What Is Your Favorite Soi In Bkk?

[kunjet]

i live in a sad little soi with nothing: literally there is one food stall that closes at 14:00

i would like to explore more local sois in bangkok

what is your favorite soi and why?

what makes it special?

what's good to eat?

where's good for massage?

what's interesting for sale?

what must i try?

how do you get to it?

[gotlost]

Soi NANA

[dantilley]

On balance, probably Sukhumvit Soi 11. Good mix of international eateries, bars, pubs and a couple of clubs. Small enough not to have too much traffic, but enough buzz to make it interesting. Also easy to reach from Nana skytrain station. Soi 8 also good for similar reasons, but a bit more going on on Soi 11.

[connel707]

On balance, probably Sukhumvit Soi 11. Good mix of international eateries, bars, pubs and a couple of clubs. Small enough not to have too much traffic, but enough buzz to make it interesting. Also easy to reach from Nana skytrain station. Soi 8 also good for similar reasons, but a bit more going on on Soi 11.

These are ok if you want tourist sois....but for more Thai style you have to go to Suanplu, beside the old immigration office, there are three really good massage and spa businesses, all good and not so expensive, many many places to eat inside and outside, if you like Issan food, below the Bangkok bank is a great little ourdoor place with cheap food and beer, or all along Suanplu soi 8 so many great foods to try... all the restuarants sell Big bottles of beer , not those over-expensive tourist small bottles.. There are two police stations in Suanplu, so it is a very safe area... There is a market for fresh fruit, veggies and odds and sods, its around the middle of the street, there is a university round the corner, so lots of pretty girls in their uniforms to delight your eyes.. There is one restuarant beside the Family Mart, called Jamies, which is good to eat in and seems to have quite a few Farangs as regular patrons... at soi 6... And also in soi 7 upstairs, is a snooker hall with nine full sized tables, you can play 8 ball on a full size table..great..!! and the girls that set up the balls are all cute and fun.. And its in Sathorn... Have fun there..

[aussiejosh]

Sukhumvit soi 16

Great access to asoke (especially if you can cut accross with a bike), great access to Rama 4, great access to sukhumvits 22 24 and 26, thus to sukhumvit aswell. Plus if I wish to go further its maximum 1km of traffic before the high way. Food land, 7-11s and family marts all along the soi, and you have the option of 2 different MRT stations and a BTS all within 10 baht motorbike range. Its awesome.

[bkkjames]

Sukhumvit soi 16

Great access to asoke (especially if you can cut accross with a bike), great access to Rama 4, great access to sukhumvits 22 24 and 26, thus to sukhumvit aswell. Plus if I wish to go further its maximum 1km of traffic before the high way. Food land, 7-11s and family marts all along the soi, and you have the option of 2 different MRT stations and a BTS all within 10 baht motorbike range. Its awesome.

I agree Josh, found memories of living on that Soi.

[trogers]

Sukhumvit soi 16

Great access to asoke (especially if you can cut accross with a bike), great access to Rama 4, great access to sukhumvits 22 24 and 26, thus to sukhumvit aswell. Plus if I wish to go further its maximum 1km of traffic before the high way. Food land, 7-11s and family marts all along the soi, and you have the option of 2 different MRT stations and a BTS all within 10 baht motorbike range. Its awesome.

Soi 16 Sukhumvit is like a road to the Hades. Try taking a 500m stroll down this soi from Asoke around 3.30-4.30pm.

With a sharp bend at the end, and high-rise buildings on both sides, there is hardly a breeze along this soi.

[bkkjames]

Sukhumvit soi 16

Great access to asoke (especially if you can cut accross with a bike), great access to Rama 4, great access to sukhumvits 22 24 and 26, thus to sukhumvit aswell. Plus if I wish to go further its maximum 1km of traffic before the high way. Food land, 7-11s and family marts all along the soi, and you have the option of 2 different MRT stations and a BTS all within 10 baht motorbike range. Its awesome.

Soi 16 Sukhumvit is like a road to the Hades. Try taking a 500m stroll down this soi from Asoke around 3.30-4.30pm.

With a sharp bend at the end, and high-rise buildings on both sides, there is hardly a breeze along this soi.

I can tell you from personal experience having lived on the soi in one of those highrises, I hardly used the air because of the good breezes. Agree about the traffic during rush hour.

[t.s]

having lived on 11 for 10+ years, it would be very hard for me to leave it. It has an interesting mix of nightlife, acessibility, restaurants, food stalls, shopping etc.

I also like soi 49, but find it a pain to travel to/from at times

[roiethome]

Sukhumvit soi 11 was where I first lived nearly 14 years ago, then later I moved out to areas of cleaner air. Recently returned to stay a few nights in a hotel in soi 11, and the place is great except that with all the new condos there is too much traffic for the soi and it regularly jams solid.

My vote for best soi would have to go to Sukhumvit soi 33. Great hostess bars ( many with live sports),pool tables, massage and a great steakhouse in Tenderloins.

[dantilley]

Soi Ari is another great Soi - although it's more the sub-sois off it and the general surrounding area, the main Soi Ari itself (Pahon Yothin Soi 7) isn't so noteworthy.

[mrtoad]

I like Soi 8 and Soi 11 as they are busy Sois with a bit of everything. Soi 33 is also good for a little wander every now and then.

[thai3]

Soi NANA

The OP asked about favorite soi in Bkk and almost all the replies have been about favorite sois on Sukhumvit, revealing replies. Soi 4? had to walk down there a few times recently - it's the absolute rock bottom, full of ugly whores and old white men in shorts ugh.

[zzaa09]

Not really a soi, per se - Thanon Yaowarat {Chinatown} between Thanon Chakrawat and Thanon Songsawat......great for people watching. Busy with character, small non-pretentious eateries, eclectic shops, historic atmosphere.

[Jake1]

Sukhumvit soi 16

Great access to asoke (especially if you can cut accross with a bike), great access to Rama 4, great access to sukhumvits 22 24 and 26, thus to sukhumvit aswell. Plus if I wish to go further its maximum 1km of traffic before the high way. Food land, 7-11s and family marts all along the soi, and you have the option of 2 different MRT stations and a BTS all within 10 baht motorbike range. Its awesome.

What is the going rate for a studio apartment that is up to western standards?

A/C

Hot water

Covered parking

Thanks

[Laganside]

Ambling down memory soi, so to speak, I am quite nostalgic for Soi 23 when the International German Beerhouse played host to the expat scene in its heyday, the Ship Inn opposite was packed early every night and the promise of Soi Cowboy just around the corner sweetened the night air.

Happy days.......

[kuma]

i will take soi 22

access to sukhumvit (with lights so you can go both directions!) and rama 4 plus sub sois that will take you to 16 and hence asoke/ratchda or to 24and 26 (and carrefour/tesco)

lots of restaurants hi-lo and lo-so (my favourite) from bourbon to great street stalls

plenty of hotels if you have mates come by - queens park all the way to many little guest houses

massage of all types available at almost all hours

a total of four 7-11's and two family marts on the soi, even though it only runs suk to rama 4

accommodation of all types available from 150k/month to 6k/month

bars of all sorts as well again running the whole spectrum almost

can walk to emporium and the park beside it in minutes - and by default to the bts or go the other direction and also reach bts/mrt at asoke

hmmm could go on but thats it for now.

but i do wonder what wil become of what is washington square? i hear the lot at the corner that used to hold flyers and the volvo dealer is set to become a holiday inn, can anyone confirm that or the plans for the rest of the area?

[dantilley]

The OP asked about favorite soi in Bkk and almost all the replies have been about favorite sois on Sukhumvit,

Well, we've had Suan Phlu and Ari mentioned.

Another excellent non-Sukhumvit Soi has to be Soi Convent - great range of bars and restaurants (hi-so, lo-so, Thai, international, etc.), handily located for Skytrain and MRT, as well as Suan Lum Night Bazaar and Lumpini Park.

[LindsayBKK]

Soi Rang Nam

We have Century The Movie Plaza, King Power Duty Free, 7-11 & Family Marts on every street corner,

Pubs, Caf'es, Peace Park, BTS Victory Monument, Catch Minivans from Century Plaza ฿100 to go Pattaya,

lots of restaurants, taxi bikes on every corner. Don't just think about Sukhumvit,

Soi Rang Nam hotels/accommodation are cheaper.

[mauiguy90]

"Where's good for massage?"

Near BTS Onnut, Sukhumvit 77/1, the little soi leading to Carrefour, has no less than half a dozen massage shops. All of them charge 100 baht per hour for either a foot massage or a regular thai massage. Some shops are better than others but you can't beat the prices!!!

Lots of little shops selling little trinkets ranging from sushi to woven carpets.

"Where's a good soi to find places to eat?"

Sukhumvit 38, which is full of little shops selling cheap and good food, ranging from pad thai to pigs neck.

Edited November 18, 2009 by mauiguy90

[dvddvd]

If you find yourself around Ramkhamhang 164 (Minburi) you might like to check it out. (there's a well run pizza joint, a nice little sports bar, and of course a number of thai restaraunts)

Even better, a little further down, adjacent to the Big C, maybe like Soi 170ish, the place comes alive (about 200 yards in) early in the eavning with food stalls galour!!!! Great food, all Thai, lots of energy, temperature always seems pretty cool with the breezes, ... it's like a little town square. I think its really cool.

Lived on Soi 16 for a few months. I thought it was a great location to live.

[GMoney]

24/1

[Meridian007]

Well, another thread has me thinking about Siriraj Hospital, (if you don't know it, it's the "Royal" hospital for the King. It's on the west side of the river, directly across from Thammasat University), and there is a soi that runs beside it (south of the hospital) that is pretty awesome.

The soi is basically the entrance to a giant warren of little shops, (think Chatuchak, but the shops are slightly bigger), where you can buy just about anything. If you make your way through there, and go towards the river, just south of the market is a little artistic soi that has the Patarvadi theater, a couple of art stores, and some of the nicest restaurants on the river. The Supatra River House is the best IMO, and they have dancers from the theater to entertain guests at night. If you keep walking south, you will eventually get to Wat Arun, and the smaller (and charming) Wat Rakhang.

Northwest of Siriraj, going towards the Thonburi railway station, there is a fresh food market as well. All of these places are on Google maps, if you search for the names (e.g. Supatra, Bangkok).

***Edit***

I almost forgot, if you like Kao Soi (a soup popular in Chiang Mai), there is a little shop in the market south of the hospital that has the best Kao Soi in Bangkok. I don't know its exact location yet, (my gf has brought some home a few times), but when I find it I'll update here.

Edited November 20, 2009 by Meridian007

[Tingnongnoi]

Soi Ari is another great Soi - although it's more the sub-sois off it and the general surrounding area, the main Soi Ari itself (Pahon Yothin Soi 7) isn't so noteworthy.

gets my vote too, lots of good restaurants and cafe's etc... round there

[trogers]

24/1

Got hooked to the Japanese massage palours?

[trogers]

Soi Ari is another great Soi - although it's more the sub-sois off it and the general surrounding area, the main Soi Ari itself (Pahon Yothin Soi 7) isn't so noteworthy.

gets my vote too, lots of good restaurants and cafe's etc... round there

Especially the couple of joints painted pink and purple?

[siggie2]

The last soi before leaving the smoking jungle

[biker Bob]

The last soi before leaving the smoking jungle

:D :D