“Chinatown.” The word conjures a sense of excitement, danger, and otherworldliness, and of film noir made by fugitive movie directors. 

Every big city in the world seems to have a Chinatown, and anybody who has done much traveling has visited one. Even if you’ve never been to China, you probably have had at least a glimpse of what it’s like, if you’ve ever been to San Francisco, London, or Sydney. Bangkok’s Chinatown stands out among all others, though. It is the largest Chinatown in the world, and seems more like a city unto itself than a district of a larger municipality.

Chinatown in Bangkok is huge, but it’s easy to get to. Any taxi driver can take you there, although keep in mind that most drivers don’t speak English, so you’ll need to say “Thanon Yaowarat” (Yaowarat Road) instead of “Chinatown” to get any results. Yaowarat Road forms the vibrant center of Chinatown, and is the best place to start. Wherever you wander, you’ll find that it’s unlike any other Chinatown in the world. If you’ve been to San Francisco’s Chinatown for example, you may have enjoyed walking the entire length of Grant Street all the way to North Beach in under 30 minutes. Bangkok’s Chinatown? You can wander for days and never see the same thing twice.

You will of course, encounter some of the finest Chinese restaurants outside of Beijing in Bangkok’s Chinatown, so take advantage of them while you’re there. You won’t find your typical Western-style Chinese food, which in reality bears little resemblance to the real thing. Here, you’ll find rare and unusual delicacies like bird’s nest soup, which is made from real bird nests, and is much tastier than it sounds. Shark’s fin soup is another delicacy often ordered on special occasions. And of course, dim sum restaurants are everywhere, and these are great fun since you get to sample a bit of everything.

Deep in the heart of Chinatown you’ll find Sampeng, a crowded, pedestrian street full of merchants, and a great place to find incredible bargains on jewelry and clothing. Just trying to walk through Sampeng is a challenge in itself, but well worth the effort. It’s a favorite place for Western importers to pick up cheap goods for resale, or just for hearty tourists to find gifts to take back home. As with any crowded shopping venue, keep a close watch on your wallet or purse while you’re there.

Even if you don’t buy anything (but we know you will), just looking at the architecture is worth the trip. Here, you’ll find many old buildings created according to Chinese-style architectural designs, as well as old-style wooden homes built in traditional Siamese style. You may also happen upon some of the Chinese Buddhist temples such as Wat Mangkon Kamalawat, which tend to differ from the other temples throughout Bangkok, both in tradition and in architectural style. As with most Buddhist temples, you are free to wander through, but keep in mind that Buddhist temples are places of reverence first, and not meant to be tourist attractions.

 

Bangkok’s Chinatown has a decidedly old-world feel, much different from the flashy malls and skyscrapers of the downtown area. You’ll find plenty of street vendors as well as unique shops, and as you walk through the narrow streets, you’ll see vendors stirring open cauldrons of freshly roasted chestnuts, and you can feel the heat from the coals as you walk by. You’ll see fresh markets with seafood still crawling around in buckets, and rows upon rows of vendors with colorful silk shirts hanging from racks on the sidewalk, which are always a great bargain. You won’t be able to resist picking up one or two. Have fun, and be prepared for the shopping trip of your life!