Riverside (Wat Ket)

Riverside neighborhood with boutique hotels and upscale restaurants along the Ping River. Quieter and more refined than backpacker areas, with live music venues. More expensive and further from the main tourist zones, but good if you want a calmer atmosphere with river views.

The Riverside area along the Ping River has colonial-era buildings converted into boutique hotels, upscale restaurants, and coffee shops. It's quieter and more refined than the backpacker areas - attracts an older, more settled crowd. During the day it's peaceful - good for walking along the river or working from a quiet cafe. In the evening riverside restaurants fill up and live music starts around 7pm at places like The Good View and The Riverside. Venues stay busy until the 2am closing time. You can walk between places on the main road, though after midnight it's better to use Grab. The area works if you want a calmer atmosphere with river views and don't mind being removed from the Old City and Nimman. It's one of the nicer areas for evening dining with views of the water and mountains.