You can’t imagine how expansive Bangkok is and the number of great places to explore. Soi Rambuttri Road is one of those unique places where you don’t have to spend much money to have a great time. This small one-lane road doesn’t see many cars as its primarily full backpackers buying from street vendors selling food, gifts, massages, and pretty much anything else you can imagine. While Khao San Road gets most of the hype, Soi Rambuttri is more of the hidden gem that you don’t want to miss.

One of the best food in Bangkok

Thai food is full of unique spices and tastes that will leave you either loving it or running for a glass of milk to kill the heat! I always recommend going to Soi Rambuttri Road to experience the more authentic Thai food as it has a large variety at a reasonable price. Instead of paying 200+ baht for a bowl of chicken curry in a regular restaurant, you’ll pay around 60 baht here. I highly suggest trying the green chicken curry, pork noodle soup, pad Thai with chicken, and Thai milk tea.

The atmosphere of Soi Rambuttri is also very relaxing as opposed to most of Bangkok which is overflowing with tourists. Here you’ll find most of the vendors are located on the side of the street and not many cars pass by throughout the day.

Buzzing Nightlife

While Soi Rambuttri is quiet during the daytime with the occasional tourists casually walking through, during the night time you’ll find mini pop-up bars here and there including ones inside a fully decorated jeep where your bartender serves you right out of the window of the vehicle.

It’s here that you’ll find their famous chihuahua dressed in a tutu and unique vendors serving shots from a street cart. Feel free to drink right on the road as you’re walking around taking in the sights or kick back to many of their techno or reggae style bars.

Great Shopping Spots

All along both sides of Soi Rambuttri are vendors ranging from food to alcohol and a whole lot of shopping! As you walk down the street, you’ll have a lot of fun rummaging through the shops for a nice light set of clothing for your vacation here. Bangkok is hot, so don’t be afraid to pick up a few extra tank tops. There are also many souvenirs from magnets to key chains, and a whole lot more.

When you shop on any street vendors, negotiating for the price of an item is expected and don’t be afraid to go low to start because they will always set a high bar but you can always nudge them down a bit to get a better price. Typically, the goods at the street vendors are fairly decent quality, however, they are not the “real deal” so don’t expect your “Nike” shirt to be authentic.

Fascinating Street Vendors

All along the streets of Bangkok you’ll find an assortment of street vendors selling food. From the fruit vendors you’ll find some of the normal items like apples, watermelon, cantaloupe, and mangoes. If you’re lucky you’ll also find some vendors selling grilled silver bluggoe bananas, fresh jackfruit and macopa (mountain apple).

You’ll also definitely want to try their grilled barbeque meats which can range from anything from pork, chicken, squid, oysters, etc. While much of the meat is quite fatty, there are also sirloin pieces as well which most foreigners will prefer. The meat is usually marinated in oyster or soy sauce and garlic/sugar which gives it a very sweet and salty flavor. On average you’ll pay between 10-20 baht per skewer depending on the size with a side of rice for just 5 baht if you want to make it a full meal.

Close vicinity to the Grand Palace

Every trip to Bangkok should include a bit of culture and history which means you should head over to the Grand Palace. This is easily one of the most famous landmarks in the entire city with its numerous spires, golden buildings, and colorful ornate designs.

The Grand Palace was once home to the King of Thailand, his court, and the royal government. Now it’s visited by thousands of tourists who come to see the beautiful architecture and is considered to be the spiritual heart of the Thai people.

Just next door to the Grand Palace as well lies Wat Pho which is home to the famous Reclining Buddha which is one of the largest in the world measuring 46 meters in length and is covered in gold leaf.

Attached to Khao San Road

As you reach the end of Soi Rambuttri you’ll get to a large intersection where you’ll see cars and the crazy traffic resume. At this point, you’ll know you’ve left the Soi Rambuttri area. One block away from here you can find Khao San road which is along the very famous road in Bangkok.

Khao San road is a really lively and exciting place full of street performers, vendors, bars, restaurants, and shops. During the day it’s the one place in Bangkok where you can find pretty much anything you’re looking for including great curry spices, Thai style pants, and deep-fried bugs (gross!). At night Khao San is not the place for children, but it’s definitely a great place for adults to go if they want loud music, unlimited dancing, lots of alcohol and a really fun time.

Massages

Littered all along Soi Rambuttri are plenty of massage chairs right along the street. While you may not think the best place for a massage is on the road in the open, it’s actually quite relaxing if you’re on Soi Rambuttri as there aren’t that many people around.

For the price of about $5USD you can get a nice foot and shoulder massage which is perfect to help relax after walking around the temples and palaces all day.