Welcome to an unforgettable journey through the heart of Bangkok’s Chinatown. This walking tour explores the rich history, vibrant culture, and captivating landmarks that define this bustling neighborhood.
This adventure begins at the iconic Hua Lamphong Railway Station, a testament to architectural grandeur and a gateway to Thailand’s diverse landscapes. Traverse the Chinatown streets, discovering hidden gems and sacred shrines that have stood the test of time.
Embark on a remarkable exploration of Bangkok’s Chinatown, where history and tradition converge in a harmonious blend of old and new.
Hua Lamphong Railway Station
To get there, take the MRT Blue Line to Hua Lamphong Station, exit 2 brings you up inside the railway station.
Hua Lamphong Railway was designed by Italian architects Mario Tamagno and Annibale Rigotti taking six years to build before opening in 1916. The architecture is in an Italian neo-renaissance style featuring decorated wooden roofs and stained glass windows. The station has become a Bangkok landmark that used to see 60,000 passengers pass through the station each day.
Train services are now transitioning to the newly built Bang Sue Grand Station, officially named Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal.
After leaving the station, turn onto Rama IV Road, crossing the intersection over the Krung Kasem canal. You’ll come to a three-way junction where you need to continue onto Traimit Road.
On your right, you’ll come to Wat Traimit, the home of the famous Golden Buddha.
Wat Traimit
The Golden Buddha is the world’s largest golden Buddha image, standing 3 meters high, weighing 5.5 tonnes and made from 18 karat gold. The gold is estimated to be worth 250 million dollars.
The image’s official name is Phra Phuttha Maha Suwanna Patimakon, and it’s believed to date from the 13th-14th century Sukhothai Kingdom.
The temple building also contains a museum on the history of the Golden Buddha and the Chinatown Heritage Centre, which tells the history of the Chinese community in Yaowarat.
Wat Traimit is open from 08.00-17.00.
The Heritage Centre is closed on Mondays.
Turn right when leaving Wat Traimit and you will see the Chinatown Gate sitting on a traffic island in the middle of a roundabout named the Odeon Circle.
Chinatown Gate
This marks the entrance to Chinatown and the start of Yaowarat Road, which is the main street running through the heart of Chinatown.
The gate was built in 1999 in celebration of King Rama IX’s 72nd birthday and was designed by a Chinese artisan. Its prominent feature is two large dragons on the top of the archway raising the royal crest.
Turn right onto Yaowarat Road and you’ll see on your left the Thian Fah Foundation Hospital, a traditional Chinese medicine center that provides free or reasonably priced medical treatment to the local community. It was built in 1902 and now incorporates modern medical treatments with traditional Chinese medicine.
In the courtyard is the Kuan Yim Shrine.
Kuan Yim Shrine
The principal image of Guanyin is made from sandalwood and believed to be about 900 years old. The image is originally from China and was brought to the shrine in 1958.
People come to pray at the shrine to ask for good health and to be cured of illness.
Continuing down Yaowarat Road you’ll discover the commercial center of Chinatown with numerous restaurants, traditional coffee, and tea houses, gold shops, hotels, traditional medicine shops, ceramic shops and souvenir sellers.
Branching off Yaowarat Road there are several market areas and side streets selling all kinds of goods.
The more interesting part of Yaowarat Road finishes at the Ratchawong Road intersection.
A left turn here will take you down to the Ratchawong Chao Phraya Express Boat Pier.
To your right at the intersection is the Grand China Hotel. Cross the road here and turn back on Yaowarat Road before turning left into Yaowarat Soi 8.
On your left, you’ll come to Wat Bampen Chine Prote, a Buddhist Chinese temple which is one of the smallest in Thailand and dates back to the early Rattanakosin Period.
Wat Bamphen Chin Pjrot
The temple is built in a Chinese style and has Chinese monks and there are several important Buddha images inside.
The temple is open for visitors from 06.00-17.00 daily.
Walk back down Soi 8 to Yaowarat Road and turn left onto Mangkon Road. On your left, opposite of Lotus’s, you’ll come to Wat Kanmatuyaram. a temple which dates back to the reign of King Rama IV.
Wat Kanmatuyaram
Note the Sri Lankan white bell-shaped chedi as well as a shrine to Guanyin.
Continuing up Mangkon Road, turn right onto Charoen Krung Road and you’ll see Wat Mangkon Kamalawat on the opposite side of the road.
Its main entry is through an archway leading to a courtyard set back from the road.
Wat Mangkon Kamalawat
The temple was built in 1871 and in a Southern Chinese architectural style. It’s also the largest and most important Chinese temple in Bangkok.
Inside the main entrance, you’ll find four large guardian images, beyond which is the Ordination Hall containing three main Chinese style Buddha images behind an altar. Elsewhere in the temple you’ll find more Buddha images and shrines dedicated to various Buddhist, Taoist and Confucian deities as well as Chinese gods and goddesses.
The temple is open from 09.00-17.00.
After leaving Wat Mangkon Kamalawat, cross the road and continue walking up Charoen Krung Road before turning right into a narrow alley lined with market stalls called Itsara Nuphap.
As you walk down the alley you’ll come to our last stop, the Leng Buai La Shrine, which will be on your left.
Leng Buai La Shrine
The shrine was originally an ancient Tae Chew shrine built in 1658 in a traditional Chinese architectural style and is reputed to be the oldest Chinese shrine in Thailand.
The rooftop features two stuccoed dragons facing each other while the columns are encircled by two more dragons.
Inside at the center is an altar in front of images of Leng Buai La and his wife. To the left is an image of the Gong-Wu deity while on the right is the Queen of Heaven.
There are also other rare objects including an ancient Ching dynasty bell.
After completing the walk, hop on the MRT at Wat Mangkon Station.
