Khao San Road ถนนข้าวสาร , Bangkok

Khao San Road (Thai: ถนนข้าวสาร ) is a minor road in Bangkok, Thailand. It is the place in Bangkok favored by budget travelers for accommodation, meals and other conveniences. It is just a short road in the Banglamphu district of Bangkok, just a short distance north of Rattanakosin. It is a one-way street, connecting Chakrabongse Road to Tanao Road.

Khao San Road is a mere 410 meters in length. Nonetheless, it has become one of the most famous roads in Bangkok. Its fame came about as the market for budget travel ballooned, and it quickly supported it by offering no-frills accommodation with very basic amenities, simple meals, and easy transport. Although Khao San Road is not connected to the BTS Skytrain or Metro MRT networks, it is served by direct coach services to most other parts of Thailand. Due to the ready market, it also attracts numerous budget travel agencies to set up shop there, although I would advise you to be wary if you contemplate using these agencies, as there have been cases of tourists being sold tickets to non-existing services. Use the public bus, or if you can afford it, take the taxi to the nearest railway or bus station to get your tickets.

At the sidewalk market at Khao San Road, you can buy practically anything a budget traveler would need, from backpacks to from pirated CDs and DVDs, second-hand books, fake diplomas, trinkets, food, clothing and some budget-quality handicrafts. Over the years, a few more upmarket (or should I say, middle market) establishments have opened at Khao San Road, to cater to the well-heeled and not-so-budget travelers. Quite a number of pubs have also opened here, attracting the yuppies of Bangkok who come to interact and practise their English on the constant stream of foreign visitors.

Songkran, the Thai water festival, is celebrated in a very wet way in Khao San Road, so visitors who do not wish to get wet should stay clear of this place during the festival, which takes place around 13-15 April.

Map of Khao San Road, Bangkok

Getting there

If you are not deposited there by your coach bus, I suppose the easiest way to reach Khao San Road is by taking the taxi (I don't recommend tuk tuks as they cost just as much and expose you to scams). Alternatively, you can take the BTS Skytrain to Saphan Taksin Station (S6). From there, take a ferryboat from Central Pier to Phra Athit Pier (N13) in Banglamphu. From there, walk north along Phra Athit Road to Phra Sumen Road, then turn right into Thanon Chakrabongse. Khao San Road in the on your left.

Khao San Road on Google Street View

Khao San Road, Bangkok (Feb 2018)

List of Streets in Bangkok; list of Districts of Bangkok

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