Thousands of our fellow citizens - and, of course, not only them - spend their holidays in Thailand every year. And even preferring the more resort cities of this country, almost everyone still considers it their duty to visit Bangkok, the capital of the state. As in any city, Bangkok has its own main street. It is called Khao San Road and is known far beyond the borders of Thailand. What is special about it - we tell in our material.
Bangkok in a nutshell
Before talking directly about Khaosan Road, let's at least briefly get acquainted with the settlement in which this street "lives". The capital of the Kingdom of Thailand is also its largest city, and the name received at the time of its founding entered the Guinness Book of Records as the longest in history.
Bangkok is interesting to many. So, for example, according to some reports, it is one of the cities in the world that most attract tourists. And it is he who is the most rapidly developing, including in terms of economy, settlement, quiteable to compete with other major regional centers. From the Thai language, "Bangkok" is translated as "olive village" (bang - village, kok - olives).
Bangkok is good all year round - however, only for those who love hot weather, because this is exactly what is in the Thai capital all 365 days a year. In April-May, it is a little warmer than, say, in January or December, but the temperature does not fluctuate much. But from May to the end of October, the rainy season begins, so during the usual vacation time for most Russians in Bangkok, you won’t sunbathe or take a walk. By the way, about water: Bangkok is also notable for the fact that water transport is actively developed there (the city stands on a rather large river - Chao Phraya), so a walk along Thai waters may well serve as a substitute for Venetian gondolas.
Khaosan Road history
One of the main attractions of the Thai capital and part-time the main street of Bangkok has not always been the local "Arbat" - that is, noisy, never sleeping and always busy. For quite a long period of time, this street, located, by the way, although in the center, but in a fairly cheap area (it is called Banglampu), on the island of Rattanakosin, was quite quiet and unremarkable. However, its location is remarkable in itself - after all, Rattanakosin is the historical center of Bangkok, it is here that the Royal Palace and many other attractions are located, which we will return to later.
Everything has changedrelatively recently - some thirty-odd years ago, in 1982. Then Bangkok celebrated its bicentennial - a respectable age, and on this occasion, the Thai authorities decided to take a swing and staged a grand celebration (by the way, it coincided with the lucky year 2525 according to the Buddhist calendar). Many guests from around the world flocked to the city - everyone wanted to admire the folk festivals, processions and other large-scale events that were promised as part of the capital's anniversary.
However, Bangkok, led by the government, was not ready for such an influx of foreign tourists. The infrastructure of the city simply did not allow to accommodate such a number of sufferers - there were a catastrophic shortage of hotels, and their prices skyrocketed. Most of the festivities and festivities were then held near the Royal Palace, in the immediate vicinity of which Khaosan Road in Bangkok is located. It is not known who and how was the first to discover this safe harbor, but the fact remains: one of the foreign tourists persuaded the locals to let them live, after which the enterprising residents of the street realized: you can make good money on this! At that time, many of those who had housing on Khaosan Road decently “welded” - and since then, on the main metropolitan “avenue street”, like mushrooms after rain, all kinds of guest houses, bars, restaurants, shops began to open one after another, souvenir shops and everything else that can attract a curious tourist.
In the twenty-first century
Despite the fact that Khaosan Road in Bangkok became a popular attraction in the eighties of the last century, its glory was given a second round in the new millennium. The whole reason was the famous actor Leonardo DiCaprio, or rather, his character from the movie "The Beach", released at the beginning of the 2000s. The hero DiCaprio, according to the plot, comes to Bangkok and stops just on Khaosan Road. After watching the film, many rushed to the Thai capital just to stop on the main street of the city.
Frankly on the street
The above characteristic - the local Arbat - suits Khaosan Road, in our opinion, most opportunely. How else to explain otherwise what is happening on it - the eternal hubbub, noise, hubbub, unceasing even at night? Some call the street the "gateway to Asia"; for travelers and backpackers (the so-called people who travel light, with only a backpack, without the help of tour operators, most often on hitches, etc.) here is a real paradise, because you can’t find anything on Khaosan Road: cheap food, cheap guesthouses, massages, tickets to all destinations…
Exactly as a transshipment base, by the way, the street is used by many: from here it is easy to go to any place in all of Thailand - and to other countries, of course. Here it is easy to meet a person of any nationality, any religion, any skin color. In general, Khaosan Road in Bangkok is a whole huge world … So, let's continue.
Khao San Road: how to get there
There are many ways to come to Thailand. Majorityforeign tourists arriving in Bangkok arrive at Suvarnabhumi Airport. How to get to Khaosan Road from the airport? Easier than a steamed turnip. There are several options for this:
Aeroexpress and Taxi
A special high-speed line called the Airport Rail Line has been brought to the airport, and it takes literally half an hour to get from Suvarnabhumi directly to the city. Finding this branch is also not difficult - you just need to follow the signs with the inscription City Line. You need to buy a ticket to the final stop - Phaya Thai station, and upon arrival you should take a taxi there. However, remember: you must definitely agree with the driver so that he turns on the meter - otherwise the cost of a taxi will be royal.
Express Line and Taxi
The Express Line is even faster - it will take you to your destination in just fifteen minutes non-stop. After that, you should also take a taxi with the meter on.
Aeroexpress or Express Line and bus
At the final station of Phaya Thai, which can be reached by any of the two options described above, you need to take a bus, not a taxi, at numbers 2 and 59.
Taxi
You can leave Suvarnabhumi immediately by taxi, bypassing the railway. True, the trip will be quite expensive, so it’s better to go on a trip with three or four of us - it will turn out much more pleasant financially. Taxi stands can be found on the first floor of the airport.
Water transport
Don't forget about the river - boats depart from the Phra Arthit pier, where you can make an unforgettable,an exciting and romantic journey.
Streets next door
Which streets are next to Khaosan Road? Firstly, Chakapong is the closest neighbor of Khaosan, and life on it is not much different from the life of the main tourist "avenue" of Bangkok. But Soi Ram Butri is much quieter, so it is quite a good option for those who like to sleep at night.
Interesting sights
Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately), there are no sights on Khaosan Road itself. There is already enough everything near which you can get stuck for a long time. However, in the immediate vicinity of the street - the very heart of Bangkok, and that's where, where, and there are enough sights.
So, just a couple of steps from Khaosan - as the locals call their "avenue" - you can see: the Royal Palace, Temple of the Emerald Buddha, Temple of the Reclining Buddha, Wat Mahatat Temple, Bangkok National Museum, National Gallery, Monument Democracies and so on.
Where to go
Despite the fact that Khaosan Road is awake both day and night, it really lives in the dark time of the day - only then various entertainment establishments open, music plays loudly, alcohol is offered everywhere, colorful neon lights attract Attention. If you come to Bangkok for its nightlife, you should definitely go to its main tourist "highway". And what to see in Bangkok on Khaosan Road?
The main attraction of the street - clubs and bars. There are an awful lot of them; we will list just a few. This Immortal is for you if you like electronic music; Buddy Beer - music is live there; Gazebo - located on the roof and beckoning visitors with soft pillows, hookah and reggae. If you are a fan of active pastime, you need to look into Gullivers - there you can watch football and play billiards, and in general this bar is in no way inferior to European "colleagues". And for lovers of dancing, The Club will be a great place to relax - there is not only a huge dance floor, but also good alcohol, soft sofas, and the most modern laser equipment.
Housing on the main street of Bangkok
Expensive luxurious luxury hotels on the main street of tourists in the Thai capital can not be found. It's just cheap housing. By and large, the entire Khaosan Road is entirely composed of the most diverse hostels, hotels, guesthouses and other accommodation options. It is not necessary to book anything - it is not at all difficult to find accommodation on the spot: the locals themselves are actively inviting visitors, trying to earn extra money. However, if you are one of the cautious ones, it is absolutely not forbidden to take care of the apartment/room in advance, it is entirely your right.
If you are not able to live on Khaosan Road in a hotel, rent a bed in a guesthouse. It will cost you only one hundred baht (a little over two hundred rubles). However, if you are interested in hotels near Khaosan Road, then you should pay attention to the following options:
- The three-star Rikka Inn offers itsfree WI-FI, a rooftop pool, and suites with a mini-fridge and cable TV.
- The three-star Buddy Lodge Hotel also features a private rooftop pool and retro-style rooms.
- Feung Nakorn Hotel is not located on Khaosan Road, but very close to it and suitable for couples with children, especially small ones - and close to the tourist center, and the noise at night does not interfere with sleep.
Food
Hungry on Khaosan Road is definitely not to stay! There is a huge variety of food here - both cheap, which is offered by peddlers, and expensive, which can be tasted in fine restaurants.
Makashnitsa are very popular among both tourists and locals - these are street stalls with a variety of food - here you can find freshly squeezed juices (they say they are the tastiest in the world), and seafood, and sliced \u200b\u200bfruits, and ice cream, and banana pancakes and fried cuts of meat and omelettes… And even fried insects for those who want something a little more exotic.
Important Tips
- Because Khaosan Road is teeming with all sorts of people, it's no surprise that theft is rampant on the street.
- Because of the above reason, it is better not to stand in line for tickets on this street - although you can buy tickets for both plane and train or bus there, it is better to go to the appropriate place to get them.
- Many bars open only at night, during the day the streets are mostly filled with shops and souvenir shops. It is necessaryconsider when planning your day.
- Street food on Khaosan Road is inexpensive; seasoned people highly recommend trying tom yum soup and freshly prepared necks there.
- For those who want to live in the center, but do not like noise and din, the neighboring Samsen Road area is more suitable.
Interesting information
- Khaosan Road means "polished rice" in Thai.
- Food prices here are significantly lower than in any other area of Bangkok, so many locals and tourists staying in other parts of the city come exclusively to Khaosan for lunch and dinner.
- Despite the fact that Khaosan Road is one street, this is often the name of the whole area, which includes neighboring streets.
- There are no four- or five-star hotels on Khaosan or in the neighborhood.
- There is no subway station near Khaosan Road. It is impossible to get there by this type of public transport, so if you are going there from another area of Bangkok, it is best to take a taxi with a meter or a bus.
This is the multifaceted and unusual main tourist street of Bangkok - Khaosan Road…
