Wat Traimit, Sampeng Lane and old Chinatown by day

A five-tonne golden Buddha, a wholesale lane barely wider than a cart, and Chinese temples full of incense.

Area

Chinatown

Start from

MRT Hua Lamphong

Distance

in the city

Time needed

half a day

Best season

All year; mornings

Difficulty

Easy

Transport

MRT Hua Lamphong

Tickets & rules

Small fee at Wat Traimit

Why go

Chinatown by day is a different world from Chinatown at night. Start at Wat Traimit with its gleaming golden Buddha, then dive into Sampeng Lane, a narrow covered alley where wholesalers sell everything from beads to plastic toys.

Finish at Wat Mangkon Kamalawat, the most important Chinese Buddhist temple in the area, thick with incense smoke.

Sampeng Lane is a narrow covered alley where wholesalers sell everything from beads to plastic toys, packed with people and goods. It's a fascinating look at how the city trades.

The story

Wat Traimit's golden Buddha was hidden under plaster for centuries, possibly to protect it from invaders. Its true nature was discovered in the 1950s.

Sampeng Lane was one of the original Chinese trading streets when the community moved here at the founding of Bangkok.

Wat Mangkon Kamalawat was founded in the nineteenth century and remains an important center for Chinese Buddhism in Bangkok.

Getting there

Take the MRT to Hua Lamphong and walk a few minutes to Wat Traimit.

From there, walk through Chinatown to Sampeng Lane.

A suggested plan

1. MorningWat Traimit and the Chinatown heritage exhibition.
2. Late morningSampeng Lane.
3. LunchNoodles in a Chinatown shophouse.
4. AfternoonWat Mangkon Kamalawat.

Where to stay

Chinatown boutique hotels.

Good to know

• Go on weekdays to see Sampeng's wholesale trade at its busiest.
• Dress modestly for temples.
• Explore early before the heat.