Alreet!
Khaosan Road is known for being backpacker central; it’s renowned as the party street of Bangkok, the street that never sleeps. When we first got to Bangkok my experience of Khaosan Road was overwhelming. Rachel had been before and neglected to mention that this street was lively - putting it mildly. It was packed with people who were dancing, drinking and having the best time of their lives. However, having just disembarked a 17-hour flight I was less in the party spirit and more in the land-of-sleep kind of mood, so getting past everyone whilst carrying my giant backpack seemed almost impossible. Lets just say, for me, it was a bit of a culture shock when we first arrived - not that I’ve never seen crowds like that before. I’ve been to festivals previously and anyone who follows our instagram knows that we enjoy a cocktail or two whilst on our adventures. But Khaosan Road had a different feel. I guess Danny Boyle got the depiction right in “The Beach”. Khaosan road is also the inspiration for the darker storyline in “The Hangover 2” - this is a place where anything can happen.
Drinking culture is a big part of Khaosan Road and you can get a nice cheap bucket of spirit and mixer for a few hundred Baht. We have had a few incidents (not in Bangkok) where people attempted to tamper with our drinks which is easy to do when you are drinking out of a bucket so, as always, remember to stay safe, watch your drink, and stick with your mates.
Along with alcohol deals there are always deals on souvenir vendors, which line the streets at night between the bars. Locals stay open through the night selling clothes and “Thailand” printed merchandise. But be wary - if you aren’t savvy about the local currency, these deals can sometimes not be a deal at all; since Khaosan road is a "backpackers #1 destination" the prices can reflect this. However, a good turn at bartering can lead to some more reasonable prices. Khaosan road is one of the places to get those important Thai elephant pants, which you see almost every backpacker wearing during their trip to Asia. These breathable, light pants are a fantastic addition to your backpacking lifestyle as they are really comfy and light enough to not make any difference in the weight of your bag. At the price of 100 Bhat (with some bartering) these are worth the buy, especially to wear when you are going to get dirty like at the elephant sanctuaries (take a look at our last blog post!), or at temples when you need to cover up but want to stay cool in the SE Asia heat. Along with elephant pants, backpackers rush to the stalls which braid hair in order to get a more fitting hair style to accompany your backpacking lifestyle. Classic long-time travellers love a full head of braids or dreads. Don't forget to get a snazzy metal symbol to add in with the braids, that really makes for a finishing touch! Whether you love or hate this look, many a traveller has “found themselves” at a braid stall and elephant pant shop on Khaosan road. Give it a look and see what all the fuss is about.
So you’ve got your hair braided, your elephant pants on and you are sipping on a giant bucket of something alcoholic (not entirely sure what...red bull and something blue?). Need help to soak up all that alcohol? If you are craving some tasty takeaway food, no one does it better then Khaosan Road. The street food vendors sell delicious, cheap, fresh food; from seafood snacks to traditional Thai meals, like pad Thai and green curry. Other eateries include a full-sized rotisserie crocodile and a stall filled with edible insects. These include cockroaches, grasshoppers, spiders, scorpion-on-a-stick, and other creepy creatures (all lightly salted). We tried a scorpion, and lets just say make sure you have a good dentist - because these are crunchy! If savoury food isn't your favourite, Khaosan Road has you covered: they also have a sweet option that is bound to satisfy your sweet-tooth called roti which is the Thai equivalent to a pancake, made fresh to order at the stall. There are a number of toppings to choose from such as Nutella, condensed milk, banana and egg. We went for the Nutella and it was delicious, definitely a firm favourite for us.
Khaosan has more to offer than just food and drink - why not try relaxing a little with a fantastic traditional massage? Ranging from full body oil massages to half-hour foot massages, these really are the best deals in the business. And if you have gone a little wild the night before, these are bound to sort you out. Rachel got a foot massage and enjoyed every second. I’m not so keen, but we sat together on the chairs outside the spa and chatted and watched the street performers and had a great time relaxing in the middle of all the hustle and bustle. Prices range from 150 Bhat to an eye-watering 650 Bhat, but I suppose it depends on how relaxed you want to be and how much money you've saved.
Khaosan road is the perfect location to stay in Bangkok! This hive of activity is subdued during the day but it is lined with taxis or tuk tuks ready to sweep you away to all your backpacking highlights like Reclining Buddha, Chatuchak Weekend Market or Chinatown. The street is only a short walking distance to the biggest attraction of Bangkok, which is The Grand Palace. Be sure not to miss this beautiful, traditional master piece in all its glory open daily from 8:30am to 3:30pm. As soon as evening hits, the street it comes alive and shows you why it is called backpacker central. The street fills with stalls and revellers seem to descend from nowhere to the hub of Bangkok. The street gets packed with a whole array of people looking for new experiences and something to excite them. Khaosan road really does have it all and you can see why its a favourite attraction amongst the backpacker community.
We have some more information and recommendations on our previous blog posts and on tripadvisor. Be sure to check them out!
Howay, hoyin' oot time.
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