If you’ve been to Bangkok before, you are familiar with well-known spots such as Soi Nana, Soi 11, Soi BJ etc. – hell, that’s probably the case even if all you did was watching my videos.
But what about the Sois in between or close-by? Soi means sidestreet. So are there any sidestreets worth checking out or is it always better to stick to a popular venue?
Well, in today’s video, I’ll answer the question … or better yet, I show you what’s in store for you, so YOU can decide for yourself if it’s worth going there. These sidestreets aren’t crowded, packed with bars, or noisy … nothing like that.
They aren’t secret either. I am not claiming that. It’s just that you – like many others – might have walked past them without noticing what’s inside.
To be honest, this video didn’t turn out the way I had it plan. The plan was to film inside many of the lesser known Sois, provide info on interesting spots … but the more time I spent exploring each sidestreet, the more I realized that I can not in good conscious recommend any of them. The truth is, there are only 3 “underrated” Sois that ARE worth checking out. By that I mean, actual street with tons of options – where almost anyone will find what he’s looking for.
I will, however, mention other spots at the end of the video. Keep in mind those are sidestreets that might only have 1 or 2 interesting venues, so it might be a waste of your time. Alright, let’s start with what I consider the big 3.
Here’s what I’ll cover in this video & the location of each.
- Soi 8
- Soi 22
- Soi 33
As always, you can find all places mentioned in my Bangkok Guide. Alright, let’s get started.
Soi 8 – This is where it gets quite interesting because not only do you find a number of bars here … some provide interesting services. One of them is “Lolitas” – to get to this bar, you simply enter Soi 8 then turn into the small alley at The Kiwi Pub. From there, interesting things will start to happen … if you don’t resist & have a few hundred Baht with you. In my opinion, Soi 8 is a MUST visit. It’s located directly at Nana BTS & opposite of Soi 11.
Soi 22 – I did already cover this Soi in a separate video, so will not go into further details here. It’s worth checking out, tons of bars & massage places.
Soi 33 – If you’ve walked around near Phrom Phong station, you have no doubt noticed the massage places. There’s many of them … in fact, if you look up any Bangkok massage place online, you’ll find that it’s probably located right around this area. Many are. I’ve actually been here the first time when I tried a Nuru massage. Again, most of these places qualify as “low risk”. Meaning, it doesn’t take much time or money to get here from Asok/Soi Cowboy … and if you don’t find anything you like … well, not much is lost.
During daytime, you can always combine your trip here with a visit to the high end malls, which are directly at Phrom Phong station. You know, to shop … or pick up girls.
Most of the other massage places in this area are located in Soi 24 … I wanted to include this Soi as well & do a full walk around, but honestly, there isn’t much to see. Some massage parlors at the beginning of the street & back alleys, but that’s about it.
Alright, to finish up, I’ll list some other spots that you might or might not want to check out.
Soi 3 – I didn’t really want to mention this one because in my opinion, it’s not worth going there for most people. The only reason it made it into this video is Grace hotel. You might or might not have heard about it. A ton of people have asked me about Arab girls, this is where you find some. Although, I personally have never seen an attractive one. If you have nothing better to do … mehh … yeah, maybe check it out.
Soi 13 – Some bars here, if you like it less crowded … you can meet ladies here & play pool. There’s a massage shop further down the road. Again, if you have extra time, or just want to explore different sidestreets what you could do is enter @ Soi 13 and then approach Soi 11 from the other side.
Soi 19 – If you want to check out hooters, but don’t like the other one since it’s to crowded & busy there.
And lastly, I’ve added a surprise “layer” to my Bangkok Guide. This is where you’ll find random, cool places you might not have thought about. I always change it & never tell you in advance.
This goes for the entire guide & interactive map. It’s not static but constantly evolving. I update, add new locations, remove the ones that aren’t worth it anymore.
Thanks for watching. See you next time!