Yaowarat, the Chinatown of Bangkok

Yaowarat, the Chinatown of Bangkok, is another place not to be missed by tourists. Tourists always come here for the seafood, as well as some other eateries. The easiest way to reach here is either by MRT or by boat. I never try the boat before, as I was staying nearby MRT station, so MRT is the most convenient way for me. Just drop at the final station at Hua Lamphong MRT, and we can either walk to Yaowarat or take a bus/tuk-tuk there. As tuk-tuk always charges at throat-cutting price, I usually take public bus there, because it is cheap and I can drop at any point of Yaowarat as I wish. Just go to Exit No.4 and wait for the bus number 6 or 25 or 40. Bus #6 is not air-conditioned, costs us 7THB per trip, while bus #25 & #40 are air-conditioned and cost us 15THB per trip.

Tips: There is no single English wording on the bus information, only Thai. So please tell the bus conductor that you are going to Yaowarat, and stand near to him/her. The bus conductors are usually helpful to let you know you have reached your destination.

If we are in the mood of walking to Yaowarat, it will take about 20 minutes of walking, plus you get to visit Wat Traimit, which consists of the world's largest solid golden Buddha.

On the street of Yaowarat, we can see a lot of gold shops along the street. 

A lot of people come here for the food, and I have my own eat list too! There were a few eateries that I usually go for, as below:

Seafood

There are 2 restaurants welcoming you right at the entrance of Yaowarat, the red shirt and the green shirt. Both are equally good. Expect huge crowd at both the restaurants.

Toast Bread

Located in front of Government Saving Bank, ordering is easy as you fill up the ordering form and wait for your number. Personally I like the chili paste topping.

Kuey Chap

I usually go to the one outdoor stall near the Old Market, or sometimes I will go another shop nearer to Yaowarat entrance. Easily noticeable with a lot of tables of the corridor. The kuey chap here are much more peppery, you will sweat non-stop eating this kuey chap.

Dessert: Dumpling

Sometimes I come for the dessert as well, and my favorite dessert goes to Bua Loy Nam Khing, which is the sesame dumpling in ginger soup. On the Winter Solstice festival, my colleagues and I would come here for the dumpling. 

Pomegranate Juice

This healthy juice is available along the street. You can either buy the cold-pressed juice, or buy the whole fruit from the vendors and eat it straight away.

Sorry that I could not recall the exact locations of all the stalls listed above. It was quite some time ago since I last went there in 2012.

There are many things to be done in Yaowarat, from shopping, sight seeing to eating and also worshiping, this will never disappoint us to stop by. Beware of the pickpocket while walking in the crowds, and remember to re-hydrate more especially when you are wandering along the alleys under the soaring heat.