This district was much frequented by Westerners in the 19C and shows the influence of the many foreigners who built their embassies or company headquarters here. To soak up this old-world atmosphere, take a walk along the River Chao Phraya and its surrounding streets, where wooden colonial-style houses can still be seen; stroll down Charoen Krung Road (New Road), the first paved road in Bangkok, now home to tailor and antique shops; and head to the famous Oriental Hotel, once a favourite haunt of writers such as Joseph Conrad and Somerset Maugham.