Khao San Road, a small street about three blocks long located about a block from the Chao Phraya River in the Banglamphu district northwest of downtown Bangkok.
Backpackers and budget tourists are drawn by some of the cheapest accommodation in Thailand - most guesthouses charge around 150 baht a night and a bowl of noodles is 20 baht or less - and great bargains on tour and transport.
Word soon spread about the easy lifestyle and friendliness of the locals. Friends told friends, and before long the owner of the house started to charge 20 baht for food and lodging. The first commercial guesthouse, called Bonny, opened with six small bedrooms.
On a more practical level there are also pharmacies, internet cafes, money changing booths, ATMs, shoe stores, laundry, and optometrists.
Be warned that if you are not a real easy-going backpackers and under 30, please try another area to stay and just visit the road for your interest. But if you are, come ahead.
What to do
Making friends: As Khao San Road is well known as the centre of backpackers, not a business zone or sight-seeing area, most of activities on the road are their life style – chatting & sibling beer at street restaurants all day and night, painting nails, making their hair in dead rock style, tattooing, checking e-mail in internet caf?s and making friends from all over the world. An impressive about this road is that everyone can be friends. I believe that comes from backpacker’s nature. They are friendly, easy-going and love to know new things and new friends. You will hear laughter and will be sent a smile all the way you walk along the road. Some Thai teenagers love to come here as well to join their foreigner friends.
Getting a trip beyond Bangkok: Another major activity here is to get the next destination. The backpackers here absolutely don’t come to Thailand for Khao San Road only (Differently to other travel destination). They just come here spending several nights then thinking of the next travel plan. Fortunately there are a lot of tour desks where you can ask for a variety of tour package, transfer, ticket around and out of Bangkok. Surely the price and the quality are for backpackers. Don’t forget to make sure that the agency you choose is reliable and give you the good price.
Hanging Out: Khao San Road has some of the cheapest bars in town, and these days even some Thais head down to knock back a few. A can of Beer Chang is 25 baht at 7-11. Worth a look are a few street side VW vans converted to mobile bars, serving cocktails made from cheap liquor.
What to see
There aren't any historical sites to speak of on the road itself — head south to Rattanakosin, Bangkok’s Old City, for that — but the Banglamphu area is just an interesting place to walk around for a glimpse of Thai life.
The Banglamphu park, just beyond Khao San Road, has a great view of the Chao Phraya river and the ultra-modern Rama VIII suspension bridge.
Sites walking distance from Khao San Road include: The Grand Palace (Wat Phra Kaew), Wat Po, Sanam Luang Park, Chao Phraya river, Democracy Monument and The Golden Mount.
Where to dine
Khao San Road offers one of the most diverse food selections anywhere in Bangkok. Since the street sees such a varied nationality of travelers, several ethnic foods can be found here. Street carts that line Khao San Road sell decent phat thai (fried noodles), quail eggs, roti (like a pancake), falafel, hummus, various bugs and some sell just cocktails.
However, it's worth noting that much of it is specifically geared for backpackers — even the local phat thai, especially the 10 baht variety, economizes on the ingredients and uses soy instead of the traditional tamarind sauce. Those looking for truly good food would be advised to head elsewhere, such as to Sukhumvit
Siam Oriental Restaurant, lively atmosphere, serve international and Thai foods. "Chicken satay" is recommended to try.
Tom Yum Gung, the restaurant, is highly rated and great place to try some tom yum gung (spicy shrimp soup).
Gulliver’s, on the west end of the road, is a decent sports bar with mid range pricing a good offering of Western food.
Sidewalk Cafe, a great outdoor people watching spot with a large menu.
May Kaidee's is a funky vegetarian restaurant, serving many foreigners and hippie-types, on the road behind Aporia Books on Tanao Road (There are two 'T' junction roads at either end of Khao San Road; Tanao Road is the one at the other end to the road where the stop for the airport bus is located). May also runs a cooking class for 1000 baht/day; those interested need to give at least a day or so advance notice.
No.One is another vegetarian restaurant located behind Aporia Books on Tanao Road.
Wild Orchid is a clean option that offers great green and red curries and delicious tom yum soups at low prices.
Oh My Cod!, A British Cafe cum Fish and Chips Shop just around the corner on Soi Rambuttri (In Rambuttri Village - A great location and the best breakfasts in the area.Excellent Thai Food too!
Prakorb's House, 52 Khao San Road (right side when walking from airport bus stop) - excellent food in this very friendly, family run hotel and restaurant - especially recommended are the vegetarian noodles.
Mr Yim's 2 Soi Chanasongkram. A small restaurant up a flight of stairs overlooking the wat. A wide selection of good quality food at good prices, including veggie options. The big baguettes are excellent value. 30B-70B.
And many more those have sprung out like mushroom along the road…
Khao San Road is fairly easy to get to from anywhere in Bangkok. Taxis, buses (route: 2, 3, 9, 30, 32, 47, 64, 39, 44, 53, 59, 203, 503, 509, 511, A/C bus 79, 183, 503, 511), and river ferry are your main options. While the metro and the skytrain are convenient ways of getting to many places in Bangkok, there is unfortunately no train (yet) that will take you near Khao San Road (or anywhere else on Rattanakosin Island, for that matter).
Backpackers and budget tourists are drawn by some of the cheapest accommodation in Thailand - most guesthouses charge around 150 baht a night and a bowl of noodles is 20 baht or less - and great bargains on tour and transport.
There aren't any historical sites to speak of on the road itself — head south to Rattanakosin, Bangkok’s Old City, for that — but the Banglamphu area is just an interesting place to walk around for a glimpse of Thai life. 
