Backpacker Ground Zero: Khaosan Road
Reading media coverage of Bangkok’s Khaosan Road in the last few years, you’d imagine it’s gone from slum-level backpacker cred circa Leo’s ‘Beach’ in 2000 to seriously upscale today.
Of course, Thanon Khaosan – and the Banglamphu neighbourhood of which it’s a part – have evolved as gradually as anywhere else. Certainly, di Caprio’s frolics brought it to a wider audience, but by 2000, the area scarcely resembled the independent traveller’s Mecca of the early 1980s.
Every time you go back, there’s something you haven’t seen before – this time, returning after nearly 10 years, one was the ubiquity of sliced mango with sticky rice (the banana pancake of a new generation?). There are also the old reliables; for a pittance you can still get dreadlocks done on the kerbside or buy a driving licence, student ID or university degree.
Khaosan has its detractors; in fact, even among the thousands who stay there, it’s difficult to find anyone who’ll admit to liking the place (‘freak show’ tends to be a description so common you wonder if it’s in the guidebooks). There’s no denying, though, that it serves a purpose, and a burgeoning market.
At any time of year, you can be assured of finding an acceptable room at a very decent price. For the first-time visitor to Asia, it is a gentle – while still intense – introduction. You’ve got all the sounds and smells, but, if you’re so inclined, there’s still a Starbucks, a McDonalds and even a Boots on Khaosan Road.
It’s also a handy one-stop shop for souvenirs of all kinds (Mr Men T-shirts seem to be a favourite at the moment, with ‘Mr Jihad’ and ‘Little Miss Addict’ doing particularly well), although bargaining is an absolute must.
For the less budget-minded, there are spas, as well as guest houses with their own small but useable swimming pools. Keep in mind, though, that the pools are open only from 10am to 6pm, the result of a few hairy incidents involving booze and swimming.
With Rongi getting her first taste of Thailand, we headed straight to Banglamphu, and used Thanon Rambuttri, a block or two from Khaosan, as our base for the first couple of weeks. Many of Bangkok’s most interesting sights are within walking distance, and with the Chao Phraya river five minutes’ stroll away, you can get across the city traffic free and cheaply all day.
The guest houses here will also store bags safely for you for a few cents per day, ideal if you want to take a short trip with minimal luggage. We took advantage of this for a trip southwest to Amphawa (more anon), where, in midweek, we were the only non-Thais in town, and five nights on Koh Chang (‘Elephant Island’).
There’s a plentiful supply of meals for well under a euro per person, with Mr Yim’s vegetarian rice dishes ensuring his streetside stall does a roaring trade. The massive – and massively popular – fruit salad with yoghurt and muesli from Gecko Bar’s pavement tables is also a good start to any day.
So, mentioning Khaosan (without adding “I didn’t ACTUALLY want to stay there; I had to, er, meet a friend”) isn’t going to win you many coolness points, but it’s not going away. If you find yourself in Banglamphu, don’t be embarrassed – embrace it, for all its horrible tacky ways.
And who knows, if you’re lucky, you might even stumble upon Eaux de Vie, the real, but little frequented by foreigners, coolest spot in the neighbourhood.
Created with flickrSLiDR.
Tags: bangkok, Khaosan, Thailand
Uncategorized | Con | 
May 5, 2009 2:51 pm
