Thousands of our fellow citizens - and, of course, not only them - annually rest in Thailand. And even preferring more resort cities of this country, almost everyone still considers it his 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 Thailand. What is special about it - we tell in our material.
Briefly about Bangkok
Before telling directly about Khaosan Road, at least briefly get to know the village in which this street “lives”. At the same time, the capital of the Kingdom of Thailand is its largest city, and the name obtained at the foundation was included in 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 yet it is he who is the fastest growing, including in terms of economy, settlement, quite capable of competing with other large regional centers. From Thai, “Bangkok” is translated as “olive village” (bang - village, kok - olives).
Bangkok is good all year round - however, for those only who like hot weather, because it is such in the Thai capital that costs all 365 days a year. In April-May, it is slightly 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 will not especially 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 fairly large river - Chauphray), so a walk through Thai waters could well serve as a replacement for the Venetian gondolas.
Khaosan Road: a story
One of the main attractions of the Thai capital and, in combination, the main street of Bangkok, was far from always the local “Arbat” - that is, noisy, never sleeping and always lively. For quite a long period of time, this street, located, incidentally, even in the center, but in a fairly cheap area (called Banglampu), on Rattanakosin Island, 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 changed relatively recently - some thirty-odd years ago, in 1982. Then Bangkok celebrated its bicentennial - a solid age, and on this occasion, the Thai authorities decided to wave and staged a grand holiday (by the way, it coincided with the year 2525, happy according to the Buddhist calendar). Many guests from around the world flocked to the city - everyone wanted to admire the festivities, processions and other large-scale events that were promised as part of the capital's anniversary.
However, Bangkok led by the government were not ready for such an influx of foreign tourists. The infrastructure of the city simply did not allow accommodating such a number of afflicted people - the hotels were sorely lacking, and their prices skyrocketed. Most of the festivities and festivities were then held near the Royal Palace, in the immediate vicinity of which is located Khaosan Road in Bangkok. It is not known who and how was the first to find this quiet haven, 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: this can make some good money! Then, many of those who had housing on Khaosan Road decently “welded up” - and since then on the main metropolitan “Avenue Street” all kinds of guest houses, bars, restaurants, shops began to open one after another. , souvenir shops and all the rest of what can attract a curious tourist.
In the twenty first century
Despite the fact that Khaosan Road in Bangkok became a popular attraction back in the eighties of the last century, a second round was given to its glory in the new millennium. The whole reason was the famous actor Leonardo DiCaprio, or rather, his character from the movie "Beach", released at the beginning of the 2000s. The hero of DiCaprio, in the story, arrives in Bangkok and stops right on Khaosan Road. After watching the film, many rushed to the Thai capital just to stop on the main street of the city.
To be honest about the street
The above description - the local Arbat - is suitable for Khaosan Road, in our opinion, is most welcome. How else to explain what is happening on her - the eternal rumble, noise, noise, incessant even at night? Some call the street the "gateway to Asia"; for travelers and backpackers (the so-called people traveling light, with only a backpack, without the help of tour operators, most often on the way, etc.), this is a real paradise, because you can only find on Kaosan Road: cheap food, cheap guesthouses, massage, tickets in all directions ...
It is precisely as a transshipment base, by the way, that the street is used by many: it is easy to leave from here to any place in all of Thailand - well, to other countries, of course. 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.
Khaosan Road: how to get there
You can come to Thailand in many ways. Most foreign tourists arriving in Bangkok arrive at Suvarnabhumi Airport. How to get to Khaosan Road from the airport? Simply steamed turnip. There are several options for this:
A special high-speed line called Airport Rail Line has been brought to the airport, and it is possible to get from Suvarnabhumi directly to the city in literally half an hour. To find this branch is also easy - you just need to follow the signs labeled City Line. You need to buy a ticket to the final stop - Phaya Thai station, and upon arrival there should take a taxi. However, remember: you must always agree with the driver to turn on the meter - otherwise the cost of a taxi will be royal.
The Express Line branch runs even faster - it takes you to the right place in just fifteen minutes without stopping. After that you should also take a taxi with the meter on.
- Aeroexpress or Express Line and bus
At the terminal station Phaya Thai, which can be reached by any of the two options described above, you need to take a bus, not numbers 2 and 59, in a taxi.
You can leave Suvarnabhumi immediately by taxi, bypassing the railway. True, the trip will come out quite a waybill, so it is better to hit the road in three or four - it will come out much nicer financially. Taxi stands can be found on the ground floor of the airport.
Do not forget about the river - boats depart from the pier Phra Arthit, where you can make an unforgettable, exciting and full of romance trip.
The streets next door
Which streets are adjacent to Khaosan Road? Firstly, Chakapong - it 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 a pretty good option for those who like to sleep at night.
Interesting sights
Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately), there are no sights on the Khaosan Road itself. There already is enough of everything near which you can get stuck for a long time. However, in the immediate vicinity of the street, it is the very heart of Bangkok, and here and there, where there are enough sights.
So, taking just a couple of steps from Khaosan - as the locals call their “avenue” - you can see: the Royal Palace, the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, the Temple of the Reclining Buddha, the Temple of Wat Mahatat, the National Museum of Bangkok, the national gallery, the monument of Democracy and so on.
Where to go
Despite the fact that Khaosan Road is awake both day and night, she really lives in the dark - only then various entertainment venues open, music plays loudly, they offer alcohol everywhere, colorful neon lights attract attention. If you came to Bangkok for the sake of its nightlife, you definitely need to go to its main tourist "highway". And what to see in Bangkok on the Khaosan Road?
The main attraction of the street is clubs and bars. There are a lot of them; we will list only a few. This is Immortal - suitable for you if you like electronic music; Buddy Beer - the music is live there; Gazebo - located on the roof and invites visitors with the help of soft pillows, a 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 not inferior to European "colleagues". And for fans of dancing, The Club will be an excellent place to relax - there is not only a huge dance floor, but also good alcohol, soft sofas and the most modern laser installations.
Housing on Bangkok's main street
You cannot find expensive fashionable luxury hotels on the main street of the Thai capital. There is only cheap housing. By and large, the entire Khaosan Road is entirely composed of the most varied hostels, hotels, guesthouses and other accommodation options. Booking is not necessary - finding a place to stay on the spot is not at all difficult: the locals themselves are actively inviting visitors, trying to earn extra money. However, if you are careful, taking care of the apartment / room is absolutely not forbidden in advance, it is entirely your right.
If you are not able to live on the Khaosan Road in the hotel - remove the bed in the guesthouse. It will cost you only a hundred baht (a little more than two hundred rubles). However, if you are interested in hotels near Khaosan Road, then you should pay attention to the following options:
- The 3-star Rikka Inn offers its guests free WI-FI, a rooftop pool, and deluxe rooms with a mini fridge and cable TV.
- The three-star Buddy Lodge Hotel also has its own rooftop pool and retro-style rooms.
- Feung Nakorn Hotel is not located on Khaosan Road, but very close to it and is 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 just do not stay! There is a huge variety of food - and cheap, which is offered by peddlers, and expensive, which can be tasted in gourmet restaurants.
Very popular among tourists and locals are the macaroons - these are street stalls with a variety of food - here are freshly squeezed juices (they say are the tastiest in the world), and seafood, and fruit sliced into slices, and ice cream, and banana pancakes, and fried pieces of meat, and omelets ... And even fried insects - for those who want something more exotic.
Important tips
- Since Khaosan Road is teeming with a wide variety of people, it is not at all surprising that thefts flourish on the street.
- For the above reason, it’s better not to stand in line for tickets - despite the fact that you can buy tickets for a plane, train, or bus there, it’s better to go after them to the appropriate institution.
- Many bars open only at night, during the day mainly shops and souvenir shops work on the street. This must be taken into account when planning your day.
- Street food on Khaosan Road is inexpensive; seasoned ones highly recommend trying Tom Yam 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 is translated from Thai as "polished rice."
- Food prices here are much lower than in any other area of Bangkok, so many locals and tourists staying elsewhere in the city come to Kaosan for lunch and dinner.
- Despite the fact that Khaosan Road is one street, it is often called the whole district, which includes neighboring streets.
- There are no four- and five-star hotels either in Khaosan or in the neighborhood.
- There is no subway station near Khaosan Road. It is impossible to get there with this type of city transport, so if you are going there from another area of Bangkok, it is best to use a taxi with a meter or a bus.
Such is it, the multifaceted and unusual main tourist street of Bangkok - Khaosan Road ...