Back in the day, due to Bangkok's poor transportation, it used to be that if you wanted to have easy access to all the tourist attractions in the city, you would need to stay at Khaosan Road or nearby areas where the Grand Palace and Wat Pho, two of the main tourist attractions in Bangkok, are within walking distance.
Nowadays, with the newly-built expansive sky train (BTS) and metro (MRT) systems that have increased their coverage exponentially in the past years, we are no longer bound by the Old City when it comes to finding the best areas to stay in Bangkok.
With this travel guide, we will take a look at all the notable neighborhoods and areas that are great for travelers to stay, discuss the pros and cons of each area, and find you the best areas to stay in Bangkok.
Without further ado, let's take a look at the best areas to stay map of Bangkok.
Best Areas To Stay in Bangkok Map
7 Best Areas to Stay in Bangkok
1. Banglamphu (Old City Area)
Known For: Mid-range and High-End Accommodation, affordable food markets, and cafes
Recommended For: First-timers, history buffs
One of the best places I often recommend people to stay in Bangkok, especially for first-timers, is Banglamphu or the Old City Area where all the most popular landmarks in Bangkok, such as the Grand Palace and Wat Pho, are located.
As a first-timer, it will take you some time to get used to your new environment and get the hang of Thai cultures. With such a tourist-friendly neighborhood, Banglamphu is the best place to begin your journey in Bangkok.
With so many tourist attractions around Banglamphu, you will have easy access to almost all the tourist attractions in Bangkok, and you can easily explore the area on foot, thus eliminating the chance of getting scammed by bad taxi drivers and tuk-tuks who are looking to prey on first-timers.
Banglamphu is also located right by the Chao Phraya River, with a ton of riverside restaurants and cafes for you to indulge yourself in. I recommend you check out The Deck for a nice sunset view behind Wat Arun.
You can also travel elsewhere in Bangkok with the MRT (Bangkok Metro System) from Sanam Chai MRT Station, which will open you up to more Bangkok districts when you are ready.
I highly recommend staying in Banglamphu if this is your first time visiting Bangkok. For those who are interested in learning about the history of Bangkok and Thailand, there is no better place to stay than in Banglamphu. Here are some of the best accommodations in Banglamphu:
Best Accommodations in Banglamphu (Bangkok's Old City)
2. Khaosan Road
Source: from Booking.com
Known For: Parties among backpackers.
Recommended For: First-timers and party-goers.
Located not too far from the Banglamphu District is the infamous backpacking strip, the Khaosan Road. One of the reasons why I decided to separate Khaosan Road from the Banglamphu Area is that they both serve very different crowds.
If Banglamphu is the quiet and laid-back neighbor, full of colorful architecture and rich history, Khaosan Road is basically the opposite, with two sides of the street filled to the brim with loud bars and pubs.
There is no shortage of parties happening at night every day on Khaosan Road, and if you are a first-timer who is looking for a place to wind down and have fun at parties with other western backpackers, then this is the best place to be.
Even if you are not into parties, it is still an interesting place to visit to see the other side of Bangkok that you don't often see during the day. There are some very interesting characters here, and in order to avoid staying near loud clubs and pubs on Khaosan Road, it is essential that you pick a place where you can actually sleep.
Below, you will find the best accommodations on Khaosan Road that will give you a nice, healthy sleep at night and a relaxing vibe during the day.
Best Accommodations in Khaosan Road
3. Thonglor
Source: from Booking.com
Known For: Luxury Restaurants and Nightlife
Recommended For: Expats, luxury travelers, and party-goers.
On the other end of the spectrum, there is Thonglor, a luxurious and expensive neighborhood in Bangkok that caters to expats and Thai elites with an abundance of high-end restaurants, cafes, and open-air shopping centers for you to choose from.
Thonglor gives off the vibe of being in a developed metropolitan city like Tokyo or Singapore, with luxurious condominiums, expensive restaurants, and high-end nightlife venues where you can indulge yourself.
The crowds in Thonglor are the opposite of those you find on Khaosan Road, with many more middle-class to elite Thais hanging out at restaurants and clubs in Thonglor.
If you are looking to indulge yourself in a bit of luxury and splurge a little here and there with accommodation, food, and nightlife, Thonglor is the best place to be. Be sure to check out Octave if you want a nice rooftop bar experience in Thonglor or SpeakerBox for fun live rock music.
You can easily access the area from Thong Lor BTS Station, and even though accommodations in Thonglor are newer and in much better condition than in Khaosan and Banglamphu, it doesn't necessarily mean that it will be more expensive here.
In Bangkok, if you know where to look, you will find plenty of great high-end accommodations that are also affordable. Here are some of the best accommodations in Thonglor that you should check out:
Best Accommodations in Thonglor
4. Siam
Source: from Booking.com
Known For: Shopping malls where all the cool kids of Bangkok hang out
Recommended For: Shoppers and families
Siam is where all the young, cool kids hang out in Bangkok. With the highest number of shopping malls concentrated in this one area, Siam is one of the most popular meeting spots for Thais of all ages.
The place is home to many shopping malls on both spectra with luxury malls like Siam Paragon and Central World where you can find all kinds of high-end brand-name shops and shopping malls that sell cheap souvenirs and products like MBK Center and Platinum Fashion Mall.
It is a great place to stay for those of you who love shopping or if you are visiting Bangkok with your families. There are plenty of family-friendly activities for you to choose from in Siam.
Siam is centrally located, and you can access the area via Siam BTS sky train station. Here are some of the best accommodations you can find in the Siam District, ranging from a cozy hostel at only 10 USD per night to a high-end suite with a great view of the city at around 80 USD per night.
Best Accommodations in Siam
5. Ari
Source: from Booking.com
Known For: Great markets and a laid-back vibe.
Recommended For: Off-the-beaten-path travelers.
If this is not your first time in Bangkok and you are looking to explore new areas, one of the upcoming and hippest places to stay is Ari, a business district known for its abundance of street food and night markets.
In Ari, you will have plenty of options when it comes to delicious local restaurants where the locals like to frequent, and you can enjoy a wide range of Thai street food here without paying the tourist price.
There are also several cozy cafes and bars where you will be able to enjoy a more laid-back nightlife with cool music among the locals like Sunray and Helter Skelter Rest & Bar, so be sure to check them out if you decide to stay in Ari.
Ari district is serviced by Ari BTS station, and you can easily access the area via sky trains from anywhere in Bangkok. Here are some of the best accommodations in Ari:
Best Accommodations in Ari
6. Asoke
Source: from Booking.com
Known For: Being centrally located near business districts, the perfect balance between affordability and luxury.
Recommended For: Frequent visitors.
For those of you who are looking for a place where you can easily reach all the districts and neighborhoods I recommended in this article without having to rely on taxis or tuk-tuks, Asoke, the central business hub of the city, is the best place to stay in Bangkok.
Located right in between all the districts I have recommended here, with access to both Bangkok's sky train (BTS) and metro system (MRT), you can go almost anywhere in the city from Asoke.
And since Asoke is located right at the business center of the city, you can bet that you will find plenty of options when it comes to food and nightlife that are both cheap and expensive all around Asoke for you to choose from.
Due to the area's diversity, most businesses here cater to as many demographics as possible. Since the majority of people here are business owners and office workers from all over the world, you will find plenty of options to choose from – ranging from cheap Thai food to expensive Mexican cuisine.
For cheap, high-quality Thai food to eat in Asoke, I highly recommend you visit the Food Court at Terminal 21 shopping center. The large food court is affordable, offers many options, and has plenty of seating. Plus, it's all air-conditioned, making it a great place to escape the heat of Bangkok.
You can reach the Asoke area via either Asoke BTS Station or Sukhumvit MRT Station. For the best accommodation in Asoke, check out the following options I recommend below:
Best Accommodations in Asoke
7. Silom
Known For: Excellent locations near major tourist attractions
Recommended For: Frequent visitors, party-goers
Not too far from Asoke, you will also find Silom to be another great spot to stay in Bangkok. Due to its close proximity to many tourist areas like the Old Town, as well as being a place where you can find all kinds of medium to high-end accommodation, Silom is another great option if you are looking to spice up your stay in Bangkok.
Situated along Charoen Krung Road, the first modern road ever built in Bangkok in the late 19th Century, you will find all kinds of old traditional shops and restaurants, mostly owned by Chinese immigrants, where you can indulge yourself.
Despite Silom being a popular tourist area, the food you find here is surprisingly cheap. I like strolling along Charoen Krung Road in the morning and visiting Jok Prince, an old roadside restaurant for Congee, and traditional Thai coffee before buying fresh food from all the morning markets there.
There are also a ton of awesome cafes and nightlife spots that you can visit while you reside here. Sarnies Bangkok is an awesome cafe built under this old traditional house that acts as an awesome place to chill once the sun has set. You can also take a quick taxi ride to Khaosan Road as well as other nightlife hotspots in Bangkok from Silom.
If this is not your first time in Bangkok and you are looking to change it up a bit on your next visit, Silom is a great place to be. For the best accommodation in Silom, check out the following options I recommend below:
Best Accommodations in Silom
Now that we have all the information we need, it's time to start planning your trip! Here are some resources to help you get going:
Are you planning to travel independently? Be sure to check out my guide on How To Plan A Backpacking Trip here.
Further Reading for Central Thailand
Looking for more information for your trip to Central Thailand? Here are a collection of articles about Central Thailand that you might find useful:
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- For all articles about Thailand, visit the Thailand Travel Guide page.
- Looking to travel to Southeast Asia? Check out all my articles about Southeast Asia here: Southeast Asia Travel Guide page.
- You can see all my Asia-related articles here: Asia Travel Guide page.
- For more of my travel guides like this, visit my Destinations page.
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