KHAOSAN ROAD

Description

Essentials about Khaosan Road in brief

The bestseller “The Beach” describes Khaosan Road as the “center of the backpacking universe”. And indeed, the approximately 400 meter long street in the Bang Lam Phu district with its youth hostels, cheap hotels, pubs, restaurants, street vendors, tattoo stores, travel agencies and much more is still a true paradise for all backpackers. Walking along Khaosan Road, one could almost get the impression of being stranded in a western party enclave in the middle of Bangkok. Masses of foreign tourists from all over the world create a lively party atmosphere here night after night.

Characteristics of Khaosan Road

Translated, Khaosan Road means “street of polished rice”. The name comes from the commodity that used to be mainly sold here, namely uncooked, white (that is, milled and polished) rice.

The street has become famous since the mid-1980s due to its popularity with backpackers. Schoolchildren, students, professionals on sabbatical, world travelers – people of all ages and from all over the world meet on Khaosan Road. The street is lined with dozens of places to stay, pubs, restaurants, bookstores, bespoke tailors, street vendors, tattoo stores, internet cafes, massage parlors and travel agencies.

What makes the street so unique is that it has relatively little in common with the rest of Bangkok. Rather, one has the impression of having landed in a kind of western party enclave in the middle of Bangkok. Foreign tourists are clearly in the majority here and throw a decent party every evening. There is probably no other street in the world where people party as excessively as on Khaosan Road.

The whole area around Khao San Road has also developed into one big tourist district. Those who have had enough of the hustle and bustle of Khaosan Road can retreat to one of the countless side streets. It’s not dead boring there, but the atmosphere is much more chilled and pleasant.

Due to the popularity of Khaosan Road, however, there has been a significant increase in rents in recent years, which has increasingly changed the face of the street. Old-established venues and inexpensive guest houses were/are gradually being displaced by fancier restaurants and bars as well as hotels. Whether Khaosan Road is still a backpacker’s paradise, everyone must judge for themselves.