Soi Rambuttri

Soi Rambuttri is Khao San Road's quieter, cooler older sibling. Running parallel to the famous backpacker strip and connected by a narrow alley, it has all the energy of Khao San with about a third of the noise. The street is lined with guesthouses, restaurants, massage shops, and bars — but the vibe here leans more towards people actually enjoying Bangkok rather than performing their gap year for social media.

The food is better than Khao San. A stretch of street food carts sets up every evening near the temple end of the soi, serving proper Thai dishes at local prices — boat noodles in tiny bowls that cost almost nothing, satay grilled over charcoal, mango sticky rice made by a woman who's been at the same spot for years. The tree-lined street has a canopy feel that Khao San lacks, and the tables spill out from restaurants on both sides creating an almost Mediterranean atmosphere.

The soi runs alongside the wall of Wat Chana Songkhram, one of the oldest temples in Bangkok, which adds a layer of incense and temple bells to the evening atmosphere. Most people staying on Khao San never walk the 30 seconds to get here, which is exactly what the Soi Rambuttri regulars prefer.