- Tailors (for custom made suits, dresses, etc.)
- Restaurants
- Clubs
- Bars
- Hotels
- Hostels
- Clothing stores
- Lady boys
- Call girls and other words that fall in the same category
- Tuk-tuks
- Taxi’s
- Massage parlors
- Handmade crafts
- Tour guides
A weekend in Bangkok
If you plan on visiting Bangkok, do not go on a weekend of an election. 95% of clubs, bars, etc. are closed for fear of violence depending on which party wins the election. No one is allowed to sell alcohol that weekend.
With that being said, my friend and I decided to visit Bangkok on the weekend of an election in 2011. We did not know that on that Saturday most places would be closed.
Before I go on any trips I do my research on the area. This means, I check out the crime rate, crime against tourists, local laws, popular backpacking locations, hostel locations, and tourists reviews. I print out a map of the area and I never wear my best clothing. Although you are on vacation, you have to be aware of where you are and not make yourself a target for thieves. Once, you arrive at your destination, take your time to recognize landmarks and nearby streets.
Depending on your country of citizenship, you can get a visa on arrival in Thailand. Which means, once you land, you stand on the immigration line till it’s your turn, and the agent views your passport and stamps it. You are now officially a tourist.
Thailand is known for its shopping, full moon parties, food, the lady boys (cross dressers), beautiful beaches, tuk-tuks, temples, massages, beautiful women, and a few other things.
Depending on the time of year and when you purchase your tickets, you can find round-trip tickets from Singapore to Bangkok for $230USD -$330.
When you arrive at the airport grab a free tourist map and a map of the train.
Friday
Our flight arrived 8pm from Singapore. From the airport you can take the train to the heart of Bangkok. However, there are no trains near Khao Son Road. This means you get to practice your negotiating skills with the cab drivers. Once the cab drivers realize that you are a tourists, they will turn off the meter and you will have to negotiate a good deal with them. Make sure you have a printout of the currency rate between the Thai Baht and the U.S dollar to make sure you are not overpaying. You should not pay more than $10USD to get from the nearest train station to Khao San Road.
Once we checked into our hotel around 10pm. The streets were already filled with tourists from all over the world. The music was bumping from every club, people were shouting, restaurants were packed, people were having a great time.
Around 3am-4am, the scene starts to die down as all the places start closing down and people start making their way to their hotel/hostels for the night.
Saturday
We decided to walk around the near by streets to get an idea of what’s around Khao son Road. What we saw were lots of shopping centers, street vendors, taxi, markets, and small shops. When traveling, it is a great idea to get to know your area.
Khao Son Road
If you are a backpacker or traveling alone, you will want to stay on Khao Son Road. It’s a street packed with tourists, locals, and backpackers. Hostels on Khao Son Road are between $17-$45 a night depending on the hostel and what type of room you get. Plus you get to split between you and your roommate/s.
On Khao Son Road, you can find local vendors selling shirts, paintings, electronics, and tailored suites. Since, this is a small concentrated area, you will not receive the best value for your money.
What you will find on Khaosan Road