1. Lek & Rut Seafood
Come to Lek & Rut Seafood in Chinatown and have your dinner served in one of the strangest places you can think of: a busy intersection of Bangkok Chinatown. And still the place is always packed and there are even lines of people patiently waiting for seats.
Lek and Rut Seafood, one of the legendary street food seafood restaurants in Chinatown located at the corner of the always bustling Yaowarat Road and Phadung Dao (also known as Soi Texas)
On the menu, you’ll find an extensive list of mostly Thai Chinese dishes, mainly based on seafood, though other meats and plenty of vegetables are available as well.
Having dinner at Lek-Rut is the perfect way to experience the way of life and culinary open-mind of Bangkok. It’s a fun and fascinating experience.
2. Sampeng Lane Market
Hot, busy, and congested with vendors selling everything from fabrics, cheap clothes, electronic to decorations, that might not sound too tempting but trust me, it’s the fun part of shopping at Sampeng Lane Market.
This really is one of the cheapest places to shopping in Bangkok, and it’s even better if you buy in bulk (with most shops here, above 10 is consider bulk). You can find pretty much everything a tourist looking for: silk, jewelry, copied DVDs, women’s shoes, toys, cosmetics, handicrafts, dried food and all kinds of tourist souvenirs.
Food is another reason why you must visit Sampeng Lane Market. There’s plenty of things you can try while shopping: moo ping (barbecued pork), kanom buang (crispy tacos with sweet filling), mango and sticky rice, isaan sausage, fish cakes, spring rolls, ice cream. There’s also a few guay diow (noodle soup) vendors that squeeze a few tables and chairs into a couple of dark, cramped nooks within the middle of Sampeng.
3. Chinatown Gateway
The Chinatown Gate in the middle of the Odeon traffic circle marks the ceremonial entrance to one end of Chinatown.The gate is called the King’s Birthday Celebration Arch, signifying the loyalty of the Chinese community to King Bhumibol of Thailand. It was opened in time to celebrate the king’s 60th birthday on the throne. Offerings and prayers are often made at the gate, especially during the annual Chinese New Year celebrations, which are generally centered around the gate. It also makes a great background image for a photo to memorize your trip to Bangkok Chinatown.
4. Grand China Princess Hotel Rooftop Bar
Located inside the Grand China Hotel is the China Princess Hotel Rooftop Bar, otherwise known as the Club Lounge or the Revolving Restaurant. This restaurant is best known for its impeccable views of the Chao Phraya River, which guests can see from the 25th floor of the building. With live music every evening and stupefying views, this is a great place to take an air conditioned break any time past 17:00 after a tiring exploration of busy Chinatown.
5. Wat Traimit (Temple Of Golden Buddha)
Located at the end of Chinatown’s Yaowarat Road, near Hualampong Railway Station, Wat Traimit houses the world’s largest massive gold seated Buddha measuring nearly five meters in height and weighing five and a half tons. Made of about 83% pure gold and weighing in at five and a half tons, the 15-foot tall seated image is worth millions of dollars at today’s gold prices.The Buddha at Wat Traimit was discovered by accident when it was accidentally dropped as it was being moved, revealing, under a casing of plaster, a beautiful solid gold Sukhothai style Buddha. Pieces of the plaster are still kept on display.
Entrance to see just the Golden Buddha is 40 Baht (1.02 USD). The museum costs an additional 100 Baht (2.56 USD). The temple is open 8:00 am to 5:00 pm every day, but note that the museum is closed on Mondays.
