Bustling Bangkok | Part 8 | Chinatown Bangkok

During our vacation, we spent seven days in Bangkok. I’m going to split our time in Bangkok into multiple parts to cover a wide range of information about the places we visited, the modes of transportation, and the costs involved.

In this eighth chapter, I’ll share our experience at Chinatown Bangkok.

Chinatown in Bangkok was one of the most awaited stops on our trip. We had heard of Chinatowns around the world, but never experienced one ourselves, so we were eager to immerse in the vibrant Chinese culture.

The famous Chinatown night street opens around 6 p.m., but we arrived a bit early. While waiting, we explored Sampheng Market, which turned out to be the best market we shopped at in Bangkok.

Sampheng’s daytime market closes around 5 p.m., and its morning market runs from 12 noon to 5 a.m. We were there around 4 p.m., so we only had about an hour to explore. We actually ended up visiting Chinatown three different days during our stay.

On the first day, we took a ferry from the Wat Arun pier to the closest pier near Chinatown. Since we were early, we wandered through a few side streets, looked for a money exchange, and found a really good rate in an area populated mostly by Indians.

In Chinatown, our first stop was Mixer Café, where we enjoyed delicious ice creams and shakes.

Chinatown’s walking street officially opens around 6 p.m., but the real vibe begins when the neon signs light up. It looks exactly like the photos you see online the colors, the street food, and the crowds together create the best feeling of urban energy.

We made sure to try several street foods, including grilled kebabs, sugar-coated fruits, egg pancakes, and plenty of fresh juices. There were so many more options, especially different varieties of meat dishes. From what I gathered, the main street food vibe is centered around Yaowarat Road and a few of its side streets but even that small area is absolutely worth it.

If you visit Chinatown earlier in the day, you can also check out some of the temples located there, which beautifully represent Chinese culture. Unfortunately, we didn’t make it in time before they closed.

My recommendation is to visit Sampheng Market first, and then head to Chinatown in the evening to end your day with the vibrant walking street experience.