bangkok on the northern edge of Ko Rattanakosin, Bangkok's Old City, Khao San is a hub of somewhat crazed activity. It's home to budget guesthouses rubbing shoulders with new, brashly upmarket hotels, dusty silvershops, stalls selling fisherman's pants and compasses, pad thai vendors, a fastfood joint or two and the occasional elephant.
Travel agencies here will accommodate any imaginable travel need, while streetside bars will serve up cheap beer until the early hours. It's heaven for many and hell for a few. Plenty of travellers stay for a lot longer than they originally plan, enjoying the whole friendly I'm-a-traveller-not-a-tourist scene, cheap massage and great food. The street, by the way, is a lot shorter than any apocryphal tales you've heard might suggest.
Due to the incredible demand for rooms in this area, Khao San has literally split at the seams and guesthouses have now sprung up within a kilometre-wide radius. The further you move from the road, the better, cheaper and quieter your guesthouse is likely to be, perhaps with more of a local flavour.
For those who do want to be within easy walking distance of KSR but don't want to deal with the madness, west Banglamphu is your best bet. If you don't mind a bit of walking though, the National Library area is superior in terms of tranquility and guesthouse quality.
If you find the choice a bit intimidating, read our feature, What is a good guesthouse in Bangkok?
Though we understand that you might not really feel you've "done" Bangkok unless you've stayed here, there are other areas in Bangkok these days that have some fantastic guesthouses and all the services a traveller needs -- just without the hazy history. Do consider them as well.
Related reading
Brilliant Bangkok
Exploring the Lungs of Bangkok
The changing face of Khao San Road
2005 Top guesthouses in Bangkok
Lonely Planet Thailand 12
Check Khao San Road hotel rates on Agoda. Best price guarantee!
Accommodation: Khao San Road
Buddy Lodge |
Budget Guesthouse |
Chada Guesthouse |
D&D Inn |
Dang Derm |
Khaosan Park Resort |
Lek Guest House |
Mom Guesthouse |
New Joe Guesthouse |
Rikka Inn |
Sawasdee Banglampu Inn |
Sawasdee Khaosan Inn |
Accommodation: West Banglamphu
Apple 2 Guest House |
Baan Sabai |
Bhiman Inn Hotel |
Erawan House |
Four Sons Village |
Lamphu House |
Mango Lagoon Place |
Merry V Guest House |
New Merry V Guest House |
New Siam II Guest House |
O Bangkok |
Rambuttri Village |
Sam Sen Sam Boutique House |
Accommodation: East Banglamphu
At Home Guesthouse |
New Central Guest House |
Accommodation: Soi Rambutri and around
Fortville Guesthouse |
NapPark Hostel |
Old Bangkok Inn |
Pannee House |
Sakul House |
Sleep WithInn |
Viengtai Hotel |
Villa Cha Cha |
Accommodation: National Library and around
Baan Chantra |
Boworn B.B. Guesthouse |
Diamond House |
Lamphu Tree House |
Phra Nakorn Norn Len |
Sawatdee Guest House |
Shanti Lodge |
Sri-Ayuttaya Guest House |
Tavee House |
Thai Cozy House |
Accommodation: Riverfront
Chakrabongse Villas |
Navalai River Resort |
New Siam Riverside |
Text and/or map last updated on 3rd July, 2010.
Jump to a different destination in Thailand
Get orientated with a map of Khao San Road, Thailand
Have your say
Photo gallery
Add your photos to this via Flickr More info
Jump to a destination
- Hot spots
- Bangkok & surrounds
- Central Thailand
- Northern Thailand
- About this region
- Ban Huay Kon
- Ban Toei
- Chiang Dao
- Chiang Kham
- Chiang Khong
- Chiang Mai
- Chiang Rai
- Chiang Saen
- Chom Thong
- Doi Inthanon
- Doi Khun Tan N.P.
- Doi Phukha N.P.
- Fang
- Hang Dong
- Hot
- Kamphaeng Phet
- Khun Yuam
- Lampang
- Lamphun
- Mae Chaem
- Mae Na Chon
- Mae Hong Son
- Mae Salong
- Mae Sariang
- Mae Sot
- Mae Sai
- Nan
- Nan to Ban Huay Kon
- Pai
- Phayao
- Phitsanulok
- Phrae
- Phrao
- Phu Chee Fah
- Phu Lang Ka
- Sanpatong
- Si Satchanalai
- Soppong
- Sukhothai
- Tak
- Tha Ton
- Umphang
- Northeastern Thailand
- About this region
- Ban Chiang
- Buriram
- Chaiyaphum
- Khao Yai N.P.
- Khon Kaen
- Khong Chiam
- Muang Tam
- Mukdahan
- Mukdahan N.P.
- Nakhon Phanom
- Nakhon Ratchasima (Khorat)
- Nong Khai
- Pak Chong
- Pha Taem N.P.
- Phanom Rung
- Phibun Mangsahan
- Phimai
- Phu Sa Dok Bua N.P.
- Sri Chiang Mai
- Surin
- That Phanom
- Ubon Ratchathani
- Udon Thani
- Yasothon
- Eastern Thailand
- Southern Thailand
- About this region
- Ao Nang
- Ao Phang Nga N.M.P.
- Ban Krut
- Bang Saphan Yai
- Betong
- Cha-am
- Chumphon
- Chumphon Beaches
- Haad Nopphara Thara
- Hat Yai
- Hua Hin
- Khao Lak
- Khao Sam Roi Yot N.P.
- Khao Sok N.P.
- Khuraburi
- Krabi
- Nakhon Si Thammarat
- Nakhon Si Thammarat Beaches
- Narathiwat
- Pattani
- Phang Nga Town
- Phattalung
- Phetburi
- Prachuap Khiri Khan
- Railay Beach
- Ranong
- Satun
- Sungai Kolok
- Surat Thani
- Tak Bai
- Takua Pa
- Trang
- Yala
- Islands in Thailand
- About the islands
- Coral and Raya Islands
- Ko Adang
- Ko Bulon Lae
- Ko Chang
- Ko Chang Noi
- Ko Kham
- Ko Kho Khao
- Ko Kradan
- Ko Kut
- Ko Lanta
- Ko Lao Liang
- Ko Libong
- Ko Lipe
- Ko Maak
- Ko Muk
- Ko Mun Nork
- Ko Ngai
- Ko Pha Ngan
- Ko Phayam
- Ko Phi Phi
- Ko Phra Thong
- Ko Ra
- Ko Samet
- Ko Samui
- Ko Si Chang
- Similan islands
- Ko Sukorn
- Ko Surin
- Ko Tao
- Ko Tarutao
- Ko Wai
- Ko Yao Noi
- Ko Yao Yai
- Phuket
Onward travel
-
Ko Rattanakosin
Chinatown and Pahurat
Bangkok
Thonburi
Siam Square and surrounds
Victory Monument
Bangrak
Sathorn
Sukhumvit
Nonthaburi
The above are all within 200km of Khao San Road.
From the blogs
Self-catering on Samui
1:05 am, 18 May 2013
Review: Korbua House, Bangkok
9:38 pm, 17 May 2013
Free diving on Ko Tao
8:05 pm, 16 May 2013
Thailand’s Wat Bang Phra tattoo temple
1:33 am, 15 May 2013
Review: The Sanctuary, Haad Thian, Ko Pha Ngan
7:42 pm, 14 May 2013
Samui Regatta 2013
12:20 am, 14 May 2013
Phuket Art Village
9:10 pm, 13 May 2013
Review: Thannatee Boutique Hotel, Chiang Mai
7:23 am, 11 May 2013
Review: Kuppa Coffee House, Bangkok
12:41 am, 11 May 2013
Review: Dolce Vita Restaurant, Ko Tao
6:56 pm, 10 May 2013
The Cambodia blog
The Indonesia blog
The Laos blog
The Malaysia blog
The Singapore blog
The Thailand blog
The Vietnam blog
Travelfish on Facebook
Newsletter signup
Sign up for Travelfish Burp!
Our weekly wrap on Southeast Asian travel.
Click here to see a recent newsletter.
Thailand FAQ
-
How much should I budget per day for a holiday in Thailand?
What should I pack for a holiday in Thailand?
What is the voltage in Thailand?
Is Thailand safe?
Is Thailand a safe place to travel alone to?
What is the weather like in Thailand?
Can I drink the tap water in Thailand?
Should I bargain for everything I want to buy in Thailand?
Should I bring travellers cheques, credit/debit cards or cash to Thailand?
What standard of acommodation can I expect for US$5?
Can I use drugs in Thailand?
Can I trust the Thai police?
What shouldn't I pack for a holiday in Thailand?
Should I take my own padlock for the door of my room while travelling in Thailand?
What are Thailand's visa requirements?
Book Online
13 Coins Airport Grand Resort
37 Rama 9 Soi 57 (Visetsuk3) SuanluangFrom: US$38.00 with Agoda
13 coins Airport Hotel Minburi
18-21 Moo 11 Ramkumhang R., (Sukapipan 3) MinburiFrom: US$33.00 with Agoda
13 Coins Antique Villa Hotel
304 Surawong Rd., Seepraya, BangrukFrom: US$33.00 with Agoda
13 Coins Hotel Ngam Wong Wan
30/19 Moo 9 Bangkhen Muangnontaburi, ChatuchakFrom: US$34.00 with Agoda
238 Guest House
238 Pahurad Road PranakornFrom: US$19.30 with HostelWorld
72 Ekamai @ Sukhumvit Hotel
72 Soi Sukhumvit 63 (between Ekamai 4&6) Prakanong - Nua, WattanaFrom: US$66.00 with Agoda
A-one Hotel
9 Soonwijai 4, New Petchburi Rd.From: US$65.00 with Agoda
Abloom Exclusive Serviced Apartments
29 Phahonyothin Soi 3From: US$57.00 with Agoda
Adelphi Grande Hotel
16 Sukhumvit Soi 41From: US$87.00 with Agoda
Adelphi Suites Hotel
6, Sukhumvit Soi 8From: US$99.00 with Agoda
Admiral Premier Hotel
138 Sukvhumvit Soi 23From: US$121.00 with Agoda
Admiral Suites Hotel
38,38/14 Sukhumvit Soi 22From: US$65.00 with Agoda
Aetas Hotels & Residence
49 Phloenchit Rd., Soi. Ruamrudee Lumpini PathumwanFrom: US$93.00 with Agoda
Aiya Residence & Sport Club Serviced Apartment
58 Krungthonburi Soi 1 (Sarapee 3) Krungthonburi Rd., Klongtonsai klongsanFrom: US$21.00 with Agoda








Khao San Road reviews
Backchat from the Travelfish community
Khao San Rd.
Good place when you stay arround the temple for visiting!
- Pra Sumen Fort
- Thammarat University
- Chao Prya River
- Grand Palace
- Wat Arun
- Wat Po
and many more...
By Buddy71 (dabbler)
Written on 12th December, 2012 after a visit to Khao San Road in October, 2012
It's okay, but....
It's a crazy place, that's for sure.
Yes, it's a good intro to Thailand, esp. for a first time traveller, with some of the comforts of home, but on the other hand, it's full of scam bus tickets and way, way, over priced goods.
Would you buy only half a plate of Phat Thai for 40 baht, I wouldn't, 25 yes, but 40!
If you like a beer, then yes, perfect place, more******artists, Thai and foreigners than you could shake a stick at.
The side sois are nice, bit more chilled, and the nearby temple offers some respite from the crowded and noisy area, and the food, though expensive, is nice, wide variety of cuisines from around the world. Soshana restaurant is nearby the police station, and serves very nice Israeli/Middle Eastern food.
Don't take a taxi nearby, invariably you won't get a driver who wants to use the meter.
By bedu (dabbler)
Written on 21st April, 2010 after a visit to Khao San Road in December, 2009
Also reviewed by bedu: Nonthaburi,
What a trip
I had no idea what to expect; a few tourists, some pad thai, maybe some cheap clothing on the sidewalks, sure. But nothing could have prepared me for Khao San Road. What seemed like (and very well could have been) thousands of tourists crowding the streets, incessant aromas of fried crickets and spring rolls, dreadlocked Europeans, and sweltering heat.
Only after my second and third visit to Khao San on my trip was I able to fend off salivating tuk-tuk drivers desperate for a fare to his friend's back-alley ping pong show. "Free tuk-tuk" trips around the city only make my eyes roll now -- I've sat through more than my fare share of suit-shop shpeels as well.
Advice: shop around! I paid 1200 baht for a ticket to Koh Tao my first go, and then, at the end of my trip, paid only 450. A great place for beginners, nonetheless, and I ended up making a friendship on Khao San that has lasted ever since.
By UpwardSpiral (dabbler)
Written on 6th March, 2010 after a visit to Khao San Road in July, 2009
Khao San Road is the scam central of Bangkok!
Having been to Khao San many times as a tourist, a backpacker and also as a resident of Bangkok on a couple of occasions I have a different view of the area to a lot of people who just pass trough or spend a couple of nights there.
For first-time tourists to Thailand or longer-term backpackers that don't know much about Bangkok or Thai culture it might seem like a great place, but anyone that has visited this area more than a handful of times will probably have a different opinion.
On my last trip to Thailand when I took my parents I even skipped Khao San Road altogether. It's nothing special, a quick stroll down might be OK just to see it, but after that I'd rather be somewhere else! If you travel halfway around the world to see a load of drunken westerners it might be an ideal area for you to hangout.
A backpacker ghetto it is, a place of good service it is not!
Honestly, the way that most of the Thai people working around here treat foreigners is disgusting. Equally, the way a lot of foreigners behave around here is also truly atrocious!! Some of the things I have seen in Khao San Road have -- at the time -- made me feel embarrassed to be a westerner. Some of the tourists/backpackers attitudes and total disregard for local culture is shocking. Maybe it's that they don't know about the Thai culture -- which is extremely different from ours -- or maybe they just don't care. It doesn't take too much effort to do a little research of the country before you go and it will make your experience much better if you do.
If it's not the touts constantly trying to scam you, or the market people trying to sell you things for a (usually) much more expensive price than many, many other places in Bangkok, it will be one of the other various scam that will get you!
Most of the hotels here are cheap but not very nice. I have stayed in some truly awful, low budget rooms here and it's worth paying a bit more and getting the best you can afford. I have stayed in a few hotels in Khao San over the years and also looked at many more or been in others with friends staying there but I'm not going to recommend any of them!
A lot of the food isn't that great around Khao San either, its usually made very quick and to 'westerners tastes' which is a shame because it's usually the first place many people taste Thai food in Thailand. But that's not to say that it's all bad. I can recommend The Lat Na in Buddy Beer Bar (was good in 2007 anyway) and I've had some good chicken and cashew nuts from the Sawasdee Banglampu Inn. You will see loads of people walking around eating pad thai but please, try some other Thai food as there are so many really nice dishes. I can recommend Pad Gra Pao Moo (thai basil with pork), gaeng keow wan wai or gaeng pet gai (green or red curry with chicken), lat na (thick noodle in gravy) or tom yam talay (the famous hot & sour soup but with mixed seafood instead of the usual prawns).
At the western end of Khao San Road (opposite end to Burger King) is a much quieter area around Soi Rambutti, This is where I might go for a drink if I'm in Bangkok and find myself in this neck of the woods. There's a good little restaurant near the police station end of the soi (about halfway down) called something like Thai Garden, it's a basic set up with some picnic-bench style seats. The food in here has been good before and the service is (usually) a bit better than a lot of places.
I can understand why a lot of backpackers like this area, I think it's because of the cheap accommodation and food and they probably feel safe in their numbers but as I said before, the service around Khao San Road is usually really bad and I can understand why, I just don't like to experience that service myself. If you go there first don't let it put you off Thailand because the country (and people) really aren't like this. This is a major tourist trap and travellers should be wary of everyone from tuk-tuk's and taxi drivers to Thai girls and other travellers they meet.
TIP:
Never get a tour bus from Khao San Road such as the bus to Cambodia. I've had first hand experience of the scams/cons and I know other people that have had the same bad experiences. There are plenty of other ways to get around Thailand, like the government buses or flying with Air Asia (cheap flights). The Thais use the government buses too and none use the tour agents from Khao San Road so go figure. Basically, when in Thailand just look what the Thais are doing -- If a restaurant is full of Thais it should be ok. If they are travelling by it, it should be ok. If a place is full of tourist it will be expensive or just not very good.
By Jon_Mak_Mak (dabbler)
Written on 23rd May, 2009 after a visit to Khao San Road in February, 2007
Also reviewed by Jon_Mak_Mak: Ayutthaya,