Khao San Road is a street of about 400 metres in the Banglamphu neighbourhood, in Phra Nakhon district, one kilometre north of the Grand Palace. Laid out in 1892 during the reign of Rama V, it takes its name from the milled rice ("khao san") that Chinese and Thai merchants sold here. Since the 1980s, its cheap guesthouses, travel agencies and bars have made it the meeting point of backpackers from all over the world. Access is free at any time; the street comes alive mainly from 5 pm to 1 am. Allow an hour to walk it and its neighbouring lanes, more if you have dinner or spend the evening here.
Highlights
The street at night
As night falls, the neon signs light up, stalls selling clothes, souvenirs and street food take over the roadway and the music from the bars echoes from one side to the other. This is the liveliest, and noisiest, time of day. Haggle at the clothing and souvenir stalls, where prices are not always displayed.
The street in the morning
During the day, Khao San goes back to being a neighbourhood street: agencies selling bus tickets and day trips, Thai massage parlours, tattoo shops, cafés serving a late breakfast. It is the best time to walk through in peace before heading to the temples of the old town.
Street food
From late afternoon, carts set up along the street: pad thai stir-fried to order, grilled skewers, cut fruit, banana pancakes and fresh juices. Prices are higher than in the markets used by locals, but the street remains a convenient place to try Thai classics without sitting down in a restaurant.
Soi Rambuttri and Wat Chana Songkhram
Parallel to Khao San, the small Rambuttri street curves in a horseshoe around Wat Chana Songkhram, a temple restored under Rama I for Mon monks and renamed "victory in war" after the battles against Burma from 1785 to 1787. Lined with trees, terraces and guesthouses, it offers a quieter version of the backpacker atmosphere.
Songkran
During Thai New Year, from 13 to 15 April, Khao San becomes one of Bangkok's top spots for water fights: the street is packed from morning to night and nobody leaves dry. Protect your phone and documents in a waterproof pouch.
Opening hours and prices
The street is free to access, every day and at any time. Shops open in the late morning; activity peaks between 6 pm and 11 pm, according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand.
Infos pratiques
Tips
In the evening, keep your bag closed and in front of you in the crowd, and be wary of tuk-tuk drivers offering a city tour at a bargain price: our guide to [scams in Bangkok](/fr/articles/arnaques-securite-bangkok) explains the common traps. Since June 2025, the sale of cannabis for recreational use has been banned in Thailand: it is only dispensed on prescription from a Thai doctor, and buyers at stalls still offering it risk a fine. For a quiet night, stay on the neighbouring streets, Rambuttri or Phra Athit, rather than above the bars. Information checked in October 2026.
How to get there
Thanon Khao San, Talat Yot, Phra Nakhon, Bangkok 10200, between Chakrabongse Road to the west and Tanao Road to the east. No BTS or MRT line serves the neighbourhood. The easiest option is the boat on the Chao Phraya: get off at Phra Arthit pier (N13), then walk about ten minutes along Phra Athit Road. The nearest MRT station, Sam Yot (Blue Line), is about a 20-minute walk away; from Sanam Chai (Blue Line), take a taxi. In the evening, ask your taxi or Grab driver to drop you at one end of the street, which is taken over by pedestrians and stalls.
Opening hours
Nearby
Comments
No comments yet.