Bangkok: Khao San Road Do’s and Don’ts

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Possibly the most frequently visited street for backpackers in Thailand – if not in the whole Asia – is Khao San Road. As soon as the night in Bangkok starts falling, the bright neon boxes advertising all sorts of businesses light up, and Khao San comes alive. While the street is not much longer than 250 meters, the amount of street vendors, travelers, and backpackers alike make it seem endless. If you are looking into meeting the maximum amount people from all ends of the world in the shortest time possible, we don’t think there’s a better place to go than Khao San. We went for a walk from one end to another with some of Asia Exchange students studying in Bangkok, and wanted to share a couple do’s and don’ts.

Do: Catch a taxi! The metered taxis are quite cheap, and such a convenient way to get there.
Don’t: Leave too late. The traffic in Bangkok gets busy on most evenings, so if you are planning on meeting someone at a certain time, leave early.
Do: Bring a camera! Use open aperture, high ISO, and long shutter speeds or flash to get the best photos in the dark.
Don’t: Selfie-stick. Just don’t do it, mmmm-kay…
Do: Bring your friends! It’s always more fun when you are a big group.
Don’t: Not go if you don’t have any friends to go with. Khao San might be the easiest place to make new friends!
Do: Eat from the street kitchens! You can get an amazing plate of thai food for 50 bath only!
Don’t: Eat at McDonald’s. Come on, we know you like it but did you really come all this way for a BigMac?
Do: Get a massage. They are cheap and relaxing. You can watch people walk by and some places even provide free wi-fi!
Don’t: Fall asleep. You would be likely to wake up three hours later and have to pay for the extra time
Do: Try durian. You might just love it!
Don’t: Bring durian back to your hotel. It smells, and many international hotels will actually give you a hefty fine when they find out about your fragrant possession.
Do: Sit down for a second. You never know who you will meet over a cold drink.
Don’t: Keep your feet on the table; it is considered very impolite and disrespectful in Thailand.
Do: Count the signs! We dare you!
Don’t: Get frustrated if you lose your count – there are just too many of them, we think.
Do: Eat a scorpion! Or any other little bug they may have cooked for you. Even the UN is encouraging everyone to eat insects! Don’t: Blame us if you didn’t like it. We are only giving suggestions here!
Do: Have fun! Be responsible, and have the best time with your friends! Don’t: Be irresponsible. You are in a big city in a foreign country so show some respect and take care of yourself and your friends! People who act dumb are always the ones who get in trouble.

Big thanks to every student who joined us for the Khao San night walk! Have an amazing semester everyone!