Banglamphu, Bangkok

Banglamphu is the old-town district by the river, home to Khao San Road and the backpacker streets around it. It sits close to the big temples and the Grand Palace, which is why 58 of its 147 listings are attractions. For nightlife it is a cheap, loud party district, not a place built around gogo bars.

A backpacker party. Khao San Road and the lanes round it fill with buckets, street food, music and travelers from everywhere, and the crowd skews young and international. It is noisy and good-natured rather than seedy. Most single men treat it as a cheap and lively drink, then head to Sukhumvit or Silom for a proper punting night.

No. The district has no red-light hub listed, and Khao San Road is a party street rather than a punting district. The listings show one beer bar, three nightclubs and two rooftop bars, with the rest being ordinary bars, massage shops and sights. For gogo bars you want Sukhumvit, and for the soapy parlors, Ratchada.

Mostly bars and sights. Of 147 places, 69 are bars and 58 are attractions, with 13 massage shops, 3 nightclubs, 2 rooftop bars, 1 beer bar and 1 market. That makes Banglamphu the district to combine culture by day with a loose evening drink, rather than a night built around adult venues.

Banglamphu is cheaper, more backpacker-minded and far quieter on the adult side. Sukhumvit has the gogo bars, the freelancers and the bigger choice of places aimed at single men. Banglamphu wins on sights, people-watching and street food, and it is a short ride away, so many visitors do a daytime temple tour here and the night on Sukhumvit.

Around Khao San Road if you want cheap rooms, a social scene and the temples on your doorstep. It suits shorter stays and light sleepers least, because the street is noisy late. If gogo bars are your main plan, a hotel on lower Sukhumvit saves you a long ride home. Check each hotel's guest policy before you book.

There is no Skytrain or metro stop at the door, so the usual options are a taxi, a Grab or Bolt car, or a river boat to the nearest pier and a short walk. Traffic can be heavy, so allow extra time. A tuk-tuk is fun for a few streets, but agree the fare first and ignore anyone who says the temples are closed.

Touts and tourist traps. Strangers who say a temple is closed and offer a tuk-tuk tour are a well-known trick, and the bucket bars can be heavy on the pour. Watch your drink, keep valuables in a front pocket and agree any ride before you set off. Pickpockets work the crowds on busy nights.