Skip to content

Bangkok Chinatown

barrio chino bangkok

Bangkok’s Chinatown only covers about 1.5 square kilometres, but it remains one of the most notable neighbourhoods in the Thai capital.

If you visit this place you will be amazed by the beautiful Chinese temples, the colorful lights, the variety of street food. In a wide tour you will get to know the city from a different perspective.

The best way to start your tour of Bangkok’s Chinatown is along the famous Yaowarat Street, and immerse yourself in a world full of surprises. Depending on the time of day, you may experience something different here.

It’s great to explore especially in the morning, but it’s also nice at night. But what is the best thing to do in this peculiar neighborhood?

What to see and do in Bangkok’s Chinatown

The visit to this beautiful place can be well planned in advance, but if you are one of those who likes to go on an adventure, we present some of the most emblematic and visited places that will be impossible to forget.

Yaowarat Way

The Thanon Yaowarat, or better known as Yaowarat Road is the heart of Chinatown. It is a road that starts at Chinatown Gate and ends at Phanuphan Bridge.

thanon yaowarat bangkok china town
In this neighborhood there are signs in Chinese and Thai.

No doubt this place will make you feel like you’re in Hong Kong or Shanghai.

Visit Wat Traimit

It is one of the most important temples in Thailand. Tourists make a mandatory stop at this religious structure to appreciate the Golden Buddha. It weighs about 5.5 tons and measures more than 3 meters.

wat traimit chinese quarter bangkok
One of the most beautiful temples in the capital of Thailand.

It has particular characteristics that are part of the venerated art. One of them is its prominent nose and fine lips separated in a soft smile.

Besides the Golden Buddha, the structure itself is memorable and impressive. It also houses the Yaowarat Chinatown Heritage Museum.

Discover the Chinese temples 🐉

In this Chinese district you will be able to admire large and small temples, considered as sacred places.

The most beautiful temple is Wat Mangkon Kamalawat. It is beautifully decorated with many golden and red colors, which in Chinese tradition give good luck.

Wat Mangkon Kamalawat temple in Bangkok's Chinatown
A Buddhist temple in the purest Chinese style.

This temple enchants anyone who sees it with its amazing Chinese architecture, it is one of the best things you can see.

Other interesting temples are the Rong Kuak Shrine (near the Golden Buddha), the Chow Sue Kong Shrine, and the Kuan Im Shrine, which is near the Marine Department’s boat dock.

The Chinatown Street Food Markets

Food is omnipresent, here you can find fresh food at any time of day. At night the food stands are open for tasting, being an amazing experience for the visitors.

The best thing is to walk around and enjoy the variety of street food. One thing is for sure, and that is that most of the dishes you will never have seen before, and some of them you probably won’t even want to try.

You’ll have your choice of everything from fish ball soup to fried insects and scorpions. But also exotic fruits, baozi stuffed with meat (stuffed chinese dumplings), dried fish, bird’s nest soup, and seafood.

Sampeng Lane 👜

It is the most popular market and shopping street in Bangkok’s Chinatown. In it, you will find narrow streets and a great variety of things to buy.

It is hard to believe that this narrow street used to be the main street of the neighborhood. A large part of Sampeng Lane is covered, and some areas even have air conditioning.

In the shops you will get various items of all kinds, mostly made in China. Whether it’s household goods, plates and cutlery, children’s toys and much more.

Tip: It is best to visit SampengLane in the morning. Most of the shops are open from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

So Heng Tai

This ancient village is over 200 years old, and is a must if you are in Chinatown. Only a few tourists know about this real gem that will take your breath away.

house so heng thai
A hidden house worth visiting.

It is one of the few well-preserved and admired villas in Bangkok. It currently serves as a museum, café and diving school.

Don’t let it pass you by, you must admire its impressive Chinese-Thai style architecture that the beautiful So Heng Thai has for you.

Chinatown on the Chao Phraya River

Chinatown is partly situated on the Chao Phraya, the huge river of Bangkok. The arrival at this place by boat at the Marine Department station is really impressive.

Chee Chin Khor Temple
A beautiful pagoda on the riverbank.

From there you will be able to admire a river environment, as well as some historical Chinese buildings such as the Mazu Temple, or the Chee Chin Khor Temple.

Flower market in Bangkok Chinatown

The flower market is the edge of Bangkok’s Chinatown and is one of the best places to visit in the city. Located on the Chao Praya River, you can get there by ferry.

You will love it, the colorful bouquets, the offerings to the temple, the huge flowers full of colors and aromas, along with lots of fresh vegetables and fruits.

Tip: The market is open 24 hours a day. But the best time is in the morning when the flowers are delivered fresh.

How to get to Chinatown?

You can easily get there by taxi, bus, subway or boat. Take the MRT to Hua Lamphong Station and walk a few minutes to China Gate. Chinatown is not connected to the BTS, but you can change to the MRT.

Boat: From the river, you can reach Chinatown by boat. The best way to get there is to get off at the Rajawongse stop. From there, it’s the fastest way to get to Yaowarat road.

Taxi: Of course, you can also get there by taxi. Metered prices are really cheap.