BANGKOK GUIDE; ENTERTAINMENT
5 fun things to do in Chinatown Bangkok
Elke l’Amie
18 July 201822 March 2016
Things to do in Chinatown Bangkok
Chinatown is fun but can be overwhelming. Especially in the evening, it is very crowded. It is still one of my favorite places to go and a must visit in Bangkok. Let me show you 5 fun things to do in Chinatown Bangkok. Follow the list, and enjoy without getting too overwhelmed.
Also, Chinatown is very “Instagrammable”, you’ll find the best spots for photography in Bangkok. #instafamous #allforthegram 😛
Inside Railway station
Hua Lamphong Bangkok
1. Visit one of the cute cafes in Chinatown Bangkok
Bangkok has many cute cafes, as in Thailand we love cute things! Totally up my alley 😉 So don’t be surprised to find them in Chinatown too. One of my favorite things to do in Chinatown Bangkok (or everywhere to be honest) is exploring these cafes.
My favorite cafe in Chinatown is Nana Coffee Roasters. Get ready for amazing cakes and a super green and cool cafe. From the outside, the cafe looks really small but inside there are more levels, which makes it pretty cool to explore and take pictures.
Another nice cafe with good food in Chinatown is Wanderlust coffee and eatery. Their sandwiches were pretty good!
I would recommend you going here first for lunch and continue to Nana coffee roasters for cake. Also, the outside it pretty Instagrammable ;-).
Would recommend going to Wanderlust coffee and eatery first for lunch and continue to Nana coffee roasters for cake.
2. Visit Wat Chakawat Ratchawat (creepy crocodiles)
A weird but also beautiful place to go is the temple Wat Chakawat Ratchawat. This temple issurroundedd by beautiful flowers. But the creepy thing about it is the two crocodiles that live there. It is a bit sad to see, so I won’t post any pictures. But the legend goes that the crodiles kept eating young monks, so therefor they got trapped and live in a little water next to the temple. Don’t worry you can’t reach them (or more importantly they can’t reach you haha).
Seeing the ccrocodiles was weird, but the temple surrounded by flowers is beautiful and a must see in Bangkok.
3. Eat seafood at Yaowarat at night
One of the best things to do in Chinatown Bangkok is to eat seafood at Yaowarat at night. During the day there is not much to see besides traffic and restaurants, but from 5 pm onwards Yaowarat street will turn in to food heaven. Find the place with the biggest queue (go early) and order some of the best seafood in town.
You can recognize the place at the red/yellow plastic chairs.
Delicious seafood at Yaowarat Chinatown .
Things to do in Chinatown Bangkok
4. Go shopping at Sampeng Lane market
The best and cheapest place to go souvenir shopping is at Sampeng Lane. It is a hot and long street full of shops. Think about a narrow alley with local shops on both sides. Some are for wholesale and have a minimum buy. For example for earings, you need to buy a minium of 5 but then still you can buy them for 5-15 TBH a piece!
Go early as it gets sweaty HOT! But it is definitely one of the best things to do in Chinatown Bangkok.
Cute souvernirs to shop sampeng lane market
5. Enjoy the view at Skyview 360
Bangkok has some of the best rooftop bars in the world. Of course, there is one in Chinatown too. Located on the top floor of Grand China Hotel you will find restaurant Skyview 360. It offers a beautiful view over the city.
The restaurant opens at 6 pm, just in time for sunset.
Beautiful Bangkok view
photo curtency of Grand China hotel
Bonus tip for things to do in Chinatown Bangkok –
How to get to Chinatown Bangkok?
The easiest way to get to China Town is by MRT, get off at the last stop Hua Lamphong. You can easily walk from here or take a tuk-tuk or taxi.
Hua Lamphong – Railway station
While you are at the MRT Station it is only a few minutes walk through the tunnel/ underground walkway of the MRT station. It is a nice walk because along the way you see many old pictures of the Royal Family of Thailand and the Royal Families of different countries (including the Netherlands).
The Hua Lamphong (Bangkok) Railway station was opened in 1916. The architecture is beautiful. Especially in the evening when it lights up. 60.000 passengers a day take a train at the railway station.
I have been here many times to take a train to either Ayutthaya or the sleeper train to Chiang Mai. A lovely experience and I would definitely recommend it.
Or even just go for a picture, it is one of the fun things to do in Chinatown Bangkok. And an “Instagrammable” spot for sure!
Take the train from Hua Lamphong
Curious about the schedule and the prices of the train tickets from Hua Lamphong Bangkok? Check out the link. You can book tickets through there too and just pick them up at the train station. Very easy!
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Chinatown is one of my favorite parts of Bangkok! I was also fascinated by the temple with the crocodiles, which I found by coincidence.. will definitely go back soon to explore the cool coffee places in your blogpost!! 🙂
Liefs, Gosia (IG @treasurista_)
Yes, so many cool coffee places in Chinatown! Also, love all the lights when its dark! Glad you like it too Gosia!
I love that photo of you sitting at the glass table and the reflection of you on the surface. Great photo shots. Havent been to Bangkok yet but hope to get out there soon and I love checking out CHinatowns all over the world. Would want to check out some of the places in this post . 🙂
Thank you Danik! Hope you will be able to visit Bangkok soon! It’s a great city 🙂
I love a good Instagram-worthy place! I think I’d really enjoy the Chakawat Ratchawat and the cute cafes! Haven’t been to Bangkok yet but it’s definitely on my list 🙂
I haven’t been to Bangkok at all – but if I do go, Chinatown is definitely somewhere I will check out. The cafes look great and it’s always useful to know where to get good local food. Yaowarat sounds amazing and just my kind of thing
China Town was such an interesting place in Bangkok! I found it very HUGE compared to most China towns in other cities too. Sampeng Lane was insane and so crowded…I defo bought a few cheap things there too haha! good read!
I enjoy going to these little neighbourhood built by immigrants when visiting cities. Chinatown with its cool cafes and that rooftop bar looks like a fun place to visit in the evening.
Chinatown looks like a great place to spend a less-hectic day in Bangkok. I am sure I would eat at more than one of the cafes and spend a lot of time roaming the streets. Crocodiles…maybe skip that part 🙂
I love Chinatown. It has an amazing energy and it changes from the day to the night, when it becomes far more frenetic. Shopping in Sampeng Lane is always an interesting experience and the street food at night is divine.
Bangkok is such a throbbing and vibrant city with so much to see and experience. When we were there for a few days a couple of years ago, we did visit Chinatown but could not actually explore it. I now see some of the things that we missed. Sampeng Lane seems nice for shopping and the temple Wat Chakawat Ratchawat too sounds intriguing, though feel sorry for the crocodiles confined to a small space.
You are right had the same feeling about the crocodiles so I didn’t post a picture. But the temple is worth a visit. Glad you liked Bangkok too Sandy!
Ah, Chinatown! Love this place especially at night! It’s so dazzling! And Bangkok is truly amazing! My 5 months stay there wasn’t enough! foods are super delicious and people are nice, too! And yes one of the best things here is eat seaood at Yaowarat, I and my partner have a favorite seafood restaurant there, always gets a long queue! Wonder if you’ve also been there? It’s called T & K seafood!
Yes, I know that place! It’s the same as the plastic chairs I speak about in my blog. Thanks for helping me remember the name haha! Funny Before I lived in Thailand for 5 months as an exchange student. I came back a couple years later and live here for 3 years now! So who knows you might take the same path, Catherine.
Bangkok does look like some spots in Philippines, but it also has its own qualities that Im always looking forward to! Hope to come back soon!
I loved the Philippines too! Asia has so many gorgeous spots! Thanks Kristie