The fourth day of this Bangkok Travel Guide will be mostly spent in Chinatown. Although it’s possible to get lost here for the whole day, we’ve planned a break from the chaos to visit the urban oasis Bang Krachao.
For a bit of context, Nuno and I created a complete itinerary for Bangkok, divided it into 5 parts, and organized it by days. The locations on each itinerary are sequentially planned and mapped in the most convenient order. But the days are interchangeable, and you can sort them as you want. Check out:
Let’s start day four.
Bangkok Chinatown and Bang Krachao Itinerary Map Day 4
(All spots for day-4 are marked on the map by lilac pins).
Pak Klong Talad (Flower Market)
Pak Khlong Talat market is the third biggest orchid flower market on the planet and ranks at No. 4 on the top ten best flower markets around the world.
Many of the flowers sold here are used on a daily basis to decorate Buddhist temples and shrines throughout Bangkok.
Photo by Ninara
Photo by Eric Molina
This fragrant flower market is open 24 hours a day, but the activity starts before sunrise, around 3:00 AM, when flower deliveries arrive from Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, and other Bangkok nearby provinces.
As the cool temperatures at dawn help flowers stay fresh, this is when you can see the market bustling with people. Therefore, your visit to Pak Klong Talad should be early in the morning (8:00 AM-ish), or after midnight.
Photo by Ninara
How to get to Pak Klong Talad
🚌 Bus:
The market is located near the Memorial Bridge and the bus lines that can be useful are No. 3, 8, 9. For other transport alternatives, check www.transitbangkok.com
Wat Mangkon Kamalawat (Dragon Lotus Temple)
The Dragon Lotus Temple is a Chinese-Buddhist temple in the heart of Chinatown and a hotspot of activities for Bangkok’s Chinese population.
The layout of Wat Mangkon Kamalawat consists of a set of interconnected courtyards that house collections of Buddhist, Taoist, and Confucian shrines.
Photo by Chainwit Dhanasarnsombat
Although it’s during Chinese New Year (February 1st, 2022), or during the Chinese Vegetarian Festival (usually falls in late September or October and lasts 9-days) that you can see Wat Mangkon Kamalawat in all its splendor, the temple is visited daily by devotees to leave their offerings and prayers.
Opening hours
Fromm 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM.
Admission is free.
Photo by Kris Duda
Getting to Wat Mangkon Kamalawat on foot
From Pak Klong Talad you will have to walk 24 minutes. Use the map in this post as a guide.
Transportation to Wat Mangkon Kamalawat
🛺 Tuk-tuk
A tuk-tuk ride from the flower market should cost you 30 THB.
🚕 Taxi
A taxi should cost around 35 THB.
Wat Traimit (The Temple of the Golden Buddha)
Wat Traimit is located in Bangkok Chinatown and earned the name “Temple of the Golden Buddha“ for housing the biggest solid gold Buddha statue in the world.
The sited Buddha statue is about 800 years old, measures over three meters high, and weighs five and a half tons.
Wat Traimit has a museum on the 2nd and 3rd floor, where you can learn about the history of the Golden Buddha and the history of the Chinese traders in Bangkok.
Opening hours:
from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM and closes on Mondays
The entrance fee is 40 Baht.
Photo by Preecha.MJ
Getting to Wat Traimit on foot
From the Dragon Lotus temple, walk 14 minutes towards the southeast.
How to get to the Wat Traimit
🚇 MRT Subway
Take a train on the Blue Line of the MRT Subway and get off at Hua Lamphong station. From there, it’s a few minutes’ walk.
🛺 Tuk-tuk
If you are in Chinatown but don’t feel like walking, take a tuk-tuk.
Bang Krachao (Bangkok Green Lung)
Bang Krachao is an artificial island nestled in the center of a curve made by the Chao Phraya River. Known as the green lung of Bangkok – due to its shape and amount of trees – it’s like an oasis that sprung in the middle of a metropolis.
Upon arrival, you can rent a bicycle to tour the entire park and observe the unique culture of the district. Bike rentals vary between 50 THB per hour or 100 THB per day. Bang Krachao maps are available at the pier and at the bike rental shops. You’ll need one.
In Bang Krachao you can visit:
• Beautiful temples
• A floating market (on Saturdays and Sundays, in the morning until 3:00 PM)
• Trendy cafes
• Many food stalls
• The Sri Nakhon Khuen Khan Botanic park
Bang Krachao opening hours
Daily 6:00 AM to 8:00 PM
How to get to Bang Krachao (Bangkok green lung)
🚇 MRT
Take the blue MRT line, close to the Hua Lamphong train station, and get off at Klong Toi station. From here, you can walk 30 min to Klong Toei Pier, or hire a taxi for 60 THB.
To cross the river, take one of the wooden longtail boats at the pier, next to Wat Khlong Toey Nok temple. The boat trip costs 10 baht.
Bangkok Chinatown
Bangkok’s Chinatown is vibrant, crowded, loud, and the largest in the world. So you better believe we’re going to include it in this itinerary.
Nuno and I were super excited to come here, mainly for the multitude of food stalls (some even recommended by the Michelin guide).
Check out: www.guide.michelin.com/five-incredible-street-food-stalls-in-chinatown
At night, the bright wok flames shooting in the air and the diversity of affordable food make for a gastronomic experience that should not be missed. But aside from the food, there’s a conspicuous cultural variation, noticeable in the spoken language, in the distinct architecture (some part of the city’s heritage), the temples, and the giant hanzi neon signs. So much so, that it might seem like you’ve left Thailand for a brief moment.
Photo by Ninara
How to get to Yaoworat Road in Chinatown
🚇 MRT
From Bang Krachao, return to Klong Toei station and take the MRT back to Hua Lamphong train station.
There’s still a lot of Bangkok to visit, check out:
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