Some people love it while some people don’t. Khao San is where a lot of first time travellers end up whenever they go to Bangkok. This street will forever be part of backpacker’s history. It’s unimaginable how people have been able to packed so many guesthouses, shops, restaurants, bars, travel agencies and so many other things in this street.
Business brought about by the tourism industry of Thailand seems to be flourishing and whatever you see in Khao San seems to be spreading towards the neighbouring streets such as Soi Rambuttri and others.
Here are some of the things that you’ll commonly see in Khao San!
Ronald Mcdonald greeting you “Sawasdee Krap”
Leather goods, tshirts, caps, slippers, shoes, souvenirs and all sort of goods being sold on the street.
Yup, almost everything, including IDs!
You can also have your first tattoo here, or maybe your 3rd, 4th…
Or have your hair braided…
And don’t miss the Pad Thai for as low as 25Baht!
And watch a street performer while enjoying your dinner…
When you get tired from all of it, grab a book…
And enjoy reading it while having a massage…
And before you go back to your room, get some cash so you could do it all over again… LOL!
But seriously, what makes me like Khao San is the vibrant energy coming from the people I’ve met. I remember when I first got to Khao San, I find it dirty and noisy. But as soon as I took some time to meet other travellers I was amazed from everything I’ve heard and learned. It was there when I first met people who travelled overland from Beijing to Bangkok. It was there where I first heard overland adventures to different parts of the world. It was like a gathering of people with the same passion and interest. It was nostalgic.
But as time goes by, I find myself retreating to nearby streets which are quieter but just a short walking distance to Khao San. My favorite is the hostel near Santichai Phrakarn Park. Far from the bustling crowds but at the same time still accessible from the crazy street of Khao San.
On my first trip to Thailand, I made sure to check out Khao San Road and even stayed at a guesthouse in a soi off KSR. It’s… interesting. Not my scene, but I do get why backpackers like it there.
KSR is chaos in full glory (and i mean it in a good way )LOL
why do I find myself missing this place, when all we did was hope on and off. Funny how we always stayed here but never made it to the Palace…
haha took me a couple of returns before i thought of visiting the palace
You forgot to mention those loud idiot farangs who like to walk about shirtless or in the skimpiest of tops and skirts. Other than that, it is good for cheap food and onward transportaton tickets.
hahaha…. i wanna mention it but i forgot to take their pictures LOL
We were brought there by our BKK-based friends but I didn’t really enjoy it. It’s like the hangout of the jologs na farangs, for lack of a better description. Worth experiencing once though for the bug snacks, etc.and the vibe but I wouldn’t go back there. I’m not really a shopper but I think Chatuchak is more interesting.
Definitely love it no matter how chaotic it is! Like Lois, never made it to the palace also.
though as i grow older, i find myself retreating to the quieter side
i like soi rambuttri more now 
I think staying here for a night or at least visiting it once is part of the whole process of experiencing the different personalities of Bangkok.
Yeah, shopping! That’s what I am talking about. Also, trippy to see Ronald McDonald doing a Thai pose. How come we don’t have something like that in Manila? I wonder what the national pose would be though.
dont know if we have a distinct “pose” though… cant think of any…
Khao San is one of my fave places in Bangkok, too. You can get there anything you want, people are nice, food and drinks are fine, too. And they have fruit shakes
and milk tea!!!
not to mention choco banana crepe 
i’m in love with KSR. chaotic but charming!
I loved it. I was there during our Super Bowl (American football championship) and watched the game at 6am with a group of other Americans and had a great time. Not only is it a vibrant scene to meet people, but a great place to book tours, get visas for Cambodia and Vietnam, find internet cafés, and find other travel services.
I love when beautiful chaos surrounds me, there’s a hint of romance in it or a possibility or an energy that jumpstart whatever fuses on my body that went dead while stucked in a long stunned silences of other places (such as home). I will be visiting this place next month, its at the back of mind ever since I read it on the opening pages of Alex Garland’s novel.
Even though Khao San can be crowded, flooded, dirty, and noisy, it is somehow always the first place that comes to mind whilst I sit at my desk dreaming of travel. As you said, its a starting (or ending) point for so many travelers coming from all over. Collecting on its filthy streets is the strangest and most interesting bunch of travelers I have ever come across. For those who say it is full of farangs I think that you are missing the point of Khao San. It is one of those fantastically multicultural meeting points where you could quite literally meet anyone. In any given day you could meet a traveling diamond salesman from Dubai, a quaint Japanese couple on holiday, a spiritual wanderer from Israel…. anything. And because people are so quick to shift in and out of Khao San, it is always changing, always adapting, and the weird and whacky people that so often collect there are always refreshed by newly strange people. For me this is one of the most exciting parts of traveling – I travel to experience new cultures and new people, and in terms of meeting new people Khao San is never a let down. It’s such a great place to sit and people watch in one of the many cafes.
In terms of actually staying there though, I like Soi Rambuttri. Only a five minute walk away but much quieter and with nicer, cheaper accommodation.
I have to admit that I love it! Even when I was all alone and lost from my friends in the dark, people were so quick to help me find my hotel. I never once felt worried or afraid, and I immediately fell in love with everything about the country, even KSR!