Phra Athit Road runs parallel to the Chao Phraya riverfront in Banglamphu and functions as the quiet, locally-oriented alternative to the Khao San Road circus a few blocks away. The street is lined with small Thai restaurants, indie music cafes, second-hand bookshops, and bars frequented by Thammasat University students and young Bangkok professionals.
The riverside end of the road connects to the Phra Athit public ferry pier, from which you can take the Chao Phraya Express Boat up or down river. The cafes on Phra Athit have a distinctly different atmosphere to the traveller-oriented businesses of Khao San — the menus are in Thai, the music tends towards folk and alternative, and the pace is slower. A good place to spend an afternoon with a book and cheap Thai food.