The food street
Bangkok's biggest food street at night.
Christophe95 — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Ninara from Helsinki, Finland — CC BY 2.0
The main artery of Bangkok's Chinatown and the Chinese community's trading centre for more than two hundred years, since it moved here from its first site to make way for the Grand Palace. It is a crowded street of gold shops, glowing red signs, small shrines and markets branching off it. Yaowarat is famous above all for its food: in the evening the street becomes the city's biggest food street, with stalls of seafood, sweets and fruit. Nearby is Phahurat, a small Indian quarter of fabric shops. As much of Chinatown's food is not halal, Muslim visitors should check every stall and stick to fruit, sweets and stalls clearly marked halal. Wandering is free and always possible, best after sunset when the signs light up and the food stalls open; by day the wholesale markets in the lanes are busy. The area is packed at Chinese New Year. It is easy to reach by Wat Mangkon metro station, and you can start at Wat Traimit then walk along the street. Watch your bag in the crowds, and carry cash, as most stalls do not take cards.
Bangkok's biggest food street at night.
Chinatown's famous lights.
A street known for gold trading.
Yaowarat and Charoen Krung roads, Samphanthawong
Wat Traimit and the Golden BuddhaA temple at the edge of Bangkok's Chinatown, famous for its Golden Buddha, rough8 minutes walk
Pak Khlong Talat Flower MarketBangkok's main flower market, along Chak Phet Road and side streets near Memoria17 minutes walk
Wat Suthat and the Giant SwingOne of Bangkok's first-class royal temples, begun by King Rama I in 1807, with K17 minutes walk
Wat Saket and the Golden MountA steep artificial hill crowned by a gleaming golden stupa, known as the Golden 18 minutes walk
Museum SiamA modern interactive museum opened in 2007 in the old Ministry of Commerce build20 minutes walkLittle: most of the food is Chinese and not halal. You will find fruit and sweet stalls, some clearly marked halal stalls, and Muslim restaurants in nearby areas. It is safest to visit for the atmosphere and eat at a known halal restaurant.