Khao San Road

Khao San Road is in Banglamphu, near the Grand Palace, in the old town area of Bangkok. It is the famous backpacker strip, lined with guesthouses, buckets, street bars, fake IDs and tattoo parlors. Empire, Sabai Bar, Sanook, Lucky Beer, Shamrock and Charlie Khaosan are all close by.

No, not really. It is a backpacker bar street, loud, and not a punter scene. It is a party for young travelers, not a red-light district. If you want company, Sukhumvit and Silom are better, and Khao San works best as a daytime sightseeing stop near the Grand Palace.

It is the backpacker party street, with guesthouses, buckets, street bars, fake IDs and tattoo parlors. The scene is young travelers rather than nightlife punters, loud and busy late. It sits near the Grand Palace, so many visitors see it as part of a sightseeing day.

Khao San is a backpacker street party with open-air bars and young travelers. Sukhumvit has the gogo bars, beer bars, freelancer spots and nightclubs. They serve different crowds: Khao San for a loud, social night out, Sukhumvit for a punter's night. Do not expect a bar-girl scene on Khao San.

Generally yes, but it is crowded and loud, so look after your phone, wallet and drink. Skip the fake ID sellers, who can land you in trouble, and do not accept offers from touts. Be careful with buckets whose strength you cannot see. Book a Grab home rather than walking off down dark side streets.

Empire, Sabai Bar, Sanook, Lucky Beer, Shamrock and Charlie Khaosan are all close. Several are open-fronted bars where you can sit and watch the street. Pubs and beer bars are easy to find along the road, so you can wander between them and pick one that suits your mood.

The road is a daytime sightseeing stop as well as an evening party strip, since it is close to the Grand Palace. Evenings are loudest and busiest, with the crowd building as the night goes on. Check on the day, because bar hours and events change.

Treat it as a loud, social night rather than a punter scene. Eat at a street stall, have a couple of drinks and see the street, then head to Sukhumvit or Silom if you want the nightlife. Keep your valuables in a front pocket and use Grab for the ride home.