Khao San Road Area in Bangkok

Description of Khao San area and why it's interesting

Khao San area is located in the very heart of Bangkok, on the Rattanakosin Peninsula, and is rightfully considered the capital's tourist hub (Khao San on the map). This is the place where budget travelers and backpackers head first, and where you should go if you're not sure which area to choose for your hotel during your first trip. The most budget-friendly hotels in Bangkok are here. For example, you can find a clean room for two with AC from 500 baht (15.2 USD, Thai currency), and a hostel dorm bed from 150 baht (4.56 USD).

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

• 🛌 Search for hotels in Bangkok on Trip.com (👍 accept Mir cards)
• 🛌 Hotels in Bangkok on Yandex.travel
• 🛌 Search for hotels on Ostrovok.ru

Map of Khao San area with attractions, hotels, transport

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

There aren't many tourist attractions in the area itself, but the atmosphere is extremely touristy and lively. Until late at night, tourists walk the streets, massage parlors, bars, and girls are working. There's brisk trade in everything a tourist might need: from clothing to fake IDs. Within walking distance are Bangkok's main attractions on Rattanakosin Island: the Grand Palace, Wat Pho (Temple of the Reclining Buddha), Wat Suthat, the Marble Temple, the City Shrine, Wat Saket (Golden Mount), the National Museum, and others.

Infrastructure here is well developed. There are travel agencies where you can buy tours to all corners 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 Lomprayah company office is located here, on whose catamarans you can reach Koh Samui, Koh Phangan, Koh Tao, and others. There are currency exchanges, but rates vary, so it's worth walking around and comparing rates at different exchangers. Before exchanging, make sure there's no hidden commission.

Khao San Road itself is mainly shopping, and for eating it's better to head to the parallel Rambuttri Alley. There are many restaurants on Rambuttri Alley, but prices are generally high, as is the level of the establishments. Cheaper food can be found on Soi Ram Butri behind the temple, where there are many budget street cafes, and prices are almost half as low.

Tourist life here is buzzing 24/7, and something is always happening on the street, including unpleasant incidents with tourists, since this is also one of the most crime-ridden areas of the capital. It's teeming with various crooks, scammers, and pickpockets. Of course, you shouldn't worry too much about being robbed – that happens very rarely. Just be vigilant and don't get involved in any adventures with locals or other tourists, and 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 at a cafe or restaurant. So it's more important to watch out for sharp traders than for possible criminals.

Overall, it's a wonderful place to immerse yourself in Bangkok's tourist life.

How to get to Khao San area

Unfortunately, Bangkok's metro bypasses Khao San, so you can only get here by taxi, city buses, or scheduled boats on the Chao Phraya River.

• Taxi

  Taxis in Bangkok are relatively inexpensive, but it's important to use rides by meter, not by fixed price. Even better is to use Grab, Maxim, or InDrive apps, since you'll see the fare right away when ordering and avoid possible surprises with tampered meters, double rates for night rides, etc. However, keep in mind that you'll have to pay extra for toll roads on top of the meter or Grab price. Taxi payment is possible by card in the app (Russian cards are not accepted) or in cash at the end of the ride. 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, taxi fares to Khao San area:

  • From Suvarnabhumi Airport – from 400 baht (12.16 USD)
  • From Don Mueang Airport – from 450 baht (13.68 USD)
  • From Pratunam area – from 150 baht (4.56 USD)
  • From Chinatown and Hua Lamphong station – from 100 baht (3.04 USD)

  If you want a car to be waiting for you and a driver to meet you with a sign at the airport upon your arrival, 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-friendly way to get around Bangkok, and you can easily and conveniently get to Khao San area from anywhere in the city and from the airports. More about using buses in Bangkok. However, for bus travel you need to be able to navigate, and in some cases you'll have to transfer from bus to bus or between different types of transport. You can use Google Maps or the ViaBus app for route planning. Here are useful routes for Khao San area:

  • From Don Mueang Airport you can take city or express buses. There are direct city buses #59 (24/7, from 8 baht) and express A4 (runs from 7:00 AM to 11:00 PM, cost 30 baht). More details in our guide – how to get from Don Mueang Airport to Khao San area here.
  • From Suvarnabhumi Airport you can take the S1 express bus (runs from 6:00 AM to 8:00 PM, cost 60 baht). See more details in our guide – how to get from the airport to Khao San area by bus here.

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

• Water transport

  

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

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

  • The Amulet Market and Wat Mahathat – Tha Maharaj pier.
  • The Grand Palace and Wat Pho (Temple of the Reclining Buddha) – Tha Chang pier.
  • Wat Arun (Temple of Dawn) – Wat Arun pier.
  • Chinatown area and the Temple of the Golden Buddha – Marine Dept pier.
  • BTS Skytrain Saphan Taksin station – Sathorn pier.

  Another type of water transport – scheduled boats along the canals (klongs) – connect Khao San with the city center in the Pratunam area. However, the nearest pier for these boats is about 10 minutes from the street itself – Panfa Leelard Pier, located near the famous Wat Saket (Golden Mount). On these boats you can get to the terminal pier in the center of Pratunam area in just 15 minutes and exit right next to the main shopping malls and street markets. These boats also make a stop at Hua Chang pier (Siam Square) near the famous Jim Thompson House museum. So overall, these boats are a good option for traveling between the city center and Khao San, as long as you don't mind walking a bit to the pier.

What to see in 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 from 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 a large number of budget accommodation options and developed tourist infrastructure for independent travelers. However, don't think it's a local "Arbat" for quiet walks and souvenir shopping. Khao San Road is the noisiest and most party-oriented place in the capital, especially in the evenings. And if during the day you can still walk around and shop calmly, in the evening you should forget about such walks, as it turns into the epicenter of tourist fun and debauchery, every evening without weekends 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 information

  🕐 Opening hours: 24/7, most interesting in the evening.

  💵 Entrance fee / ticket prices: free.

  🚶 How to get there: located in the historic or old part of Bangkok on the Rattanakosin Peninsula (Khao San Road on the map). Getting here from other popular tourist areas of Bangkok is a bit difficult since the metro doesn't go here, so the easiest way is by taxi, which will cost around 200 baht. However, if you want, during the day you can get here by city transport for as little as 8 baht, read more at the link with the full description.

• Grand Palace

  

  This palace complex, consisting of many temples and palaces, is the main religious building in Bangkok and the first attraction of the capital worth visiting. The palace complex was built in 1782 and serves not only as the actual royal residence but also as the location of numerous government offices. Of course, the royal residence and offices are not open to tourists, but the most beautiful and interesting part of the complex is open to visitors for a fee. Several palaces and throne halls are open to the public, used by the royal family for receiving ambassadors and foreign delegations, as well as many temples and shrines. To fully explore the palace, you'll need at least half a day. More details about the Grand Palace and photos here.

  Practical information

  🕐 Opening hours: daily from 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM (the complex is open until 4:30 PM, but visitors are no longer admitted after 3:30 PM). Free English-language tours start at 10:00 AM, 10:30 AM, 1:30 PM, and 2:00 PM.

  💵 Entrance fee / ticket prices: 500 baht (15.2 USD, Thai 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 Khao San Road tourist area you can walk here. From other areas by taxi (around 200 baht) or buses, or take the MRT underground to the new Sanam Chai station, and from there walk 1 kilometer.

• Wat Pho (Temple of the Reclining Buddha)

  

  Near the Grand Palace is Wat Pho – one of the oldest temples in the Kingdom and the largest in Bangkok, built in 1688-1703. It houses the famous 46-meter gilded Reclining Buddha statue. The temple complex has 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 the most famous symbols of Thailand. Rarely does any feature film set in Bangkok go without shots of the temple. Despite being "hyped" and tourist-popular, the temple is definitely worth visiting, especially since it's practically adjacent to the Grand Palace. More details about the Reclining Buddha temple here.

  Practical information

  🕐 Opening hours: daily without days off from 8:00 AM to 6:30 PM.

  💵 Entrance fee / ticket prices: 300 baht (9.12 USD), bring exact change as they don't give any; guide accompaniment (optional) for 1 person – 200 baht, 2 people – 300, 3 or more – 400 baht.

  🚶 How to get there: Wat Pho is located next to the Grand Palace on the banks of the Chao Phraya River on the Rattanakosin Peninsula (temple on the map). Within walking distance are the Khao San tourist area and Chinatown.

• Wat Bowonniwet Vihara

  

  Wat Bowonniwet Vihara is not particularly well-known or visited by tourists, yet it's one of the most important temples and monasteries in Bangkok. It houses a Buddha statue from approximately 1357 in a large golden stupa, and most members of the royal family have spent their monastic periods and training here. But most importantly, the remains of King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX), who died in 2016, rest in the temple. Nearby in a separate building are the monastery library and the abbot's museum. More about Wat Bowonniwet Vihara.

  Practical information

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

  💵 Entrance fee / ticket prices: free.

  🚶 How to get there: the temple is located near Khao San Road, a 5-minute walk from it (temple on the map). From other areas of Bangkok you can get here by taxi (no more than 200 baht by meter), by buses, or by scheduled boat along the river to Phra Arthit pier and then walk 10 minutes.

• Wat Chana Songkhram

  

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

  Practical information

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

  💵 Entrance fee / ticket prices: free.

  🚶 How to get there: the temple is located near Khao San Road, a 5-minute walk from it (temple on the map). From other areas of Bangkok you can get here by taxi (no more than 200 baht by meter), by buses, or by scheduled boat along the river to Phra Arthit pier and then walk 10 minutes.

• 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 overview of all the exhibitions will take about two hours, while a detailed study with all the captions would take a whole day. Visiting the National Museum is interesting even without a tour, but if you want, you can join a free tour in English, French, or German, which are held several times a week. More about the Bangkok National Museum.

  Practical information

  🕐 Opening hours: open Wednesday through 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 (7.29 USD, Thai currency). This ticket also gives you access to the Royal Barges Museum and the National Gallery.

  🚶 How to get there: the museum is in central Bangkok on the Rattanakosin Peninsula between the Khao San tourist area and the Grand Palace, within walking distance of both (museum on the map). From other areas of Bangkok you can get here by taxi (no more than 200 baht by meter); by scheduled boats on the Chao Phraya River to Tha Chang or Phra Athit piers; 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 landmarks in the historic part of Bangkok on Rattanakosin Island, a defensive structure built in 1783. To be honest, there's not much to do here, and you'll spend no more than 5-10 minutes exploring it. So it's not worth going out of your way from other parts of the city. But if you happen to be in this part of town or are just walking around the Khao San Road tourist area, which is just a stone's throw away, you can check it out. Nearby is the Banglamphu History Museum, which you can visit together with the fort for just 30 baht. More about Phra Sumen Fort.

  Practical information

  🕐 Opening hours: you can view it from the outside 24/7, and you can climb up to the fort and walk around the adjacent park from 8:00 AM to 9:00 PM daily.

  💵 Entrance fee / ticket prices: free.

  🚶 How to get there: located in the historic part of Bangkok on the Rattanakosin Peninsula (fort on the map). Just a five-minute walk from here is Bangkok's main tourist area – Khao San Road. Getting here from other areas of Bangkok is not so easy. You'll have to take a taxi, city buses, or take a scheduled boat along the Chao Phraya River to Phra Arthit Pier.

• Ancient Artillery Museum Park

  

  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 outdoors. The park is not for relaxing – there are no benches – but there are information boards with descriptions of each gun. It's not worth coming here specifically, but if you're walking around the Grand Palace, you can take a stroll through the park.

  Practical information

  🕐 Opening hours: 24/7.

  💵 Entrance fee / ticket prices: free.

  🚶 How to get there: located on the Rattanakosin Peninsula next to the Grand Palace (park-museum on the map). You can walk here from Khao San Road, and from other areas by taxi or buses.

• Banglamphu Museum

  

  A small historical museum in Bangkok's old district, within walking distance of Khao San Road. There are only a few exhibits here, and they're quite modest on their own – the museum's real value lies in the tour. The English-speaking guide passionately tells stories 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 (just 30 baht). If you've already seen the main attractions and want to discover Bangkok from a different angle – it's worth a visit, especially combined with a walk to Phra Sumen Fort (5 minutes away on foot). More about Banglamphu Museum and how to visit it.

  Practical information

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

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

  🚶 How to get there: located on the Rattanakosin Peninsula, next to Phra Sumen Fort (museum on the map). 10–15 minutes walk from Khao San Road. You can take a river ferry to Phra Arthit Pier (5 minutes walk) or city buses. More about transport: Bangkok transport.

• Amulet Market

  

  There are many places in Bangkok where you can buy amulets, but the largest and most interesting is the amulet market next to the Grand Palace and opposite Wat Mahathat on Maha Rat Road. This is a truly unique and worth-visiting place, and we recommend that every guest of the city visit it if possible. And it's definitely worth coming here if you're in Bangkok not for the first time. Here you can not only stroll among rows of amazing crafts and souvenirs that radiate 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, with prices starting from 20 baht. More about the Amulet Market.

  Practical information

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

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

  🚶 How to get there: located in Bangkok's historic district, a few minutes from the Grand Palace opposite Wat Mahathat on Maha Rat Road (Amulet Market on the map). To get here from the main tourist area of Khao San Road, the easiest way is to walk – about 1.5 kilometers or 20 minutes. From other areas you can take city buses or a boat along the Chao Phraya River to Tha Maharaj pier. More details 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 is located on a traffic circle in central Bangkok and serves as kilometer zero, meaning distances of roads from the capital throughout the country are measured from here. It is often used as a landmark to get to this part of the city and to Khao San area by taxi or bus. More about Democracy Monument.

  Practical information

  🕐 Opening hours: 24/7.

  💵 Entrance fee / ticket prices: free.

  🚶 How to get there: located in the historic part of the city on the Ratchadamnoen Klong Road roundabout (monument on the map). From Khao San tourist area it's a 5-minute walk. Next to the circle is a stop where bus S1 from Suvarnabhumi Airport and bus #59 from Don Mueang Airport stop.

• Mahakan Fort

  

  Mahakan Fort is a historic site, though there's not much to see here. You can stop by if you're walking around Wat Saket (Golden Mount), Democracy Monument, and other attractions in the area. The fort was built in the late 18th century as part of the 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 created next to it.

  Practical information

  🕐 Opening hours: 24/7.

  💵 Entrance fee / ticket prices: free.

  🚶 How to get there: the fort is in the historic center of Bangkok (fort on the map). From Khao San tourist street it's 1.5 kilometers on foot. From other areas you can take buses #2, 15, 44, 47, 59, 60, 70, 79, 157, 169, 183, 503, 509, 511, 556 to Panfa Leelard stop. From Pratunam and Siam areas you can take a canal boat to the terminal Phan Fa Pier, then walk across the bridge.

• Rattanakosin Exhibition Hall

  

  This is a museum-exhibition for getting acquainted with Thai culture and history. The exhibits are new and well-maintained, everything is clean, with detailed labels and modern interactive exhibits. The visit includes guided tours by guides along one of several routes through the museum. 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 information

  🕐 Opening hours: from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM, Monday closed.

  💵 Entrance fee / ticket prices: adults – 100 baht (3.04 USD), children under 120 cm tall – free; refundable deposit for audio guide use – 1000 baht. Guided tour service is included in the price.

  🚶 How to get there: located in the historic part of the city on Ratchadamnoen Road (museum on the map) next to Democracy Monument. From Khao San tourist area it's a 10-minute walk. From other areas of the city, take a taxi, bus, or river transport – the metro doesn't go here. By bus, choose any route to Democracy Monument. From Pratunam and other areas you can take the Golden Mount Line canal boat to the terminal Panfa Leelard pier (next to Wat Saket, the Golden Mount), and from there walk 10 minutes.

• Wat Mahathat Temple

  

  This is one of the most important and oldest temples in Bangkok, one of the ten highest-level royal temples in Thailand, founded to house one of the Buddhist relics. It also houses the Vipassana meditation center. However, this temple is almost unknown among tourists and rarely visited by guests of the capital, even though it's very conveniently located in the very heart of the historic district: near the Grand Palace and within walking distance of Khao San Road. Most likely, its low popularity is due to the fact that it's overshadowed by other more interesting and architecturally refined temples in the area. More about Wat Mahathat.

  Practical information

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

  💵 Entrance fee / ticket prices: free.

  🚶 How to get there: located in Bangkok's historic district, a few minutes' walk from the Grand Palace (temple on the map). To get here from the main tourist area of Khao San Road, the easiest way is to walk – about 1.5 kilometers or 20 minutes. From other areas you can take city buses or a boat along the Chao Phraya River to Tha Maharaj pier. More details at the link with the full description.

• Coin Museum

  

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

  Practical information

  🕐 Opening hours: Tuesday-Sunday from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM, Monday closed. Free tours start approximately every 20 minutes.

  💵 Entrance fee / ticket prices: free.

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