Khao San Road Area in Bangkok

Khao San Tourist Area: How It's Laid Out and What's Interesting About It

The Khao San area is located in the very heart of Bangkok, on the Rattanakosin peninsula, and is rightly considered the tourist center of the capital (Khao San on the map). This is exactly where budget tourists and backpackers head first, and where you should go if you're not sure which district to choose for a hotel on your first trip. The cheapest hotels in Bangkok are here. For example, you can find a clean double room with air conditioning here from 500 baht (14.94 USD, Thailand currency), and a hostel bed from 200 baht (5.98 USD).

The heart of the area is Khao San Road, which is only 400 meters long. But in fact the tourist area isn't limited to this street, and there are many small side alleys, for example: the parallel Rambuttri Alley, and a bit closer to the river the alley Soi Ram Butri. In short, when people talk about the Khao San area, they actually mean all these streets, not just Khao San Road itself.

You can search for and book accommodation in the Khao San area on these sites:

• 🛌 Search hotels in Bangkok on Trip.com (👍 work with MIR cards)
• 🛌 Hotels in Bangkok on Yandex.travel
• 🛌 Search hotels on Ostrovok.ru

There aren't that many tourist attractions in the area, but the vibe here is extremely touristy and fun. Tourists walk the streets until late at night, massage parlors, bars, and girls are all open. There's brisk trade in everything a tourist could need: from clothes to fake licenses. Within walking distance are the main Bangkok attractions on Rattanakosin Island: the Royal Palace, the Temple of the Reclining Buddha, Wat Suthat, the Marble Temple, the City Pillar Shrine, the Golden Mount Temple, the National Museum and others.

The infrastructure here is excellently developed. There are travel agencies where you can buy tours to every corner of Thailand and even neighboring countries; you can buy tickets for tourist buses, trains, planes; transfers to the airport or to resorts near Bangkok. The office of the Lomprayah company is located here, whose catamarans can take you to the islands of Samui, Phangan, Tao, etc. There's currency exchange, but the rates vary, so it's worth walking around and comparing the rates in different exchangers. Be sure to check before exchanging that there's no hidden commission.

Khao San Road itself is mostly for shopping, and it's better to head to the parallel Rambuttri Alley for food. Rambuttri Alley has many restaurants, but prices are mostly high, as is the level of the establishments. You can eat cheaper on Soi Ram Butri street behind the temple, where there are many inexpensive budget street cafes, and prices are almost half as low.

Tourist life here is in full swing around the clock, and something is always happening on the street, including unpleasant incidents with tourists, since this is also one of the most crime-prone areas of the capital. It's absolutely swarming with various swindlers, scammers and pickpockets. Of course, you shouldn't worry excessively that you'll be robbed here, that happens extremely rarely. You just need to be vigilant and not get involved in any adventures with locals or other tourists, and then everything will be fine.

But what you really should worry about here is that you can easily be cheated when buying something or paying a bill in a cafe or restaurant. So it's more worth watching out for sly traders than for possible crime.

In short, it's simply a wonderful place to dive into the tourist life of Bangkok.

Khao San Area Map with Attractions, Hotels, Transport

How to Get to the Khao San Area

What's inconvenient is that the Bangkok metro bypassed the Khao San area, so you can only get here by taxi, city buses, or commuter boats on the Chao Phraya River.

• Taxi

  Taxis in Bangkok are relatively inexpensive, but it's important to use metered rides, not fixed prices. Even better to use the Grab, Maxim or InDrive apps, since then you'll see the cost of the trip right when ordering and avoid possible surprises with rigged meters, double tariffs for night rides, etc. However, keep in mind that for toll roads you'll have to pay extra on top of the meter or the Grab-calculated amount. Taxi payment is possible by card in the app (Russian cards aren't accepted) or in cash at the end of the trip. Of course, to use these apps you need mobile internet, for which it's best to buy a local Prepaid SIM card (cheaper) or a tourist SIM card (more expensive).

  For reference, the cost of a taxi ride to the Khao San area:

  • From Suvarnabhumi Airport – from 400 baht (11.95 USD)
  • From Don Mueang Airport – from 450 baht (13.45 USD)
  • From the Pratunam district – from 150 baht (4.48 USD)
  • From Chinatown and Hua Lamphong railway station – from 100 baht (2.99 USD)

  If you want a car to be waiting for you on arrival and a driver to meet you with a sign at the airport, you can order a ready-made tourist transfer from the airport to any place in Bangkok via the search form:

• Buses and Minivans

  

  Buses are the most budget way to get around Bangkok, and it's quite easy and convenient to get to the Khao San area from anywhere in the city and from the airports on them. More about using buses in Bangkok. However, for bus travel you need to know how to navigate, and in some cases you'll have to make transfers from bus to bus or between different modes of transport. To plan routes you can use Google Maps or the ViaBus app. Here are useful routes for the Khao San area:

  • From Don Mueang Airport you can get there by city or express buses. There are direct city buses No. 59 (round-the-clock, fare from 8 baht) and express A4 (run from 7:00 AM to 11:00 PM, fare 30 baht). More details in our instruction – how and what to take from Don Mueang Airport to the Khao San area here.
  • From Suvarnabhumi Airport you can get there by express bus S1 (run from 6:00 AM to 8:00 PM, fare 60 baht). See more details in our instruction – how to get from the airport to the Khao San area by bus here.

  You can also get from the airports to the Khao San area or vice versa from Khao San to the airports by tourist minivans. Tickets for them are sold at the airports, and in the area at travel agencies. The fare is 200 baht, minivans depart roughly every hour.

• Water Transport

  

  Water transport is well developed in Bangkok, you can travel on commuter boats along the Chao Phraya River and along the canals (khlongs), as well as on ferries from one bank of the river to the other. This transport is convenient because you bypass all the traffic jams on it, and it costs about the same as buses, maybe just a little more. Here's more detail about traveling by boat in Bangkok, we advise reading this article to get an idea of how to use the boats.

  So, on commuter boats you can get to Khao San Road along the Chao Phraya River, in this area there's the Phra Arthit pier. On these boats it's convenient to get here or to sail from the area to:

  • The Amulet Market and Wat Mahathat – Tha Maharaj pier.
  • The Royal Palace and the Temple of the Reclining Buddha – Tha Chang pier.
  • The Temple of Dawn, Wat Arun – Wat Arun pier.
  • The Chinatown area and the Temple of the Golden Buddha – Marine Dept pier.
  • The Saphan Taksin skytrain station – Sathorn pier.

  Another type of water transport – commuter boats along the canals (khlongs) – connect Khao San with the city center in the Pratunam area. However, the nearest pier of these boats is about 10 minutes from the street itself – it's Panfa Leelard Pier, located next to the famous Golden Mount Temple, Wat Saket. On these boats in just 15 minutes you'll get to the final pier in the center of the Pratunam district and come out next to the main shopping centers and street markets. Also these boats make a stop along the way at Hua Chang pier (Siam Square) next to the famous Jim Thompson House Museum. So overall these boats are a decent option for getting between the city center and Khao San, as long as you don't mind walking a bit to the pier.

What to See in the Khao San Area

The area isn't packed with attractions, but it has two interesting temples: Bangkok's largest monastery, Wat Chana Songkhram, and Wat Bowonniwet Vihara, where the remains of King Rama IX have been kept since 2016.

But most importantly, within walking distance of Khao San Road are all the main attractions of Bangkok's historic district. Here's a list with opening hours, prices, and how to get there.

• Khao San Road

  

  This is Bangkok's main tourist street, around which the capital's most popular tourist district has formed, with plenty of budget accommodation and developed tourist infrastructure for independent travelers. However, don't think it's a local "Arbat" for quiet strolls and souvenir shopping. Khao San Road is the noisiest and most party-oriented place in the capital, especially in the evenings. While during the day you can still stroll and shop here, in the evening forget about such walks, since it turns into the epicenter of tourist fun and debauchery, and so it goes every evening without days off or rest all year round. So visiting Bangkok and not going to Khao San Road at least one evening would be simply unforgivable. More about Khao San Road.

  Practical info

  🕐 Opening hours: around the clock, walking is most interesting in the evening.

  💵 Entrance fee / ticket prices: free.

  🚶 How to get there: it's in the historic or old part of Bangkok on the Rattanakosin peninsula (Khao San Road on the map). From other tourist-popular Bangkok districts it's a bit tricky to get here, since there's no metro, so the easiest way is by taxi, the trip will cost about 200 baht. However, if you want, during the day you can also get here by public transport for as little as 8 baht, read more at the link with the full description.

• The Grand Palace

  

  This palace complex, made up of many temples and palaces, is Bangkok's main religious site and the first capital attraction worth visiting. The palace complex was built in 1782 and serves not only as an actual royal residence but also as the location of numerous government offices. Of course, both the royal residence and the offices are off-limits to tourists, but the most beautiful and interesting part of the complex is open to visitors for a fee. Several palaces and throne halls used by the royal family to receive ambassadors and foreign delegations, as well as many temples and shrines, are open for visits. A full tour of the palace will take at least half a day. More about the Royal Palace of Bangkok and photos.

  Practical info

  🕐 Opening hours: daily from 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM (the complex is open until 4:30 PM, but visitors are stopped at 3:30 PM). Free tours in English start at 10:00, 10:30, 1:30 PM and 2:00 PM.

  💵 Entrance fee / ticket prices: 500 baht (14.94 USD, Thailand currency), audio guide player – 100 baht (passport or credit card as deposit).

  🚶 How to get there: the palace is in the historic part of the city (Grand Palace entrance on the map). From the tourist Khao San Road area you can walk here. From other districts, take a taxi (about 200 baht) or buses, or take the MRT subway to the new Sanam Chai station and walk 1 kilometer from there.

• Temple of the Reclining Buddha (Wat Pho)

  

  Not far from the Grand Palace is the Temple of the Reclining Buddha (Wat Pho) – one of the oldest temples in the Kingdom and the largest in Bangkok, built in 1688-1703. Here you'll find the famous 46-meter gilded statue of the Reclining Buddha. The temple complex grounds have many chapels and pagodas.

  This is the largest and oldest temple in the capital, and at the same time the most famous among tourists, and one of Thailand's most recognizable symbols. Rarely does a feature film set in Bangkok go without shots from the temple. Despite its fame and tourist popularity, the temple is a must-visit, especially since it's practically next door to the Grand Palace. More about the Temple of the Reclining Buddha.

  Practical info

  🕐 Opening hours: daily, no days off, from 8:00 AM to 6:30 PM.

  💵 Entrance fee / ticket prices: 300 baht (8.96 USD), prepare exact change, they don't give change; guide accompaniment (optional) per 1 person – 200 baht, 2 people – 300, 3 or more – 400 baht.

  🚶 How to get there: the Temple of the Reclining Buddha is next to the Royal Palace of Bangkok on the banks of the Chao Phraya River on the Rattanakosin peninsula (temple on the map). The tourist Khao San area and Chinatown are within walking distance.

• Wat Bowonniwet Vihara Temple

  

  Bowonniwet Vihara (Wat Bowonniwet Vihara) isn't particularly well known or visited by tourists, but it's one of Bangkok's most important temples and monasteries. Here, in a large golden stupa, a Buddha statue from around 1357 is kept, and here most members of the royal family spent their monkhood and training. But most importantly, the temple holds the remains of King Bhumibol Adulyadej Rama IX, who died in 2016. Nearby, in a separate building, is the monastery library and the abbot's museum. More about Wat Bowonniwet Vihara.

  Practical info

  🕐 Opening hours: from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM.

  💵 Entrance fee / ticket prices: free.

  🚶 How to get there: the temple is near the tourist Khao San Road, a 5-minute walk from it (temple on the map). From other Bangkok districts you can get here by taxi (no more than 200 baht with the meter), by bus, by commuter boat on the river to Phra Arthit pier and then a 10-minute walk.

• Wat Chana Songkhram Temple

  

  Wat Chana Songkhram or fully Wat Chana Songkhram Rachawora Mahawiharn is a royal temple and monastery, located practically next to the tourist Khao San Road. It was founded in the period when Bangkok wasn't yet the capital, and was originally called Wat Klang Na, meaning "temple in the middle of the rice field," which it was at the time. Its current name can be roughly translated as "victorious." It got it in honor of three great victories over the Burmese in 1785–1787. More about Wat Chana Songkhram.

  Practical info

  🕐 Opening hours: from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM.

  💵 Entrance fee / ticket prices: free.

  🚶 How to get there: the temple is near the tourist Khao San Road, a 5-minute walk from it (temple on the map). From other Bangkok districts you can get here by taxi (no more than 200 baht with the meter), by bus, by commuter boat on the river to Phra Arthit pier and then a 10-minute walk.

• Bangkok National Museum

  

  This is the largest museum in Bangkok and the country, and in our opinion, if you're going to visit any museum in Bangkok, this is the best one. It's a complex of several buildings, a temple and grounds where performances on Thai history and culture are sometimes held. The collection is very rich, and even a quick look at all the exhibits will take a couple of hours, while studying everything in detail and reading the labels will take a whole day. The National Museum is interesting even without a guide, but if you want, you can join a free tour in English, French or German, held several times a week. More about the Bangkok National Museum.

  Practical info

  🕐 Opening hours: open Wednesday to Sunday from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM; Monday and Tuesday – closed. Free tours are held on Wednesday and Thursday at 9:30 AM, Sunday at 10:00 AM and 1:30 PM.

  💵 Entrance fee / ticket prices: 240 baht (7.17 USD, Thailand currency). With this ticket you can also visit the Royal Barge Museum and the National Gallery.

  🚶 How to get there: the museum is in central Bangkok on the Rattanakosin peninsula between the tourist Khao San area and the Royal Palace, within walking distance of both (museum on the map). From other Bangkok districts you can get here by taxi (no more than 200 baht with the meter); by commuter boats on the Chao Phraya River to Tha Chang or Phra Athit pier; by buses 3, 6, 9, 30, 33, 43, 53, 59, 64, 65, 70, 80, 82, 91, 123, 124, 203, 503, 507, 524.

• Phra Sumen Fort

  

  Phra Sumen Fort is one of the architectural attractions in the historic part of Bangkok on Rattanakosin Island, a defensive structure built in 1783. Honestly, there's not much to do here, and you'll spend no more than 5-10 minutes looking at it. So it's not worth making a special trip from other parts of the city. But if you happen to be in this part of the city or are just strolling around the tourist Khao San Road area, and the fort is a stone's throw away, you can check it out. Also near the fort is the Bang Lamphu Museum, which you can visit together with the fort for just 30 baht. More about Phra Sumen Fort.

  Practical info

  🕐 Opening hours: you can view it from outside around the clock, and climb the fort and stroll in the adjacent park from 8:00 AM to 9:00 PM, no days off.

  💵 Entrance fee / ticket prices: free.

  🚶 How to get there: it's in the historic part of Bangkok on the Rattanakosin peninsula (fort on the map). Just five minutes' walk from here is Bangkok's main tourist district – Khao San Road. Getting here from other Bangkok districts isn't so easy. You'll have to take a taxi, city buses, or a commuter boat on the Chao Phraya River to Phra Arthit pier.

• Ancient Artillery Museum Park

  

  The Ancient Artillery Museum Park is a small park in front of the administrative building of Thailand's Ministry of Defense, where about a dozen various antique cannons used by the Thai army are displayed in the open air. It's not a park for relaxing, there are no benches here, but there are information plaques describing each gun. It's not worth going here specifically, but if you're strolling around the Grand Palace, you can take a walk through the park.

  Practical info

  🕐 Opening hours: around the clock.

  💵 Entrance fee / ticket prices: free.

  🚶 How to get there: it's on the Rattanakosin peninsula next to the Grand Palace (museum park on the map). From Khao San Road you can walk here, from other districts by taxi or bus.

• Banglamphu Museum

  

  A small historical museum in Bangkok's old district, within walking distance of Khao San Road. There aren't many exhibits here, and they're modest in themselves – the museum's main value is the tour. The guide in English enthusiastically talks about the Banglamphu district, its residents and daily life, bringing even a small exhibition to life. The tour lasts about 30–40 minutes and is included in the ticket price (only 30 baht). If you've already seen the main attractions and want to get to know Bangkok from another side – it's worth stopping by, especially in combination with a walk to Phra Sumen Fort (5 minutes on foot). More about the Banglamphu Museum and how to visit it.

  Practical info

  🕐 Opening hours: Tuesday–Friday from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM, Saturday–Sunday from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Monday – closed. Tours every 30 minutes or when a group gathers.

  💵 Entrance fee / ticket prices: 30 baht (tour included).

  🚶 How to get there: it's on the Rattanakosin peninsula, next to Phra Sumen Fort (museum on the map). From Khao San Road – a 10–15 minute walk. You can get there by river tram to Phra Arthit pier (5 minutes walk) or by city buses. More about transport: Bangkok transport.

• Amulet Market

  

  Bangkok has many places where you can buy amulets, but the largest and most interesting of them is the amulet market next to the Grand Palace and opposite Wat Mahathat on Maha Rat street. It's a truly unique and worth-visiting place, and we recommend every guest of the city to stop by here if possible. And it's definitely worth coming here if it's not your first time in Bangkok. Here you can not just stroll among rows of amazing handicrafts and souvenirs that smell of religion, mysticism and antiquity, but also buy yourself an amulet (if you believe) or a souvenir (if you don't). By the way, amulets here are very inexpensive, prices start from 20 baht. More about the amulet market.

  Practical info

  🕐 Opening hours: there's no exact market opening time, but most vendors work roughly from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM.

  💵 Entrance fee / ticket prices: free, prices for amulets and souvenirs start from 20 baht.

  🚶 How to get there: it's in the historic district of Bangkok, a few minutes from the Grand Palace opposite Wat Mahathat on Maha Rat street (amulet market on the map). To get here from the main tourist district of Khao San Road, the easiest way is to walk, it's about one and a half kilometers or 20 minutes. From other districts you can get there by city bus or boat on the Chao Phraya River to Tha Maharaj pier. Read more at the link with the full description.

• Democracy Monument

  

  Democracy Monument is a monument erected in 1939 in honor of the establishment of a constitutional monarchy by the King of Thailand in 1932. It's located on a traffic circle in central Bangkok and is the zero kilometer point, i.e. the distances of roads from the capital across the country are measured from it. It's very often used as a landmark for getting to this part of the city and to the Khao San area by taxi or bus. More about Democracy Monument.

  Practical info

  🕐 Opening hours: around the clock.

  💵 Entrance fee / ticket prices: free.

  🚶 How to get there: it's in the historic part of the city on the traffic circle of Ratchadamnoen Klong road (monument on the map). From the tourist Khao San area it's a 5-minute walk. Near the circle there's a stop where bus S1 goes from Suvarnabhumi airport, and bus No. 59 from Don Mueang airport.

• Mahakan Fort

  

  Mahakan Fort is a historic place, though there's not much to see here. You can stop by if you're strolling around the Golden Mount Temple, Democracy Monument, and other nearby attractions. The fort was built in the late 18th century as part of a fortress to protect the royal district of the city, now the historic district or Rattanakosin Island. In 2018 a small green park with benches was laid out nearby.

  Practical info

  🕐 Opening hours: around the clock.

  💵 Entrance fee / ticket prices: free.

  🚶 How to get there: the fort is in the historic center of Bangkok (fort on the map). From the tourist Khao San Road it's one and a half kilometers on foot. From other districts you can get there by buses No. 2, 15, 44, 47, 59, 60, 70, 79, 157, 169, 183, 503, 509, 511, 556 to the Panfa Leelard stop. From the Pratunam and Siam districts you can take a canal boat to the final Phan Fa Pier, then walk across the bridge.

• Rattanakosin Exhibition Hall

  

  This is a museum-exhibition for getting acquainted with the culture and history of Thailand. The exhibits are new and well-kept, everything is clean, there are detailed labels, modern interactive exhibits. The visit involves being accompanied by guides along one of several routes through the museum. For this, every 20 minutes a group of visitors gathers and, accompanied by guides, sets off along one of the routes of their choice. More about the museum.

  Practical info

  🕐 Opening hours: from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM, Monday – closed. On Saturday and Sunday at 12:00 PM there's a free traditional dance performance.

  💵 Entrance fee / ticket prices: adults – 100 baht (2.99 USD), children under 120 centimeters – free; refundable deposit for using the audio guide – 1000 baht. Guide service is included in the price.

  🚶 How to get there: it's in the historic part of the city on Ratchadamnoen street (museum on the map) next to the Democracy Monument. From the tourist Khao San area it's a 10-minute walk. From other districts you'll need to get there by taxi, bus or river transport, the metro doesn't go here. By bus you need to choose any route to the Democracy Monument. From the Pratunam district and others you can take a boat on the Golden Mount Line to the final Panfa Leelard pier (next to the Golden Mount Temple), and from there a 10-minute walk.

• Wat Mahathat Temple (Wat Mahathat Yuwaratrangsarit)

  

  This is one of Bangkok's most important and oldest temples, part of the top ten highest-level royal temples of Thailand, founded to house one of the Buddhist relics. It also houses the Vipassana meditation center. However, among tourists this temple is almost unknown and rarely visited by guests of the capital, although it's very conveniently located in the very heart of the city's historic district: not far from the Royal Palace and within walking distance of the tourist Khao San Road. Most likely, its low popularity is due to the fact that it's lost in the shadow of other more interesting and more architecturally refined temples in this area. More about Wat Mahathat.

  Practical info

  🕐 Opening hours: from 7:30 AM to 6:00 PM, no days off.

  💵 Entrance fee / ticket prices: free.

  🚶 How to get there: it's in the historic district of Bangkok, a few minutes' walk from the Grand Palace (temple on the map). To get here from the main tourist district of Khao San Road, the easiest way is to walk, it's about one and a half kilometers or 20 minutes. From other districts you can get there by city bus or boat on the Chao Phraya River to Tha Maharaj pier. Read more at the link with the full description.

• Coin Museum

  

  The Coin Museum exists with the support of Thailand's Ministry of Finance, and is sort of the official museum of the ministry. Here you'll learn the history of Thailand's money starting from ancient times, when peppers were used for payment. You'll see several rare coins, and you can watch a film. The exhibition is modern and interactive, but it's worth visiting only if you're into numismatics or just have absolutely nothing else to do in Bangkok. More about the Coin Museum.

  Practical info

  🕐 Opening hours: Tuesday-Sunday from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM, Monday – closed. A free tour starts roughly every 20 minutes.

  💵 Entrance fee / ticket prices: 50 baht.

  🚶 How to get there: the museum is near the tourist Khao San area (museum on the map).