The 10 Best Areas to STAY in BANGKOK - City Guide

if you're planning to come to Bangkok you're probably thinking about where to stay Bangkok is a huge city with a wide range of different neighborhoods and each neighborhood will provide a unique experience of this city choosing the right neighborhood will depend on your personal preferences your budget and what you want out of your stay in this city I'm Cal and I've been living in this city for 8 years in this video I'm going to provide you with a comprehensive review of 10 Bangkok neighborhoods in order to help you choose the best location for your stay whether you're planning a short visit or a permanent move this video is for you for each neighborhood we'll discuss the main attractions access to transportation shopping food nightlife and accommodation costs let's get started with a personal favorite of mine and one of the best areas to stay if you're a newcomer to the city Lower Sukhumvit centered around Asok at Sukhumvit 21 Lower Sukhumvit is the main downtown area in Bangkok I actually lived at the condo right behind me for 2 years and one of the main reasons that I stayed in this neighborhood was the excellent access to transportation with consistent traffic congestion in the city access to the public train system is very important in Bangkok here at Asok you have access to both the BTS skytrain and the MRT metro which together cover most of Bangkok the MRT runs south to the beautiful Lumpini Park Chinatown and the historic Old City with the Grand Palace and Wat Pho hop on a northbound train and you can easily checkout the popular Jodd Fair Night Market and Chatuchak Park and Weekend Market or you can take the BTS skytrain west into Siam for some shopping or head east and checkout the Bohemian cafes and popular skybars in Thonglor and when you leave Bangkok you can easily connect to the Airport Rail Link which will take you to the international airport at Suvarnabhumi but this area isn't only a transportation hub this is also a hub for shopping, dining and nightlife if you want to do some shopping you can checkout the Terminal 21 mall which is beautifully designed with each floor representing a different city and you have no shortage of food options with all the restaurants my personal favorite spot to stop for a quick bite is at the Terminal 21 food court where you'll find excellent and inexpensive Thai food the vendors don't actually pay rent so you'll find some of the cheapest prices in the city here but you don't need to confine yourself to the malls to enjoy Sukhumvit this is a great area to wander around and sample food at the many restaurants, shops and street vendors within a short walking distance to the west, you'll find the Nana area known as the Arab district this has been one of my go-to Sunday lunch spots for years or you could venture to one of the many beautiful parks in the neighborhood to the south you'll find Benjakiti Park and the beautifully designed adjacent Benjakiti Forest Park perfect for a workout or a sunset stroll or you can take a short walk over to the Phromphong area where you'll find Benjasiri Park with a fully kitted outdoor gym and here at Phromphong you'll discover the Emspace which is a collection of 3 malls Emporium Emquartier and the newest Emsphere if you couldn't find what you're looking for at Terminal 21 you'll find it here this is an enormous area with beautifully designed mixed indoor and outdoor spaces for a night out, Sukhumvit Soi 11 is one of the most popular nightlife areas in the city and you'll also find the red light districts at Nana Plaza and Soi Cowboy if you're in town on the third weekend of any month you can checkout one of Bangkok's famous pool parties at the Westin Hotel which is across from Terminal 21 and of course you'll need a place to sleep you can find 5 star hotels from around 3000 to 8000 Baht per night while 3 and 4 star hotels will cost between 1000 and 3000 Baht Lower Sukhumvit is a great neighborhood if you're a newcomer to the city but if you're looking for somewhere that's a little less mall dominated and a little bit more authentic you might be interested in our next neighborhood so let's jump on the BTS and go check it out welcome to Thonglor at Sukhumvit 55 where you'll find a much more authentic Thai experience as well as some of the most instagrammable cafes and restaurants in this city considered Middle Sukhumvit, this is one of the trendiest neighborhoods in Bangkok it's also home to a very large Japanese expat community and if you're a fan of Japanese food and culture this is definitely the neighborhood for you and for general shopping there are also several smaller malls and the large shopping center of Emspace is only one BTS stop away Thonglor is especially famous for its nightlife this area has plenty of nightlife for you to explore I'm at a cool little underpass area here at the north end of Thonglor and behind me you have one of the most popular live music venues this is Speaker Box you can check it out any night of the week you'll find a different genre of music on offer if you're looking for a hotel 5 star hotels can be as cheap as 1500 Baht for visitors to the city the main downside to staying in Thonglor is that you lose direct access to the MRT metro which provides the easiest access to many of the main tourist attractions I'm here at one of Bangkok's famous canals the khlongs these are great for a jog great for a walk and they're a great form of transportation we're going to jump on a canal ferry and head in to our next destination welcome to Siam this is central Bangkok and if you're looking to shop until you drop this is the neighborhood for you this is mall heaven this area is home to 2 of the 10 largest malls in the world you have Central World which is 4.62 million square feet and in case that wasn't enough mall for you you have Siam Paragon at 3.22 million square feet located right next door and immediately across from Siam Paragon you can check out Siam Center but if you're looking for inexpensive shopping you might want to take a little walk into the Pratunam area and checkout the large indoor street markets at Platinum Mall and MBK when it comes to shopping you can find nearly anything that you want in Siam just remember one thing if you're planning to shop during your stay in Bangkok there is a no-return policy in Thailand if you're looking to relax in the Siam area you can also hangout in one of the many public pavilions around the malls you'll find different events on offer almost every week when it comes to food Siam has beautiful outdoor market areas as well as plenty of great restaurants including more impressive food courts the Central World food court is excellent and one of my favorites in the city in terms of transportation Siam has easy access to the BTS skytrain and Siam is an interchange station so you'll be able to travel south into Sathorn and Thonburi from here and for nightlife you can checkout the Red Sky Bar at Centara or you can stop in at Groove which is a popular nightlife area inside Central World Mall if you want to stay in Siam you can find 5 star hotels that offer great value you'll also find a wide range of 3 and 4 star hotels with the stunning malls and pavilions Siam is definitely one of the most beautiful neighborhoods in this city but it's also very commercial so we're going to go explore an area that's a little bit more authentic a little bit less commercial let's hop on the BTS and go check it out we've arrived in Chongnonsi this is the heart of the Silom-Sathorn neighborhood this is the Central Business District here in Bangkok and one of the oldest neighborhoods in this city it might be perfect for you like Sukhumvit, Sathorn is a major transportation hub with direct access to the BTS and MRT you can access all the main tourist sites with the MRT while you have access to the shorter Silom BTS line which runs from the Siam area southwest across the Chaophraya River into Thonburi where you'll find the popular Icon Siam mall Silom has plenty of attractions you can go for a walk in beautiful Lumpini Park checkout the observation deck at Bangkok's tallest building - the King Power Mahanakhon or explore the stunning views at one of the many rooftop bars and you can explore the various religious sites in this historic neighborhood and of course you'll find plenty of food along the way this area is home to international dining experiences or for a more authentic experience you can go food exploring along Charoen Krung Road this was Bangkok's first asphalt paved road and it's home to many long-standing traditional Thai restaurants and for shopping you have the Silom Complex and Robinson's Department Store (mall area) one of my personal favorite spots is Jack's Bar which is located at the end of a pier with beautiful views of the Chaophraya River but when it comes to nightlife Silom is famous as Bangkok's LGBTQ+ district which is based around Silom Soi 2 and 4 and for accommodation you can stay at a 5 star hotel for as little as 4000 Baht or 4 star hotels for between 1000 and 1500 Baht the Silom and Sathorn neighborhood definitely has a lot to offer and this is another good choice if you're a newcomer to this city but if you're looking for something a little bit quieter a little bit more relaxed you might want to checkout our next location we're going to hop back on the BTS we've arrived at Saphan Taksin BTS and this is also Sathorn Pier you can jump on a ferry here but we're going to go explore our next area this is the luxurious Riverside neighborhood and we're going to climb some steps let's go we made it up the steps Thonburi over there to the west to the east we have Sathorn behind me is the Chaophraya River the luxurious Riverside is the perfect place for a romantic and relaxing holiday in Bangkok hotels along the river offer scenic views of the Chaophraya and easy access to all the main tourist attractions by river ferry including Asiatique, Icon Siam, Chinatown, the Grand Palace, Wat Arun and Khaosan Road if you feel like exploring more of the city, you can access the BTS at the nearby Saphan Taksin or Krungthonburi BTS stations the area is also connected to the Silom - Sathorn neighborhood which we just covered so you have lots of options for an easy day or night out and avoids all the hustle and bustle that is typical of Bangkok's busy traffic 5 star hotels can cost 4000 Baht per night you can find 4 star hotels for as little as 1000 Baht if you liked all the relaxing vibes of the Riverside neighborhood but maybe you don't want to spend as much money and maybe you want a more authentic experience you can choose to stay here in Thonburi I actually lived in this neighborhood for 3 years when I first moved to Bangkok back in 2015 Thonburi actually predates Bangkok as the area served as the capital of Siam between 1767 and 1782 when Bangkok was founded the area is lined with food vendors and small restaurants serving up every Thai dish that you can think of I always loved sitting by the street eating at a small local claypot restaurant near my condo and unlike much of Bangkok this area isn't particularly busy you can comfortably walk around on the sidewalks and the lack of tourist in this neighborhood adds authenticity to the interactions it's very representative of the genuinely friendly and welcoming attitude of Thai people and if you're looking for a little bit of nightlife there are plenty of Thai style bars and music venues and the massive Icon Siam shopping area is within a short walking distance for accommodations you'll find plenty of inexpensive options for transportation the Thonburi neighborhood is connected to the Silom line of the BTS which runs north to Siam and the Gold Line will take you to Icon Siam where you'll also find the river ferry the Thonburi and Riverside neighborhoods are a great place to stay if you're looking for a quiet and relaxed holiday but if you're looking to explore the food culture and the street culture here in Bangkok you might want to stay in our next location and we're going to hop on a river ferry to go check it out we arrived at Ratchawong Pier this is the historic Chinatown neighborhood one of Bangkok's oldest neighborhoods and if you're a foodie and you love street art and street culture this might be the perfect neighborhood for you Chinatown centers around Yaowarat Road which dates back to the founding of the city as one of Bangkok's oldest thoroughfares lined with neon lights and bustling day or night this cultural hub is home to temples, restaurants, markets and a variety of art spaces and galleries you can checkout the many beautiful temples in the area including Wat Mongkhon Wat Traimat and the Kuan Yim Shrine the graffiti laden alleys of Talad Noi will lead you over to the Warehouse 30 Art Gallery where you can enjoy a more modern selection of artistic styles and if you feel like exploring other areas of the city you can hop on the MRT or you can grab a river ferry and explore the many attractions along the Chaophraya and for food you'll find no shortage of options in Chinatown day or night this entire area is one large food labyrinth at night Yaowarat Road comes to life as one of the most famous street food areas in the world and Chinatown's own nearby Nana area comes to life with a variety of trendy and artistic bars when it comes to accommodation you can find 5 star hotels for as little as 3000 Baht per night Chinatown is one of the perfect locations to stay if you love food and street culture but if you want to meet travelers explore the city explore the main tourist attractions here in Bangkok you might want to stay at our next location so let's go check it out if you're looking to meet fellow travelers explore the main tourist attractions and enjoy a couple of epic nights of partying you may prefer to stay at Khaosan Road Khaosan Road is the backpacker Mecca of Southeast Asia a sleepy walking street by day that transforms into a world famous party at night made famous by the movie The Beach with Leonardo DiCaprio Khaosan holds a special place in the history of the backpacker trail in Southeast Asia I stayed at Khaosan Road when I first arrived in Bangkok traveling solo back in 2015 this is one large open walking street lined with bars and restaurants teeming with fellow travelers and one of the unique characteristics of Khaosan is simply how easy it is to meet new people which can be ideal for backpackers and solo travelers and like Thonburi, Khaosan is also ideal for travelers on a tight budget and Khaosan is ideally located to walk around and explore the main tourist attractions in the city located in the Bang Lamphu District Khaosan is about 1KM north of the Grand Palace and the Old City and you have plenty of tourist sites to checkout in the immediate vicinity this includes sites like Phra Sumen Fort, the Giant Swing, the National Museum and Democracy Monument I'm walking around here and we're at the famous Giant Swing here in the Old City we've got temples behind we've got a nice Fair over here it's a nice walk and if you want to explore a little bit further afield you can take a river ferry at Phra Arthit to access other main attractions however it's a little bit more difficult if you want to explore central Bangkok the nearest metro station is MRT Sanam Chai which is 2.5 kilometers away so you'll definitely be a little bit more dependent on taxis or ride hailing apps if you want to travel into central Bangkok for food you'll find plenty of small restaurants and vendors in the area serving up relatively inexpensive Thai food Khaosan isn't exactly the culinary center of Bangkok but you'll be able to sample plenty of different Thai dishes to fuel your adventures one thing that you should keep in mind about Khaosan is that it really isn't very authentic this is one big tourist site that being said for young travelers planning on a short stay in Bangkok this can be an ideal location it's simple it's easy and it's inexpensive this is the recipe that made Khaosan Road such a famous destination because it works but if you're planning on staying for more than a couple of days I'd recommend moving locations on day 3 or 4 in order to explore more of the city I have one more place to show you before we call it quits for today this is Rama 9 it's 2 MRT stops away from Asok and Sukhumvit the prices are significantly lower the environment is very friendly and you have many night markets in this neighborhood so I thought I'd show you around and give you a more residential option if you're looking to save some money and have an authentic experience here in Bangkok most expats start out by living in areas like Asok and they eventually migrate out to more authentic residential neighborhoods you'll find plenty of hotels for under 1000 Baht per night and you'll also find plenty of authentic local food if you're looking for some entertainment you can checkout the popular Jodds Fair Night Market or RCA Alley which is home to the largest nightclubs in Bangkok and of course all the action at Sukhumvit is a stone's throw away one of the main advantages to staying in a more local residential area is that you won't encounter all the hustles that exist in main tourist areas it's a much more relaxed, genuine and friendly environment so let me know what you think did I help you to find a location? do you have any other interesting areas that you'd recommend? and have you stayed in different areas? let me know in the comment section have a great day! I'll see you next time!

Channel: Cal

Views: 44,251

Keywords: thailand, bangkok, thailand travel, thailand guide, bangkok guide, travel guide, how to thailand, visit thailand, tips thailand, information thailand, tour thailand, where to stay Bangkok, Bangkok neighborhoods, Bangkok stay, Bangkok hotels, stay in Bangkok, visit Bangkok, holiday Bangkok, cheapest area Bangkok, best area Bangkok, nicest area Bangkok, most quiet area Bangkok, best nightlife Bangkok, neighborhood guide Bangkok, area guide Bangkok, area review Bangkok

Id: xg9AKhVb0KM

Length: 22min 7sec (1327 seconds)

Published: Fri Mar 15 2024