Shopping
Khao San Road is literally bursting with things for you to spend your precious baht on. Its abundance of travel shops can supply you with all your logistical requirements - flight, train and bus tickets to your next destination - while the area's tailors will give you some much needed sartorial elegance, cutting you a sharp suit ready for when you arrive back from island jumping. Essentials aren't neglected either, with chemists, convenience stores and monetary exchanges dotted around. A big must in Thailand is a compelling read or two for the beach, and there are several of the city's best second hand-book shops scattered around where you can trade in your old books or buy a new one.
When it comes to market stalls, you'll notice after only a few long minutes of tricky maneuvering along Khao San Road's narrow, obstacle strewn pavements that almost every last inch of space is dedicated to small commerce. The cramped day-time stalls which line the walk-ways on either side, sell all the beach clobber you could need; sandals, shorts, sunglasses, bikinis - alongside silver jewellery, textiles, pirated music CDs, the latest DVD's, tie-dyed ware and all kinds of touristy stuff. There's also street vendors, who traipse up and down the street selling things like hammocks and ethnic jewellery. When making a purchase from the market areas remember to bargain, but not to the point of arguing over a few measly baht - aim to meet them somewhere in the middle and you can both part with your dignity in tact.
The perfect time to embark on your shopping spree, unless you want to end up bad tempered and pouring sweat, is in the evening. Not only is it cooler, but its also the time when things liven up (except on Mondays) - with industrious, creative young Thais coming down to lay out their wares, many of them crafted lovingly by hand. Here you can find people selling everything from decorative hair clips and trendy one-off T-shirts to second-hand vintage clothing and glow-in-the-dark plastic bugs.
Food & markets
While perfect for adjusting to the culture and climes, Khao San Road is also a great spot to ease yourself into the intense sensory melange that is Thai cuisine. You'll find that most of the local food available here has been thoughtfully toned down to cater to the unadjusted Western palate, with the spiciness of curries, salads and noodle dishes all reduced considerably compared to what you find locals eating (if you like it spicy, then ask).But please don't think its all tame variations on Thai cooking, alongside Western junk food. With the upsurge in quality restaurants and bars, the variety and exoticism of the food available has also rocketed. Menus offering creative fusions of Thai with Western cooking are plentiful, while there are many places that specialise in quality international cusine, with pizzas, falaffel and pasta especially getting a look in.
Of course, a trip to Khao San Road wouldn't be complete without sampling the street vendors' famous 'pad thai', their own unique take on the popular Thai dish that's tasty, nutritious and, above all, cheap. And, for vitamin and protein bursts, there's natural produce in the form of fresh fruit, fruit shakes and, if your bold enough, fried bugs. Once you have exhausted Khao San Road's eateries and completed your initiation into spicy food, then try Banglamphu market, just around the corner on Chakrapong Road. It has an exciting array of street stalls selling tasty and authentic Thai alternatives to the staple backpacker diet of pad thai, banana pancakes and watermelon shakes.
Nightlife
When dusk hits on Khao San Road - whether it's a Monday or Friday night - the energy levels ramp up a few notches. Restaurants and bars start blaring music, while the masses begin to contemplate sinking that first beer of the evening. As the evening progresses you may want to start thinking about where to shake your booty. Loud dance music prevails: house, trance, drum and bass, hip-hop - alongside a smattering of indie, rock and reggae. Most venues rely on their own in-house DJ's to work up the crowd, but some, such as Café Democ, regularly pull in DJ's from across the region and globe. There's also live music for those not partial to electronic beats, with several pubs and bars putting on local bands playing a mix of covers and original material. We've put together a list of some of the area's hang-outs that are worth checking out (READ MORE).
People watching
While a naturalist would most likely head to the rainforests to see wildlife thriving in their natural environment, the aspiring sociologist could do no better than come to this compact urban jungle to see mankind in its many, often grotesque permutations, at play. Entire evenings can easily be whiled away in one of the road's many cafés or bars, as you watch the ragtag procession of all colours, nationalities and persuasions saunter by, nearly all of them on a hedonistic mission of some sort or other. Of course, you'd need an awfully long time to identify all the wildly disparate species who roam here, but let's just say that any even remotely comprehensive list would have to include the credit-card carrying hippies, the blissed-out rastafarians, 'trustafarians' waiting for daddy's cheque to clear, bohemian art students, label clad Thai clubbers, exotic ladyboys, all-over-body-tatooed human canvases, hip-hop heads, ethnic tribes-people selling their wares, freelance hookers, the bronzed serial island-hoppers, the pasty virgin backpackers or the wrinkled 'been there, done that, bought the Khao San T-shirt' travelers who keep on coming back for more. The list goes on, and on, and on...
Yes, the vibrant Khao San Road is an intoxicating and often contradictory melting pot, and if you come here to do only one thing, it should be to look at who's-who in this one-of-a-kind crazy zoo.(Photo used with kind permission of Nino di Bari)
Hidden charms
When the relentless pace of Khao San Road and the stinking hangover all gets a bit much, there are small areas nearby which provide a welcome oasis of calm, and that swing to a slower, more manageable tempo that's a little bit closer to the real pace of Thai life.
Phra Artit Road, a mere ten-minute walk away, is a nice spot for a more sedate experience, and perhaps a romantic evening meal with your (new) love interest. Nestled right next to the Chao Phraya River, it has a bohemian, artsy vibe which makes it a welcome retreat from the unrelenting wall of noise which emanates from Khao San Road. The restaurants and bars along this quaint tree-lined road are popular with Thais and often have talented local musicians playing soothing, amorous Thai songs in the evenings.
But if you're feeling lethargic, as many do after a short time here, you needn't even venture that far. Try wandering aimlessly down any one of the side alleys off the main stretch of Khao San Road, and you'll more than likely find a pleasant restaurant or bar where you can sit back and sip on a cocktail in anonymity.
