Sukhumvit and Khao San are two popular areas to stay in Bangkok. They both have vibrant nightlife and lots of budget-accommodations for backpackers and solo travelers.
These two areas have different atmospheres. Khao San Road is located in the historic part of Bangkok, and Sukhumvit is located in the modern part of Bangkok.
In this article, I will outline the differences and similarities between Khao San and Sukhumvit. I will cover aspects such as location, accommodation options, shopping, nightlife, food, attractions, and public transportation.
I stayed in both the Sukhumvit and Khao San area, so I’ll do my best to recommend the best option for you. If you are searching for which area is better, Sukhumvit or Khao San, keep reading.
Is it better to stay in Sukhumvit or Khao San Road?
I enjoyed my stay in both the Sukhumvit and Khao San road area. Both areas have a vibrant atmosphere with a good nightlife scene. They both have their own pros and cons.
I used Sukhumvit as the base to explore the downtown area of Bangkok like Siam, Silom, Pratunam, or the Chatukchak Weekend Market. This part has a cosmopolitan atmosphere, a wide range of shopping malls, red light zones, and international food.
As the modern part of the city, Sukhumvit has lots of high rise buildings, well connected to the sky train system, and luxury shopping malls.
The area around Khao San Road is more convenient to explore Bangkok Old Town, Chinatown, and the Riverside. This part of Bangkok offers historical charms, with no high rise building or sky train connection. It is well-connected to the boat systems on the nearby canals and Chao Phraya River.
Khao san is the backpacker hub of the city, so it is more ideal for young travelers (20s–30s) and budget backpackers who enjoy the social scene and want to meet other travelers. This area has cheaper hotels and guest houses than in Sukhumvit.
Sukhumvit is a better choice if you enjoy modern comforts, with lots of shopping malls, restaurants, bars, and great connectivity via BTS and MRT. This area has more choices of 4–5 star hotels and serviced apartments. The area is home to many expats, especially Japanese, Westerners, and Koreans.
If you stay long in Bangkok, I recommend you split your stay in both Sukhumvit and Khao San. This gives you the opportunity to experience both the historical and contemporary sides of the city.
My Recommended hotels to stay in Sukhumvit:
- luxury: Grande Centre Point Hotel Terminal21
- mid-range: Mercure Bangkok Sukhumvit 24
- budget: ibis Styles Bangkok Sukhumvit 4
Top recommended stays in Khao San Road:
- mid-range: Buddy Lodge, Khaosan Road
- mid-range: Lamphuhouse Bangkok
Location and Size
Sukhumvit is the area around Sukhumvit Road. It is located in downtown Bangkok, right next to other modern areas like Siam/ Pratunam and Silom. It is closer to Suvarnabhumi Airport compared to Khao San Road.
Khao San Road is located in the old town part of Bangkok. It is around 400m long street, spanning from Chakrabongse Road to Thanon Tano Road.
The Sumkhumvit area is much bigger than the Khao San Road area. The most popular area of Sukhumvit Road is the area around the first 6km of the road. The lower part is more central than the upper part of the road.
For the best location, you can choose to stay in Lower Sukhumvit around Nana and Asok Station. For cheaper accommodations or long term expats, you can choose to stay in upper Sukhumvit around Thong Lo or Ekamai Station area.
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Public transportation
As the modern heart of Bangkok, Sukhumvit is very well-connected to the BTS sky train, MRT underground train, and the airport rail link train. You can easily use the public train to get around, explore the different parts of Bangkok including the old town and the airport.
Khao San is not very well-connected to the public train system. There is no BTS sky train in this area. The closest MRT underground train to Khao San Road is at Sam Yot Station. It is around 20 minutes walk or a few minute tuk tuk/ grab taxi ride.
Khao San Road is well-connected to the boat system. It is a 10 minutes walk to the Phra Arthit where you can take a boat along the Chao Phraya River. You can easily visit famous sights like Wat Pho, Grand Palace, Wat Arun, Chinatown, ICON Siam, or Asiatique Shopping Mall.
From Khao San, you can walk for 10-15 minutes to reach Phanfa Leelard Pier near the Golden Mount. This boat along Khlong San Saeb Canal will take you to major attractions and shopping malls in Siam, Pratunam, and Sukhumvit. This is a good way to avoid road traffic and experience local life.
Accommodations
Sukhumvit has a wider range of accommodations, especially 4-star large chain hotels. If you want something luxurious, Sukhumvit is the place to go.
Both areas have a good range of budget-friendly backpacker hostels. The accommodations around Khao san tend to be smaller and cheaper than in Sukhumvit.
There are big party hostels right on Khao San Road for those who want to be in the heart of action. If you want to get away from the noise on this street, you can consider staying in the surrounding area.
You can find some good value for money guest houses around Khao San Road. If you choose to stay in a family-run accommodations, you can feel a homely atmosphere, personalized service, and local charm.
These are both popular areas to stay in Bangkok, so make sure to book your accommodations well in advance to secure a good quality spot. Don’t be too spontaneous because you might not be able to find a safe place to sleep if you book at the last minute in the high season from November to May.
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Nightlife
Both Khao San and Sukhumvit have a vibrant nightlife scene. The nightlife in Sukhumvit is more diverse than in Khao San Road.
Sukhumvit has a red light district with lots of go-go bars, girl bars, nightclubs, and adult entertainment such as Nana and Soi Cowboy. Additionally, it also has lots of upscale bars, rooftop terraces with skyline views in areas like Sukhumvit Soi 11, Thong Lo, or Ekamai.
The nightlife in Khao San Street is about super casual bars and clubs, often open-air with buckets of booze, loud music, cheap cocktails, beer pong, and random dance-offs. This is good for people who want a wild night without spending much.
If you stay in Sukhumvit, you can easily get to the nearby Papong Night Market in Silom, which is another popular nightlife in Bangkok. You can find many gay-friendly bars in this area.
Near Khao san Road, you can check out the nightlife on Soi Rambutri Road. This road has more trendier bars and night clubs and it’s quieter than in the noisy Khao San.
In addition to the bar scenes, there are also good street food scenes, with night markets and shopping malls. There are street food stalls scattered around both Sukhumvit and Khao san, which is good to eat local food while wandering around at night.
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Shopping
Sukhumvit offers a better shopping experience than Khao San Road. It is home to several malls like Terminal 21, Emporium, and EmSphere. You can easily find quality shopping, and variety goods from cheap souvenirs as well as luxury international products in air-conditioned malls.
Additionally, being located right next Siam, the shopping district of Bangkok, you will have more shopping opportunities. Famous malls like CentralWorld, Siam Paragon, Siam Square, and MBK are just a short BTS train ride from Sukhumvit.
Khao san is a good area to find cheap souvenirs, casual clothes, and quirky items like T-shirts, elephant pants, magnets, or keychains. This is a place for fun street browsing and practicing your bargaining skill.
Food
Sukhumvit has more variety of food. It has a diverse and cosmopolitan food scene, offering both street stalls to fine dining. You can find both local Thai food as well as international cuisines like Japanese, Korean, Italian, Mexican, or Middle Eastern.
Khao san road has a cheap street food vibe. There are lots of food stalls along Khao San road as well as family-run restaurants in the surroundings. There are just a few upscale dining options in this area.
Khao San Road is a short drive from Chinatown, which is one of the best places to go in Bangkok for food. So if you stay in Khao san road area, make sure to catch a tuk tuk or Grab taxi/bike to get to Chinatown Night Market in the evening.
Attractions
Attractions in Sukhumvit area are all about big shopping malls, night life areas, and huge parks. To get to the old town of Bangkok to see iconic attractions like Wat Pho and the Grand Palace, you need to take a taxi or public transport which is around 1 hour ride away.
Khao San Road has the advantage of its location in the heart of Bangkok Old town. You can easily walk or take a short tuk tuk to famous historical sights like Wat Pho, Grand Palace, or Golden Mount.
There are also lots of local cultural and historical attractions near Khao san Road like the Democracy Monument, National Museum Bangkok, and The National Gallery. This area is full of historical charms.
Family-friendly Atmosphere
Sukhumvit has a more family-friendly atmosphere with lots of family-friendly hotels & apartments, international food options, Malls with playgrounds & kid zones, and easy transport with BTS and MRT trains.
Khao San Road is the backpacker party zone, which often comes with loud, chaotic, and drunken tourists. If you still want to stay in this area, you can book somewhere away from the Khao san Road but still within walking distance for a more kid-friendly atmosphere.
Sukhumvit also has a red-light area, so if you are traveling with kids, it is best to avoid the areas around Nana and Soi Cowboy for the best experiences.
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So there you have it, my comparison of two popular areas to stay in Bangkok, Sukhumvit and Khao San Road. Overall, Khao San is the better choice if you are young backpackers who want to meet other travelers, and just simply want to stay close to the old town.
I recommend staying in Sukhumvit if you enjoy staying in a modern neighborhood that has a cosmopolitan atmosphere with a good range of shopping malls, nightlife, and dining.
Khao San Road is best suited for young people or young at heart (around 20 years old), while Sukhumvit is best suited for those a bit older.