Bangkok Chinatown (Yaowarat) Holidays
Chinatown (Yaowarat)
Holidays
Bangkok's most atmospheric neighbourhood — the world's best street food, gold shops, temples and 150 years of Chinese heritage
Search Chinatown (Yaowarat) Holidays
Flight Time
11h from London
Best Time
November to February
Country
Bangkok, Thailand
Suppliers
our travel partners ·
Chinatown (Yaowarat) Holiday Guide
Bangkok's Chinatown (Yaowarat) is one of the most atmospheric and rewarding neighbourhoods in Asia — a dense, chaotic, extraordinary district of gold shops, street food stalls, Chinese temples and wholesale markets that has been the heart of Bangkok's Chinese community for over 150 years.
The street food on Yaowarat Road is the finest in Bangkok — and arguably in the world. The street comes alive after dark with hundreds of stalls serving roast duck, oyster omelettes, crab fried rice and extraordinary Chinese-Thai cuisine. Several stalls have Michelin stars and charge less than £2.
Wat Traimit houses the world's largest solid gold Buddha — a 5.5-tonne image worth £250 million, discovered by accident in 1955. Sampeng Lane is Bangkok's most extraordinary wholesale market. Talat Noi is the most photogenic hidden neighbourhood in the city.
The gold shops of Yaowarat Road are a central part of Bangkok's Chinese community — over 100 shops selling 23-karat gold jewellery. Chinese New Year (January/February) is the most spectacular time to visit.
The best time to visit Bangkok is November to February. We search across Travelpack, Emirates Holidays and JTA Holidays for the best deals, with the FIBI discount applied automatically.
Popular Areas in Chinatown (Yaowarat)
Average Temperatures
Jan
29°C
Feb
31°C
Mar
33°C
Apr
34°C
May
33°C
Jun
32°C
Jul
31°C
Aug
31°C
Sep
31°C
Oct
30°C
Nov
29°C
Dec
28°C
Ready to Book?
Call us or send an enquiry and we'll find you the best deal across Travelpack and JTA Holidays.
Call 01282 960 460Top 8 Things To Do in Chinatown (Yaowarat)
The street food, temples, markets and extraordinary atmosphere that make Bangkok's Chinatown one of the most rewarding neighbourhoods in Asia.
Yaowarat Road — World's Best Street Food
Yaowarat Road is the finest street food destination in Bangkok — and arguably in the world. The street comes alive after dark with hundreds of stalls selling roast duck, dim sum, oyster omelettes, crab fried rice, shark fin soup, mango sticky rice and the extraordinary variety of Chinese-Thai cuisine. Several stalls have been awarded Michelin stars and charge less than £2 a dish. Arrive hungry.
Wat Traimit — The Golden Buddha
Wat Traimit, at the entrance to Chinatown, houses the world's largest solid gold Buddha — a 3-metre, 5.5-tonne image made of 40% pure gold, worth approximately £250 million. The statue was discovered by accident in 1955 when a plaster Buddha being moved by crane was dropped and the plaster cracked to reveal the gold beneath. The temple museum tells the extraordinary story.
Sampeng Lane — Wholesale Market
Sampeng Lane (Soi Wanit 1) is Bangkok's most extraordinary wholesale market — a narrow, covered alley stretching for over a kilometre, packed with stalls selling fabric, clothing, accessories, toys, electronics and household goods at wholesale prices. The market is chaotic, crowded and fascinating — a glimpse into the commercial heart of Bangkok's Chinese community.
Talat Noi — Bangkok's Hidden Neighbourhood
Talat Noi, south of Yaowarat Road along the Chao Phraya riverfront, is Bangkok's most atmospheric and photogenic hidden neighbourhood — a maze of narrow lanes, old Chinese shophouses, shrines, workshops and street art. The neighbourhood has been inhabited by Chinese immigrants for over 200 years and retains an extraordinary sense of history and authenticity. Excellent for photography.
Seafood Restaurants
Chinatown has the finest seafood restaurants in Bangkok — enormous, noisy, atmospheric restaurants serving fresh crab, lobster, prawns, fish and shellfish at prices far below equivalent restaurants in London. T&K Seafood, Lek & Rut Seafood and the restaurants of Phadungdao Seafood Street are all excellent. The seafood is brought in fresh daily from the Gulf of Thailand.
Gold Shops of Yaowarat
Yaowarat Road is lined with gold shops — over 100 gold jewellery shops selling 23-karat gold jewellery, amulets and ornaments. The gold shops are a central part of Bangkok's Chinese community — gold is given as gifts for weddings, birthdays and Chinese New Year. The shops are fascinating to browse even if you are not buying. The gold price is displayed prominently in every shop.
Chinese New Year
Chinese New Year (January or February) is the most spectacular time to visit Bangkok's Chinatown — the streets are decorated with red lanterns, lion dances weave through the crowds, firecrackers explode and the food stalls are at their most extraordinary. The celebrations last for several days and attract hundreds of thousands of people. The atmosphere is extraordinary.
Pahurat — Little India
Pahurat, adjacent to Chinatown, is Bangkok's 'Little India' — a dense neighbourhood of Indian fabric shops, spice merchants, sari shops and Indian restaurants. The Pahurat Market is excellent for fabric and clothing. The Indian restaurants around the market serve excellent curry, biryani and chai at very low prices. A fascinating contrast to the Chinese character of Yaowarat.
Explore Chinatown (Yaowarat) on the Map
Key areas, beaches and attractions across the island.
Google Maps embed — add your API key to activate
Set mapEmbedUrl in the destination data to display an interactive map here