🎒 A Bangkok neighbourhood
Stay in Khao San–Old City
Backpacker · temples & palace
📍 Grand Palace & Wat Phra Kaew📍 Wat Pho📍 Wat Arun📍 Khao San Road📍 Soi Rambuttri
Backpacker · temples & palace
Khao San and the Old City (Rattanakosin/Phra Nakhon) is the part of Bangkok you can spend a whole day exploring on foot. The Grand Palace, Wat Phra Kaew, and Wat Pho are all a short walk apart, while Khao San Road and Soi Rambuttri pack in cheap guesthouses, bars, and street food
Start with stays →Thip Samai Pad Thai — Maha Chai Road's legendary pad thai sinc
Grand Palace & Wat Phra Kaew — King Rama I's royal palace housing the E
7 stays from ฿450/night
Stays, sights and food — all on one page
The spots Thai and international visitors love here
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Per-hotel detail, price comparison and FAQ
A well-known Mad Monkey backpacker hostel about an 8-minute walk from Khao San Road, with a pool, bar, and rooftop for socialising. Dorms have privacy curtains and personal sockets. Great for solo travellers who want to meet people, but it's adults-only and gets loud at night, so light sleepers may want to look elsewhere.
A small, clean-lined hostel on Soi Kraisi, about a 5-minute walk to Khao San Road. The draw is how quiet and tidy it is, plus a rooftop to relax on. Dorms come with privacy curtains, reading lights, and personal sockets, and breakfast is included. A good fit for backpackers who want a calmer vibe than the party hostels. No pool.
A large, long-running hotel of about 300 rooms, roughly a 5-minute walk from Khao San Road and under a kilometre from the Grand Palace and Wat Pho. It has a pool and on-site restaurants. Rooms are clean and good value for an Old City address, though the building and decor feel dated, so don't expect anything modern.
A small boutique hotel beside the Banglamphu canal, about a 15-minute walk to Khao San Road. The selling points are an outdoor pool and an easygoing canal-side restaurant. Rooms have a fridge, TV, and air-con. Reviews praise the friendly staff and a setting quieter than the middle of Khao San, making it a nice pick for couples or anyone wanting a calmer base.
A modern boutique hotel on Samsen Road in the Ban Phan Thom area, about a 15-minute walk to Khao San Road. It has two swimming pools, a spa, a gym, and on-site restaurants, and scores around 9.0 in reviews. The spacious, clean rooms and family-friendly facilities are the highlight. The kitchen is halal-certified, so it also suits Muslim travellers.
A small 29-suite boutique set in two restored old buildings on Phra Sumen Road, about a 10-minute walk to Khao San Road. Suites have high ceilings, wooden floors, and a mix of contemporary and classic Thai furnishings, plus there's an outdoor pool and a small garden. It suits couples who prefer the feel of a restored house over a big hotel.
A 68-room riverside boutique on Phra Athit Road, right by the Phra Athit pier and about a 15-minute walk to Khao San Road. The highlights are a riverside pool, a terrace for watching the Chao Phraya go by, and restaurants with a view. It scores around 9.5 in reviews and is the top-end choice in this area, ideal for couples or anyone who wants a river view in the Old City.
Highlights and spots visitors love in this area
King Rama I's royal palace housing the Emerald Buddha, the most sacred landmark to start any old-city visit
Home to Thailand's largest reclining Buddha and the original school of traditional Thai massage
The porcelain-tiled riverside prang; cross by ferry from Tha Tien for the city's finest sunset views
Asia's legendary backpacker street, packed with bars, eateries, and night food stalls after dark
A leafy curved lane beside Khao San with a mellower vibe, lined with cafes, live-music bars, and massage shops
A riverside lane with old cafes, a historic fort, and Santichaiprakan Park for sunset views over the Chao Phraya
An iconic roundabout on Ratchadamnoen Avenue, a walking hub linking Khao San to the nearby temples
A golden chedi atop a man-made hill; climb 318 steps for sweeping views over the old city
A grand old temple beside the towering red Giant Swing, one of the old city's most recognisable landmarks
Southeast Asia's largest museum, displaying Thai art and antiquities spanning every historical era
An interactive discovery museum that explores Thai identity in a playful way, fun for both kids and adults
The vast royal ceremonial field facing the palace, a classic photo spot framing the Grand Palace skyline
A public plaza by City Hall near the Giant Swing, often hosting festivals and evening markets
A historic fort beside the old city moat, next to the Khlong Ong Ang walking street with street art and evening stalls
The dishes and spots this area is known for
Maha Chai Road's legendary pad thai since 1966, egg-wrapped with Chanthaburi noodles, dinner only
A Michelin-starred street stall on Maha Chai Road famed for its crab omelette; expect a long queue
An old sticky-rice shop on Tanao Road since 1932, awarded a Michelin Bib Gourmand for its mango sticky rice
A calmer lane than Khao San, lined with moo ping, Hainanese chicken rice, and sit-down noodle shops
Banana roti with condensed milk, a classic Khao San night snack, also found around Rambuttri and Phra Athit
Tanao Road and Soi Kraisi are the spot for curry over rice, boat noodles, and old-school sweets, best by day
Night stalls along Ratchadamnoen near the Golden Mount, known for crab in curry powder, stir-fries, and hearty duck congee
The Giant Swing and Bamrung Mueang area is full of shops selling khanom bueang, foi thong, and classic Thai desserts
Half-day and full-day routes for this area are in the works — coming soon
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Backpacker · temples & palace
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Bangkok has many areas to stay — each a different vibe