Both loved and loathed, sometimes by the same person at the same time, Bangkok’s Khao San Road is a must-see for any tourist or visitor. Depending on your age and travel group, you will spend anywhere from 30 minutes to 3 days walking the 4 block stretch.
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As the night wears on, it gets really crowded on Khao San road. The inside of the bars are just as bad, if not worse. |
| They clearly know their target demographic. There was another bar that had staff members outside wearing shirts that said “Cheap drinks. We don’t check ID.” |
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Originally catering to backpackers and low-budget travelers, word quickly spread about the great deals that you could find on Khao San Road. That brought in more businesses, which raised prices, and it quickly became less of a backpacker destination than a tourist destination, but it’s still a place to get cheap drinks, cheaper food, and do some fun people watching. Locals tend to avoid Khao San Road because it’s a tourist destination, and expats hate it because it gives people the wrong impression of what life in Bangkok is like. Tourists and backpackers flock to it, partly to mark it off their list of things to see, but also because it’s an interesting place to hang out. And, as more people started hanging out on Khao San road, a wider variety of businesses sprung up.
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After a hard night of drinking, who doesn’t want to buy a custom made suit? Based on the pictures, this is apparently where James Bond gets his suits made |
| You can even get a suit made by Giorgio Armani’s lesser known brother, Jack Armani. |
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You can get wristbands to commemorate your trip. If you’re at work, don’t enlarge the image. If you’re at home, have fun. |
| If the mood strikes, you can get hair extensions put in while you’re partying on Khao San road |
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Where there’s booze, there’s food, and Khao San road is no exception. You can get everything from steaks and pizza to plates of pad thai for $1.
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The ubiquitous meat-on-a-stick |
| You can go to McDonald’s for a familiar taste of home (complete with a Ronald McDonald statue bowing a greeting as you enter), or you can get pad thai from a vendor on the street. |
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If you’re really drunk, try some fried insects. |
With a belly full of booze and food, you can keep walking around a little more, exploring the various bars and stores that line the street.
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And, after a long evening of standing around and drinking, take a moment to relax with a nice foot massage. |
| I love the name of this bar. No matter how you pronounce it, it’s funny. |
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Some people grab a taxi to Khao San road, get dropped off at one end, take photos as they walk to the other end, jump in another cab, and take off. Other people come to Khao San road and don’t leave for 3 days, never seeing anything else in Bangkok. Whatever your interest, Khao San road is worth checking out.
