If you’re planning to make a trip to Bangkok and you’re still clueless on how to fill your itinerary up, why not pay a visit to Bangkok’s bustling Chinatown?
Yaowarat, Bangkok’s Chinatown, is a culturally rich area that’s packed with plenty of history, stunning architecture and of course, food. It’s the perfect place to check out if you want to learn and experience the way Thai and Chinese cultures have intermingled and co-existed in Bangkok for years.
The streets here are lined with a plethora of food vendors, temples, monuments and locals going about their daily lives and there is always something happening at any point in time. This can make it quite overwhelming for first-time visitors so if you are worried about being swept away and lost in this hectic enclave, you can refer to this guide for some ideas.
GOLDEN BUDDHA TEMPLE (WAT TRAMIT TEMPLE)
Wat Tramit houses the largest golden Buddha in the world and this breathtaking monument that stands at 3m tall sits majestically on an altar surrounded by traditional Thai golden arches. From the top of Wat Tramit, you also get a fantastic view of the ornate Chinatown Gate that is just a stone throws away. There is also a museum in the temple that teaches you about the history of Yaowarat and how it came about.
661 Charoen Krung Road
Talat Noi, Samphanthawong
Bangkok 10100, Thailand
Tel: +66 89 002 2700
Daily: 8am – 5pm
Photo Credit: beyond.frontiers
CHINATOWN GATE
Standing tall and proud in the middle of Chinatown is the Chinatown Gate, an ornate ceremonial gate that sits on a large traffic island at Yaowarat Road. Constructed in 1999, the gate was built to symbolise the loyalty of the Chinese community to King Bhumibol of Thailand and it was opened just in time to celebrate the King’s 60th birthday on the Throne.
Photo Credit: yaizamartinezrodriguez
KUAN YIM SHRINE
Kuan Yim Shrine is one of Yaowarat’s most vibrant attractions and it features a 900-year-old statue of Guan Yin, the Chinese Goddess of Mercy. Throngs of both locals and tourists alike come here to pray, especially during the holiday season, and the place is always filled with smoke and incense.
606 The King’s Birthday Celebration Arch
Yaowarat Road
Bangkok, 10100
Tel: +66 91 769 0824
HAVE BRUNCH AT LHONG TONG CAFE
This eclectic, cosy eatery is popular for their dim sum as well as their very interesting interior; both of which are incredibly Instagram-worthy. The common thing about quirkily designed eateries is that they usually have pretty subpar food. This isn’t the case for Lhong Tou Cafe; we never thought that we would ever have some of the best dim sum of our lives in Bangkok and the dim sum here puts some of the ones we’ve tried in Hong Kong to shame!
538 Yaowarat Rd, Khwaeng Samphanthawong
Khet Samphanthawong
Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10100, Thailand
Tel: +66 64 935 6499
Daily: 8am – 10pm
TALAT KAO (CHINATOWN OLD MARKET)
Talat Kao is a 200-year old open-air market in the heart of Chinatown and here, you can watch the locals go about their daily lives as they go marketing for fruits and vegetables and trade items with one another. Foodies can also fill their bellies with plenty of scrumptious street food that is readily available at every turn. We recommend trying their Chinese food; there is no better place to try it than in Chinatown!
Soi Lat Krabang 5, Lat Krabang
Bangkok 10520, Thailand
Tel: +66 99 383 0304
SAMPENG MARKET
This long, narrow street is a wholesalers idea of paradise. Expect rows of stalls selling a mish-mash of random items like fabrics, clothes and electronics for dirt cheap prices. If you bulk buy, you can get an even larger bargain so you can come here with some friends for even better deals!
96 Chakkrawat, Samphanthawong
Bangkok 10100, Thailand
Daily: 9am – 6pm
PAK KHLONG MARKET (FLOWER MARKET)
Skip the night markets and check out Bangkok’s famous flower market instead. If you love flowers or colourful sights, this is the perfect place to admire the spectacle of colours and to snap some pretty shots for the gram. Here, you also can witness both locals and tourists purchasing gorgeous, fresh flowers for whatever purpose.
Chak Phet Road, near the Memorial Bridge or Saphan Phut Chao Phraya pier
Daily: 24-hours
HAVE DINNER AT NAI EK ROLL NOODLES
Situated at the heart of Chinatown, Nai Ek Roll Noodle is a humble stall that specialises in —you guessed it — roll noodles, as well as some of the crispiest deep-fried pork we’ve ever tried. The food here is so good that they’ve even earned themselves a place in the Michelin Guide
442 Khwaeng Samphanthawong
Khet Samphanthawong
Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10100, Thailand
+66 2 226 4651
Daily: 7.30am – 1.30am
ENJOY YAOWARATS FAMOUS TOASTED BUNS
Yaowarat Toasted Bread sees perpetual long queues on the daily made up of both locals and tourists. What makes the bread here stand out from anywhere else is its filling; each perfectly toasted and buttered bun comes generously chock full of a filling of your choice and they have sinfully good options such as condensed milk and sankaya.
Yaowarat Road
Khwaeng Samphanthawong, Khet Samphanthawong
Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10100, Thailand
Tel: +66 2 224 0677
Sun, Tue to Fri: 6.30pm – 12am
Sat: 6pm – 12am
(Closed on Mondays)
EXPLORE THE STREETS OF YAOWARAT AT NIGHT
The streets of Yaowarat are undoubtedly exciting in the day, but the entire place truly comes alive when the sun goes down. Watch the various street food vendors slowly set up their stalls and see the bright lights come on, illuminating the streets with a soothing neon glow. The place looks very different at night and you’ll feel like you’re in a completely different area altogether.
HAVE DRINKS AT ENJOY THE VIEW AT SKY VIEW 360° ROOFTOP BAR OF GRAND CHINA HOTEL
End of the hectic day with a chill session of drinks and a magnificent view at Sky View 360°. This gorgeous restaurant that is perched atop Grand China Hotel provides diners with a breathtakingly beautiful 360° overview of Chinatown and Chao Phraya River. Here, they have an international-style menu that has something for everyone as well as fizzy cocktails and ice-cool drinks.
215 Yaowarat Road
Samphanthawong, Bangkok 10100, Thailand
Tel: +66 2 224 9977
Daily: 7am – 12am