Choosing an area where to stay in Bangkok is not an easy task, this megalopolis has a huge size and it does not have a clear city center, there are several districts recommended depending on the profile of the tourist that offer different things, choosing a good area to stay is very important to make your visit as pleasant as possible.
Among the most popular areas are the old part of the city where you can find some of the most emblematic tourist attractions such as the Grand Palace, Khao San Road, and the more modern and lively areas such as Sukhumvit or Silom.
Bangkok has one of the largest hotel facilities on the planet and offers such a variety of accommodation in both quality and price that very few cities in the world are able to match it.
There are countless hotels to suit every taste and budget.There are beds in hostels and shared dormitories starting from three euros to the most luxurious and sumptuous options on the market.
On the other hand, the quality and price ratio of the hotels is great. In few countries can you stay in such good hotels at such a low price.
You can find quite acceptable single rooms from 500 baht, and it is easy to get offers from 4 star hotels (sometimes even 5) for just over 2.
From 4000 baht a night you can surely stay in a super luxury hotel which you can enjoy in very few places at these costs.
- What is the best area to stay in Bangkok? Riverside and Sukhumvit
- The area with the most nightlife: Sukhumvit
- The best area to sleep in Bangkok with your family: Siam
- Where to go shopping?Siam
- The backpacking area of Bangkok: Khaosan Road
- An area that has everything but more tranquility than Sukhumvit: Silom
The best areas to stay in Bangkok
1.Bangkok Riverside (Rio Chao Phraya), the best area to stay in Bangkok
The Riverside is one of the most charming areas for to stay in Bangkok .The Chao Phraya River runs through the city and along its two banks are some of the city’s tourist attractions such as the Royal Palace, the Wat Pho, the flower market, or the Wat Arun.
In the area there are some very recommendable leisure and commercial offers, come some evening to Asiatique , a shopping area with restaurants and some cafes by the river.
There are also some very cheap passenger boats that will take you to the Grand Palace area or popular neighborhoods such as Khao San Road or Chinatown.
As many of the hotels along the river are luxury hotels, they have their own boats that take you to various places including the pier that connects to the Skytrain.
Some of the best hotels in Bangkok are located in this area There are also some small hostels and guesthouses for modest budgets and there is also a growing offer for medium budgets.Rattanakosin, the old city of Bangkok
The old city of Bangkok is located on one of the banks of the Chao Phraya River.This is the most touristic area of Bangkok, where you can find the most visited tourist attractions of the city as the Grand Palace, the Wat Phara Kaew, the What Pho, or the Golden Mountain among many others.
It is an ideal area for those who prioritize being close to the most representative monuments of Bangkok.After visiting the monuments there is little to do and if you want to go out for a drink in the best places you will have to move to other areas of the city.
It is also an area with poor communications because does not reach the skytrain To move you should use the taxis, which inflate prices in this area during the day, or the boat, which is slow.
– Hotels in the old city of Bangkok
3.Banglamphu and Khao San Road, the backpacking area of Bangkok
Banglamphu, and especially Khaosan Road, is the preferred area among backpackers and low budget travelers for to stay in Bangkok .Nowhere else in the Thai capital is there such a wide range of affordable accommodation as in this district, the old city and its monuments are just a short walk away,
Khao San Road is one of the liveliest areas and has become a must see.The biggest drawback is that it is quite poorly connected with the rest of the city. There is no metro or Skytrain so the tuk tuk or taxi are essential to move around Bangkok.
If you are staying in Khao San Road keep in mind that this street is really noisy because it is full of restaurants, shops, bars and discos.
If you intend to sleep at night without noise you better find your accommodation in one of the streets of around which are much quieter.Th Phra Thit (in the river area), Soi Ram Buttri, and the perpendicular streets leading to Th Samsen are good options.
– Hotels in Khaosan
In addition to this article on where to stay in Bangkok you should take a look at the following: Where to stay in Chiang Mai, where to stay in Phuket, where to stay in Samui
4.Sukhumvit, ideal to sleep in Bangkok if you are looking for nightlife
Skukhumvit is the most cosmopolitan area of Bangkok and surely where there is more offer of accommodation in the whole city.It is a long avenue crossed by the Skytrain.
It is a very modern district and very commercial with shops, restaurants, luxury malls, tailors, travel agencies, etc.3
In addition, much of the city’s nightlife is concentrated in this district, as well as two of the best known red light districts of Bangkok, Nana Plaza and Soi Cowboi.
It is one of the best communicated areas of the city as the Skytrain passes through it.Sukhumvit is ideal to stay in Bangkok for those who want to have all kinds of restaurants, go shopping, enjoy the nightlife of the city of Bangkok, and be well connected for tourism.
– Hotels in Sukhumvit
5.Siam, the most commercial and best communicated area
Siam is the most commercial area of the Thai capital and where you can find the best known shopping centers in Bangkok like the MBK Center, the Siam Paragon, or the Central World.
It is also the best communicated area of the city, as it connects the two lines of the Skytrain, with which in a few minutes you plant in Sukhumvit or Silom.with taxi you have easy access to the most tourist points.
In Siam is the Jim Thompson’s House , a tourist attraction that should not be missed.Also worth a visit is the Sea Life Bangkok Ocean World , one of the most spectacular aquariums in Asia.
The shopping malls, which in addition to places to go shopping, are leisure centers with cinemas, playgrounds, and restaurant areas, and its excellent public transport links make Siam an excellent area for family accommodation .
In the surroundings there is a good offer of both super luxury hotels and modest options, you will have no problem finding guesthouses and hostels at a good price, but keep in mind that is one of the most expensive areas where to sleep in Bangkok
– Hotels in Siam
6.Silom, a very central business area
Silom is the financial and business district for excellence of Bangkok, it is very well connected with the rest of the city by the Skytrain and the subway, it is a very modern area with skyscrapers, very clean and quieter than other bustling areas of the city.
It is a very good area to sleep in Bangkok because, as in Sukhumvit, there are many restaurants, bars and shopping centers, and has an interesting nightlife but quieter than Khao San Road or Sukhumvit.
It is noteworthy that Silom is the Lumphini Park , the green lung of Bangkok.This park comes to life in the early hours of the day and at sunset when the heat is not so stifling.
In this district you can also find the Patpong, the most famous red light district of the city of Bangkok, which has a very similar profile to Sukhumvit but, except for the Patpong area, is somewhat quieter.
– Hotels at Silom
7.Chinatown, to stay in Bangkok near the railway station
Of all the areas mentioned this is surely the least charming for to stay in Bangkok It is a must see but not one of the best places to stay.
The only advantage may be that it is not as badly connected as Khao San Road, for example, as it has a subway.
When you visit this area, besides walking around the markets and enjoying the excellent restaurants (if you can visit this area around lunchtime), be sure to visit the Wat Traimit .
Choosing where to stay in Bangkok can make or break your vacation.it is worth spending a couple of minutes looking at the pros and cons of each district.you can see what is good and what is not so good before you choose where to stay in Bangkok.
Once you know what neighborhood you prefer, it is very easy to choose a hotel.most people find it confusing to plan a first trip to Bangkok.There are so many strange words to learn and conflicting advice. Does it sound familiar… If this is your first time visiting or you are just curious about where to stay, here is a brief overview of the most famous and popular districts of Thailand’s enigmatic capital.
Hotels in Bangkok – Tips and recommendations
- Booking.com – The best web for booking hotels in Bangkok
- Best boutique hotel in Bangkok – Hansar Bangkok Hotel ⭐⭐⭐
- Best cheap hotel in Bangkok – Buddy Lodge hotel Bangkok ⭐⭐
- Best luxury hotel in Bangkok – Mandarin Oriental Bangkok ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
Best areas to stay in Bangkok for tourists
Siam Square / Sukhumvit
The area of Siam Square / Sukhumvit is ideal for shopping, markets and easy access to the Skytrain.This is a large area that stretches for several miles and most of the best and largest shopping centers in Bangkok are in Siam Square. As you move east in the Sukhumvit area, the activity moves into the streets and alleys, although there are still some large shopping centers in the area. You will find many good places to eat in Sukhumvit.
Riverside
The Riverside area is where you will find many of the best hotels in Bangkok, it is a good distance from here to the shops in Siam Square, but if you stay near Skytrain it is very manageable.Trips along the river are a great excursion and longer trips on private boats can easily be arranged along the river bank.
Khao San
The Khao San area is historically home to the backpacker, but there are many in and around the neighborhood and it has some good mid-range hotels.The big drawback is that there is no Skytrain nearby, so any trip will have to be made by taxi, tuk-tuk or bus, which can be slow in Bangkok’s chaotic traffic.
8 Best places to stay in Bangkok
An overview of the most popular and interesting traveler’s neighborhoods in Bangkok.
1.Siam Square
Siam Square is a shopping mecca, full of luxury shopping centers and department stores, designer labels and trendy boutiques.The small buildings of Siam Square are full of record shops, bookstores, cafes and bars.Siam Square has the best shops in Bangkok and is full of amenities such as cinemas, massage parlors and lounges.Siam Square is busy and safe at all times.Neighborhood Attractions: MBK Shopping Center, Siam Center, Siam Discovery, Siam Paragon, Cenrtral World, APEX, Siam Vintage, Tokyu, ZEN.
2.Sukhumvit
If you want luxury hotels, first class restaurants and a lively nightlife, Sukhumvit is the place to go. This is where many expatriates live and where tourists can find the best facilities in Bangkok.The Skytrain runs the length of Sukhumvit, making it easy to explore, and Sukhumvit is famous for two red-light districts, Nana Plaza at Soi 4 and Soi Cowboy, right next to Soi 23.Neighborhood Attractions: Benjasiri Park, Khlong Saen Saeb, Soi Arab, WTF Gallery and Café, Charlie’s Bargains.
3. Silom
Silom is Bangkok’s Wall Street (during the day).The skyline is full of skyscrapers named after local and international financial institutions, law firms and corporations.the small space between Silom Road and Surawong Road comes alive with people, street life, street stalls and food vendors.tourists and locals come here to see the famous red light district of Patpong.it is full of go-go bars and brothels.Luxury hotels are located along the nearby Sathorn Street. Neighborhood attractions: Bangkok Museum, India Hut, Daimasu Izakaya, Patpong Night Market, Sky Bar.
4.Khao San
Khao San Road is a 1 km stretch of shops, bars, restaurants and street vendors and is home to the backpacker scene, although every year it adds more boutiques and mid-range hotels.(Banglamphu is the name of the surrounding neighborhood.) People love it or hate it, but it is worth a visit. It is centrally located and close to many of Bangkok’s main attractions (such as the Grand Palace).If you arrive late at night and don’t have a hotel reservation, it should be your best option as the neighborhood stays late and is easy to walk around.the nearby areas are unconventional art areas that surprisingly retain a genuine Thai atmosphere.the Skytrain and Metro do not connect to the Khao San area, so you will be dependent on buses, taxis and tuk tuks to get in and out of the area.However, services such as ATMs, currency exchange offices and internet shops abound. Cheap accommodation and food is a great advantage of staying here. Neighborhood attractions: Soi Rambuttri, Bagdad Café, Gecko Bar, Mr. Yim, Wat Pho, Wat Arun, Poutine sans Frontieres, Santichai Public Park.
5.Chinatown
Chinese merchants moved to the east bank of the Chao Phraya River in the early 1780s, making Chinatown the oldest neighborhood in Bangkok.The streets of Chinatown are lively and bustling with people, market stalls and a concentration of gold shops, the only drawback is that there is not much nightlife or services for the typical tourist.
6.Bangkok Old Town
Bangkok Old Town (also Rattanakosin) is a historical area, bordered by the Chao Phraya and the canals that served as the moats for the old city.The Old City area is relatively small and ideal for walking and exploring the area, so remember to always dress appropriately for the temples: cover your shoulders and not flip-flops. Neighborhood attractions: Grand Palace, Wat Phra Kaew, Wat Mahathat, National Gallery, Rattanakosin Exhibition Hall.
7Dusit
Dusit is most famous for the Dusit Zoo and for being the political center of Thailand. The neighborhood is home to the National Parliament, the Royal Palace and wide boulevards in the shade of large trees.You may want to visit the traditional Thai dance performances at the Dusit Palace. 10 years ago, nightlife, shopping and accommodation did not exist in Dusit, but things are changing and the area looks like it could be the next trendy neighborhood in Bangkok. Neighborhood attractions: National Library, Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall, Vimanmek Mansion, Ancient Clock Museum, Dusit Zoo
8.Thonburi
The Thonburi area comprises the entire west bank of the Chao Phraya River, opposite the city center.if you are sensitive to breathing polluted air, then staying in Thonburi can make a big difference in your allergies.on this side of the river there is a slower and more relaxed Bangkok that allows visitors to get a glimpse of traditional Thai culture.The canals make their way through the relatively isolated neighborhoods, vendors sell noodles from old Thai longtail boats, and locals prefer to ride their bicycles through the sois, and the most popular tourist activity is to hire a longtail boat and explore the waterways and floating markets.