Khao San Road to Grand Palace: Walking Guide (2026)

One of the best walks in Bangkok starts where the backpacker noise ends. Step off Khao San Road heading south and within fifteen minutes you're standing at the gates of the Grand Palace, one of the most spectacular royal complexes in Southeast Asia. The walk covers roughly 1.5 kilometres through Bangkok's old town — past temples, a revolutionary monument, and a vast royal field — and it's the kind of route that makes you understand why this city gets under people's skin.

I've done this walk hundreds of times, in the syrupy heat of April and the relatively cool mornings of December. It never gets old. The trick is knowing exactly where to go and when to go, because the difference between walking this route at 8 AM and noon is the difference between a pleasant stroll and a sweaty ordeal.

The Route

There are two ways to walk from Khao San Road to the Grand Palace. The main route is faster and more direct. The alternative along the river is prettier but adds ten minutes.

Main Route (1.5 km, 15-20 minutes)

Start at the east end of Khao San Road, near the intersection with Thanon Tanao. Head south on Tanao — this is the road that runs perpendicular to Khao San with the 7-Eleven on the corner. You'll pass shop-houses, a few laundries, and some of the better local food stalls in the neighbourhood.

Follow Tanao south for about 400 metres. You'll cross Ratchadamnoen Klang, the wide boulevard with the Democracy Monument visible to your left. Cross at the pedestrian lights — do not try to jaywalk this road, it's six lanes and Bangkok drivers don't stop for gestures.

Continue south on Tanao after crossing Ratchadamnoen. The street gets quieter here, more residential. After another 200 metres you'll hit a T-junction. Turn left onto Na Phra That Road. Within a minute you'll see Sanam Luang open up on your right — a huge field with the Grand Palace walls visible on the far side.

Walk along the edge of Sanam Luang heading south. The Grand Palace entrance is on the far side of the field, at the end of Na Phra Lan Road. Follow the white crenellated walls until you reach the main gate. You'll know you're in the right place by the crowds, the ticket booth, and the guards checking dress codes.

Alternative Route: Phra Athit Road (2 km, 25-30 minutes)

If you want a more scenic walk and aren't in a rush, head west from Khao San Road instead of south. Walk to the end of Khao San and continue straight to Phra Athit Road, which runs along the Chao Phraya River. Turn left and follow the river south.

This route takes you past Phra Athit pier, Santichaiprakarn Park — a small riverside park good for a breather — and along a stretch of old shophouses and cafes. When Phra Athit Road bends away from the river, continue south and you'll eventually reach Tha Chang pier and the Grand Palace from its northern side.

The river route is worth it early morning when the light on the water is good. It's also a smarter option if you want to grab coffee first — there are several decent cafes on Phra Athit Road that open by 7 AM.

What You'll See Along the Way

This walk threads through Bangkok's historical centre. Even if the Grand Palace is your main objective, don't sleepwalk past everything between here and there.

Wat Chana Songkhram

Before you even leave Khao San Road, glance across the street to the north side. Wat Chana Songkhram is the temple directly opposite the western end of Khao San. It dates to the Ayutthaya period and its name means "victory in war" — it was named to commemorate a military campaign.

The temple is free to enter and rarely crowded because most Khao San visitors walk right past it without realising what it is. The compound is quiet, the monks are used to visitors, and it takes five minutes to look around. There's a small cemetery inside the grounds that most people miss entirely.

Entry: Free Time needed: 5-10 minutes

Democracy Monument

You'll cross Ratchadamnoen Klang and see it to your left — a massive art deco structure in the middle of a traffic roundabout. The Democracy Monument was built in 1939 to commemorate the 1932 revolution that ended absolute monarchy in Thailand. The central structure holds a gilded copy of the constitution on a palm-leaf-shaped pedestal, and the four wing-shaped buttresses are exactly 24 metres tall, representing the date of the revolution — June 24.

You can't walk to the monument itself unless you fancy weaving through traffic, but it's worth pausing at the crosswalk to appreciate the scale. The monument has been the focal point of nearly every major political protest in modern Thai history, from 1973 through to the 2020 demonstrations. It means more to Bangkok than most tourists realise.

Entry: Free (viewed from the roadside) Time needed: 2 minutes to photograph from the crosswalk

Sanam Luang

The royal ceremonial field opens up as you approach the Grand Palace. Sanam Luang — "royal field" — is a massive open ground that has served as the site of royal cremation ceremonies, the Royal Ploughing Ceremony, and countless other state events for over two centuries. King Bhumibol Adulyadej's funeral ceremonies were held here in 2017.

Early morning, Sanam Luang is one of the better spots in Bangkok for photography. The light hits the Grand Palace spires across the field, and if you're there before 8 AM you'll share the space with joggers and monks rather than tour groups. Later in the day it's hot, exposed, and not particularly pleasant to linger.

Entry: Free Time needed: 5 minutes to cross, longer if photographing

Grand Palace Essentials

The Grand Palace complex, including Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of the Emerald Buddha), is the reason you're making this walk. Here's what you need to know before you reach the ticket booth.

Entry and Tickets

The entrance fee is 500 THB (approximately $14 USD). This single ticket covers both the Grand Palace grounds and Wat Phra Kaew. The ticket also includes entry to the Vimanmek Mansion if you want to visit it separately on another day — hold onto your stub.

Buy tickets at the booth inside the main gate. There is no online advance ticket system as of early 2026. Ignore anyone outside the walls offering to sell you tickets, telling you the palace is closed, or suggesting you visit a "special temple" first — these are touts running a well-known scam. The palace is open. Walk past them.

Opening hours: 8:30 AM - 3:30 PM daily (last entry at 3:30, grounds close at 5:00 PM). The palace closes for certain royal ceremonies — check the official schedule if visiting around national holidays.

Dress Code

The Grand Palace enforces the strictest dress code of any attraction in Bangkok, and they mean it. You will be turned away at the gate if you don't comply.

What you cannot wear:

Shorts or skirts above the knee
Sleeveless tops, tank tops, spaghetti straps
See-through clothing
Ripped jeans
Open-toed sandals or flip-flops

What to wear: Long trousers or a skirt that covers the knees. A shirt with sleeves — a basic t-shirt is fine as long as it covers your shoulders. Closed-toe shoes or sneakers.

If you show up in shorts or a tank top, there is a rental station near the entrance where you can borrow trousers and shawls for a deposit. The items are clean enough but not fashionable. Better to just dress appropriately from Khao San — you'll be walking through temples all morning anyway.

What to See Inside

Wat Phra Kaew houses the Emerald Buddha, Thailand's most sacred religious image. It's small — about 66 centimetres tall — and sits high on a golden altar. The king changes the Buddha's robes three times a year to mark the seasons. No photography is allowed inside the ordination hall (ubosot), but you can photograph everything else in the complex.

Beyond Wat Phra Kaew, the Grand Palace grounds include the Chakri Maha Prasat throne hall — a striking hybrid of Thai roofs and European Renaissance architecture — and several smaller halls and pavilions. Most visitors spend 1.5 to 2 hours inside. Bring water; there's limited shade and the stone courtyards radiate heat.

Continue to Wat Pho and Wat Arun

If you're at the Grand Palace, you'd be foolish not to continue to Wat Pho and Wat Arun. The three form a natural circuit and are all within walking distance of each other.

Wat Pho (Temple of the Reclining Buddha)

Exit the Grand Palace through the main gate and turn left. Walk south along the palace wall for about 5 minutes. Wat Pho's entrance is on Sanam Chai Road.

Wat Pho is home to the massive Reclining Buddha — 46 metres long and covered in gold leaf. It's genuinely impressive even when crowded. The temple compound is also the birthplace of traditional Thai massage, and you can get a massage at the school on the grounds. A one-hour Thai massage runs about 480 THB and is among the more legitimate massage experiences in Bangkok, though the queue can be long.

Entry: 300 THB Opening hours: 8:00 AM - 6:30 PM daily Time needed: 45 minutes to 1 hour

Wat Arun (Temple of Dawn)

From Wat Pho, walk to Tha Tien pier (a 3-minute walk east toward the river). Take the cross-river ferry to Wat Arun. The ferry costs 4 THB and takes about three minutes. Boats run continuously throughout the day.

Wat Arun's central prang (Khmer-style tower) is covered in porcelain fragments and coloured glass that catch the light beautifully. You can climb partway up the central tower — the stairs are steep and narrow, so watch your footing. The views of the river and the Grand Palace from the upper terraces are some of the best in Bangkok.

Entry: 100 THB Opening hours: 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM daily Time needed: 30-45 minutes

To return, take the ferry back to Tha Tien pier and either walk back to Khao San (reverse your morning route) or grab a taxi from Maharat Road.

Practical Tips

Best Time to Walk

Early morning — leave Khao San Road by 8:00 AM. This matters more than almost any other piece of advice in this article.

The Grand Palace opens at 8:30 AM. If you arrive right at opening, you'll beat the tour bus groups that roll in from 9:30 onward. By 10:00 AM the main courtyard is packed and the heat is building. By 11:00 AM you'll be competing with thousands of people for every photograph and every inch of shade.

An early start also means you can do the Grand Palace, Wat Pho, and Wat Arun in sequence and be finished by noon, leaving your afternoon free. In the hot season (March to May), this is not optional — it's survival strategy.

What to Bring

Water. At least one litre. Refill at the 7-Eleven on Tanao before you start walking.
Cash. Entry fees are cash only. Bring at least 1,000 THB to cover the Grand Palace, Wat Pho, Wat Arun, and the ferry.
Sun protection. Sunscreen, a hat, sunglasses. The Grand Palace complex has almost no shade.
A small bag. You'll need to remove shoes at temple entrances. A bag you can stuff shoes into makes this easier.

Getting Back to Khao San Road

The walk back is the same distance but feels longer in the midday heat. Your options:

Walk back the way you came — 15-20 minutes if you're still mobile.
Taxi or Grab from Maharat Road or Na Phra Lan Road. Should cost 60-100 THB metered to Khao San, though some drivers will try to refuse the meter for such a short trip. Use Grab to avoid the negotiation.
River boat from Tha Chang pier to Phra Arthit pier (one stop north), then walk 5 minutes to Khao San.

Heading back? See our Things to Do on Khao San Road for how to spend the rest of your day.

Scams to Ignore

Every day, touts station themselves between Khao San Road and the Grand Palace. The scripts don't change:

"The Grand Palace is closed today for a ceremony." It isn't. Keep walking.
"I'll take you to a special temple / lucky Buddha / gem factory." Don't go.
"Tuk-tuk to the Grand Palace, only 20 baht." The ride will include mandatory stops at tailor shops and gem stores. Walk — it's fifteen minutes.

These scams have been running unchanged for decades. Smile, say no, keep moving.

One More Thing

The entire route from Khao San Road through the Grand Palace, Wat Pho, and Wat Arun covers three of the most significant historical sites in Thailand, and the total entry cost is 900 THB — about $25 USD. For what you get, it's one of the best half-days of sightseeing in Southeast Asia. Just start early, dress properly, and bring water. The rest takes care of itself.