Do you remember that scene early on in The Beach? You know, the one where Richard is in a dingy room of a backpacker hostel in Bangkok? (By ‘Richard’, I mean ‘Leonardo DiCaprio’, for those who are more familiar with the critically-panned but cultishly-adored movie than the amazing Alex Garland novel.)
It’s a room that many travellers would dread to stay in – humid, dirty and somewhat claustrophobic in its heat and poverty. But there is also something toxically-appealing about it for the young adventurer because it represents the promise of a new world, a place without boundaries where the dinginess is seen as a portal to limitless depravity and uncontrollable perturbations.
This is Khao San Road, the home of the backpacker hordes of South East Asia. For years it’s been the base camp for travellers making expeditions to outlying parts of Thailand or into neighbouring countries like Laos or Cambodia. But over the years it’s changed, as have I, and on my latest stop there I hardly recognised the place.
Don’t misinterpret me, the street still looks quite similar from a superficial physical assessment. There is now a 24-hour McDonalds, which looks out of place as much for its American-ness as its cleanliness. But otherwise it’s pretty much the same bars, restaurants and hotels on the strip. The street stalls still sell cheap noodles, cheap buckets of alcohol and cheap t-shirts that are designed to prolong laundry day rather than take pride of place in a wardrobe. There are still travel agents (although I don’t know how they survive in the world of the internet), there are still suit shops (although I don’t know how they survive on a street where most tourists would only need a suit for a court appearance), and there are still cheap Thai restaurants (although I don’t know how the customers survive them). And, most importantly, there are still large throngs of backpackers from every part of the world mixing together, sharing tales from the adventures they’ve just come back from or talking excitedly about the ones they’re about to embark on.
It’s in these backpackers, though, that I see the change. Or, at least, my perceptions have changed. For once there was a time where I was one of those young explorers, drinking on the street and chatting happily to fellow travellers about the promise of discovery. Now, all I see are drunken louts who are more interested in debasement of themselves and the culture around them. In conversations overheard and actions espied, I sense the focus is on the party rather than the joy of experiencing a new country. To put it bluntly, the backpackers of Khao San Road seem young, obnoxious and ungrateful.
All night, as I try to sleep in my small plain room, I am woken up by the noise of parties on the street or by people coming home in the corridors with loud voices heavy with intoxication and revelry. During the day I’m confronted by figures who seem fatigued by the excesses of the previous night, with no plans except to recover and do it all again.
I must stop myself mid-thought now, though, to wonder whether they are any different to the thousands who have come before them, myself included. Were we all once like that once and am I only being judgmental through the lens of an older more-seasoned traveller? Have I not deliberately travelled to “party places” around the world to let loose and shake the shackles of whatever stress ailed me?
It troubles me, ultimately, not to think that the road has changed so much but that perhaps I have.
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Turtle, like the name suggests, likes to take things slowly. Luckily that's one of the best ways to see the world - and that's exactly what he's doing at the moment.
This is the website of travel writer, Michael Turtle. After working in broadcast journalism for a decade in Australia, Michael left Sydney to travel the world indefinitely and write about the places, people and experiences he discovers. This isn't a diary - these are real stories from the world.
10 Responses
Howdy Turtle,
Just wanted to say thanks again for submitting to the BT Blog Carnival, and also congratulations! Your article has been hand-selected and was included in the 8th BT Blog Carnival which was published today.
If you could retweet, stumble, or like this edition of the blog carnival, I would really appreciate it.
Thanks again!
Khao San Road, has been going downhill for quite a while, but it still is the one place everyone eventually gravitates towards…
If you just head out along the fringes, that is where you will find a much better atmosphere, try Rambutri Road – still quite nice as far as mixing and real travelers headed to.
But Khao San is turning more into party central than a stop over for travelers…
Yeah, you’re right. There are still some decent areas nearby – Rambutri Road is a perfect example. It’s just a shame that Khao San itself has changed so much…
Khao San is a special place for me when I started travelling outside my country. It was where I first knew about the possibilities of long term travelling. It was where I first overheard people doing overland travels from Beijing to Bangkok (some even farther like Europe to Asia). It was where I met people who had amazing adventures in different places around the globe.
But as years go by, I find myself retreating to quieter areas like Rambuttri or Phra Athit. The craziness of Khao San seems to be getting too much for me (or maybe its me getting old LOL) but nevertheless I still feel its old charm hidden in all the loud noises and all the shops on that street.
Interesting to hear that. I worry that I’m just getting old as well. Although I’m convinced the place is changing. In fact, a lot of SE Asia is changing as it gets easier to travel through it.
Lovely post! I’m a young and pretty new traveler compared to most. I’m not a huge fan of Bangkok to be honest. After my first three days there two years ago, I was ready to get out. However this past summer after arriving there after being in Hanoi, another busy city I didn’t love, I had a new-found love for Bangkok, the area around Khao San Road and the familiarity of it all. It was like no matter what was going on elsewhere, Khao San just seems to remain the same craziness as I remembered it to be. As already mentioned, Rambuttri Road is very close, but somehow I love it way more than Khao San!
I completely understand what you’re saying! It is nice to have a city, or a part of a city, that has some familiarity when you’re travelling. it may not be ‘home’ but you can go there after some busy times in Hanoi and feel relaxed. I suppose that was what upset me so much, that it didn’t feel that way for me anymore. I’m glad to hear you’ve still got a love for the place though!
The place used to be a cesspool and nothing has actually changed
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Ha – fair enough! Perhaps it just took a while for me to open my eyes!