From Kolkata to Melbourne and New York, Chinatowns have become a global phenomenon. But Bangkok’s Chinatown stands out as a truly immersive experience. Seamlessly blending Chinese culture and traditions with the Thai way of life, the Bangkok Chinatown makes it difficult to discern where one ends and the other begins.
More than just a market, Chinatown is a vibrant cultural experience, offering everything from delectable food and diverse shopping to significant religious sites in Bangkok. Whether you’re seeking a leisurely breakfast or the excitement of a bustling night market, this neighbourhood has it all. Let’s explore Bangkok’s Chinatown — find the must-visit spots, shop for unique treasures, savour authentic flavours, and immerse yourself in this vibrant cultural melting pot.
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History of Bangkok’s Chinatown
Bangkok’s Chinatown was established as a home to the Teochew immigrant Chinese population in 1782 by King Rama I when the city was set up as the capital of the Rattanakosin Kingdom. Although it started as a dwelling outside Bangkok’s city walls, it became an important commercial hub for the Thai capital in the 19th to early 20th centuries. Yaowarat, its arterial road, was constructed in the second half of the 19th Century by King Chulalongkorn (Rama V).
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The best time to visit Chinatown in Bangkok
To fully enjoy the vibrant night markets and bustling streets of Chinatown in Bangkok, plan your visit during specific hours. The ideal time is from 6 am to 11 am if you wish to avoid crowds. If you’re looking for discounts and competitive rates, a visit between 2 pm and 4 pm is recommended, although some shops may temporarily close during this period. For the best food stalls and local dishes, visit from 7 pm to 10 pm when the area truly comes alive with culinary delights.
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Opening hours: Chinatown in Bangkok operates 24 hours, ensuring that you’ll find some shops open at any time of day. However, keep in mind that not all shops are open around the clock, so the timing may vary.
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How to reach
Chinatown is connected to the rest of the city via a wide range of public transport. You can drive down or hire a private taxi/tuk-tuk to take you there.
By MRT: Hua Lamphong Station and Wat Mangkon Station are closest to Chinatown.
By bus: Bus numbers 1, 4, 7, 25, 40, 53, and 73 stop at Chinatown’s bus stops, including Times Square Bus Stop and Khlong Thom Bus Stop.
By boat: Board a Chao Phraya River Express boat to reach Ratchawong Pier, from where Chinatown is a short walk away.
Travelling by the Bangkok MRT? Check out our story on what to do along the MRT Pink Line in Bangkok.
Things to do in Chinatown
Visit Wat Traimit
Home to the Yaowarat Chinatown Heritage Centre, Wat Traimit is famed for its 3 m-tall, 5,500 kg solid-gold Buddha statue. A must-visit when in Chinatown, Bangkok, this 700-year-old statue is also the world’s largest of its kind. And since it is located right next to the market’s entrance, there’s no way you can miss it.
Go pub-hopping
There are plenty of pubs and bars to visit in Chinatown for a nicely-rounded evening. After a stint of shopping, visit a few pubs for a taste of the local delicacies. Some of the best pubs and bars here include Opium Bar, Ang Yi, Glass Half Full, Hex Bar, and Buph Phe Bar.
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Explore Sampeng Market
Even though all of Chinatown is essentially one big shopping district, several smaller markets specialise in specific items. Sampeng Market is where you can pick up Asian snacks, souvenirs, electronic items, traditional fabrics, home decor, fresh produce, and grocery items. Several food stalls sell skewered meats and seafood, noodle dishes, and pancakes. You will also find the latest in fashion here, from Thai traditional outfits to casual ensembles.
Shop for dried foods and condiments at Trok Issaranuphap
Connecting Charoen Krung Road and Yaowarat Road, Trok Issaranuphap is a narrow alleyway made narrower by shops displaying their ware outside. It is a scintillating find that sells nearly every snack, dried food, readymade sauces, and condiments you can think of. From mochi balls and dried pork skin to traditional medicine and toys, this place has it all. I stumbled upon it purely by chance and picked up huge bags of seedless raisins, mochi marshmallows, and dried fruits full of heavenly bits of caramelised pineapple.
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Enjoy the local street food at Yaowarat Road
You have probably heard this before, but the street food in Bangkok’s Chinatown is some of the best in the whole city. The sheer variety speaks volumes of how great the ware is. While there are shops that are decades old, there are swanky new eateries as well, that sell everything from Quinoa pancakes to fish maw soup. Our advice is to go hungry to Bangkok Chinatown.
Visit So Heng Tai Mansion
So Heng Tai is an old Thai-Chinese house-turned-Dive Centre! That’s right, a scuba diving centre right in the heart of Bangkok’s Chinatown. The house has a 13-foot sunken pool in the courtyard where the practice dives are conducted under expert guidance. Dive students are then taken to the coast for the actual event. Even if you do not want to enlist to learn scuba diving, there is a cafe here where you can sit and enjoy a chilled beverage while you admire the rustic wooden beauty of the house.
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Must-try food in Bangkok’s Chinatown
Chinatown is an excellent place to embark on a culinary adventure. With street food stalls, Michelin-star restaurants, and family-operated eateries serving up a storm of delicious Chinese and Thai dishes, it is a must-visit for all foodies. Some of the must-try items here include Mango Sticky Rice, charcoal-grilled seafood, Rolled Rice Noodles (Guay Jub), thick pork and shrimp noodles, Tom Yum soup, Chive Rice Dumplings (Gui Chai), Thai Suki Soup and Satay Skewers, and grilled pig ears.
When I went to Chinatown in Bangkok, I knew I would pig out on street food, so I decided to have a light lunch. By the time we reached, nearly all of Yaowarat Road was full of food stalls and eateries advertising their ware on small tables on the footpath. The aromas and exoticism (I had never seen a grilled pig snout and boiled pig trotters) were a heady mix for my senses, and we dived right in. We started with steamed oysters, followed by crispy Peking duck, a mussel omelette, a mystery-meat meatloaf (which was very, very spicy), skewered fish balls smothered in a honeyed sauce, and a whole baked fish. We ended the meal with the crowd favourite: pork congee with a poached egg. It was bliss, to say the least!
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Best restaurants
There are as many high-end restaurants strewn across Chinatown as are the many amazing decades-old hole-in-the-wall eateries. As you walk down the alleyways and footpaths, you will find traditional stalls and innovative street food vying for your attention. Some of the must-visit restaurants here include Jok’s Kitchen for their Michelin guide shrimp dumplings and abalone, Jing Jing Cafe for its shaved ice desserts, Potong for Thai-Chinese fusion food, Opium Bar for Thai-inspired cocktails, Red Rose Restaurant in Shanghai Mansion Hotel for a sit-down meal of Chinese favourites, and Odean for crab soup and yellow noodles.
Elevate your dining experience with our list of old-school Chinese restaurants serving traditional fare in Bangkok.
Shopping in Chinatown, Bangkok
While shops abound at every turn in Chinatown, certain areas are more suited for finding the perfect souvenirs, stocking up on kitchen essentials, scoring quirky apparel at bargain prices, and discovering rare vintage items for home decor.
- Visit The Old Siam Plaza for clothes, candies, cosmetics, and accessories. You can also pick up traditional silk apparel and fabric here. This is where I picked up T-shirts and tops, and I mean a lot! There is no stopping when the choices are so varied and the prices so pocket-friendly. I also picked up huge bags of candy to take home.
- The Chinatown Night Market is one of the best in Bangkok. Pick up miniature clay figurines, fridge magnets, tiny purses, huge handbags, chunky jewellery, the latest in fashion, and crockery items. Home decor and handicrafts are also easily available and come in a varied range.
- Explore Sampeng Square for a huge collection of jewellery and accessories. There are plenty of apparel shops here as well.
- Head over to the I’m Chinatown Shopping Mall for local brands.
- For toys and electronic items, head over to China World.
- Readymade condiments, spice mixes, fish sauce, tea leaves, oriental sauces of all kinds, dried fish, meat jerky, and peppercorns of all colours. I managed to purchase white, red, pink, green, and of course, black peppercorn from here, which lasted me a whole year.
Insider tips for visiting Chinatown in Bangkok
- Keep your cash, cards, mobile, and other valuables secure, and position your bag towards the front of your body for added safety.
- Don’t forget to check out the street art, murals, and stunning graffiti almost everywhere you look.
- While visiting the temples, dress in clothes covering your shoulders and knees.
- For breathtaking river views and sunsets, visit rooftop bars and restaurants.
- Snake wine and shark fin soup, both controversial items, are available in Bangkok’s Chinatown. If you decide to consume these, make sure to read up on them beforehand.
- Be respectful of local customs and traditions, and ask for permission before taking a photograph.
- Polite bargaining is common here. Just make sure to be respectful of the seller and their ware.
(Featured image credit: Mr.Sayompoo Setabhrahmana, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons)
Related | Temples, Shopping, Nightlife, And More: Things To Do In Bangkok For Max Fun
The information in this article is accurate as of the date of publication.
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FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
Wat Traimit, Sampeng Market, the Kuan Yim Shrine and Trok Issaranuphap are some of the must-visit places in Chinatown in Bangkok.
Don’t miss the street food, don’t mind the wait because most good places will be crowded, and don’t take your eyes off your valuables, which is the case in most crowded markets.
Dumplings, egg custard tarts, Peking duck, stir-fried noodles, oyster omelette, and scallion pancakes are some of the best street food in Chinatown.
Yes, Bangkok's Chinatown is safe to visit at night.
Some of the best late-night cafes in Bangkok’s Chinatown include Red Rose Chinese Restaurant & Jazz Lounge, FooJohn Building, The Canton House, and Tep Bar.
The Kuan Yim Shrine, the So Heng Tai house, and the Yaowarat Chinatown Heritage Centre are some of the cultural and historical sites of Chinatown.
Chinatown is most crowded during the evenings.
So Vegan, Jaa Lee Vegan, and Ruyi Vegetarian are some of the best vegan cafes in Chinatown, Bangkok.
The best way to immerse yourself in all that Chinatown has to offer is to walk around. You can hire a tuk-tuk to take you around as well.
Yes, nearly all shops are open along with quite a few food stalls.
Make sure to find out what and how much of something you are buying before you hand over the cash.
Chinatowns in New York, Melbourne, and Manila are some of the best in the world.
Written By
Esha Dasgupta
Senior Digital Writer - Growth, TravelEsha is a traveller at heart, with a penchant for exploring the unchartered. She has previously worked ..Read More
