Chinatown Eats

In recent years Bangkok's government has cleaned up the sidewalks, resulting in a loss of some of the vibrant street food culture that locals and tourists love. But one area has been largely immune to this - Yaowarat, aka Bangkok's Chinatown.

We're going to start from the Hualamphong MRT (subway) station and walk past the legendary Temple of the Golden Buddha (which looks quite. nice lit up at night!) on our way to Chinatown's main drag. Once there we'll walk up one side of the street and down the other, walking past an endless line of vendors offering a dizzying array of snacks, desserts, finger-foods, stir-fries, and full-on meals.

This tour is best enjoyed by those who love to dive into the local culture and experience Bangkok at street level. Of course Chinatown is always heaving with tourists, but don't forget that many Thais also come here to get their fix as well, often lining up (or sending their drivers to line up) at their favorite vendors, many of which have been pumping out mouth-watering dishes for decades.

Along the way we will:

• Learn the history of the insanely beautiful Golden Buddha and why everyone who knew its secret was captured, killed or chased away from it
• Look up at the iconic Odeon Gate, which marks the beginning of Chinatown's 'dragon', and learn why a bright red Chinese gate is named after a movie theater
• Understand the role that a boring little street played in the Chinese Revolution of 1911, which ended a 300-year old dynasty
• Catch a live music show at an open-air bar the lets you sip and relax while you people watch
• Take a shortcut through a tiny little soi that was the first place in Bangkok to sell porno magazines (which is also named after another movie theater)
• Visit one of Bangkok's hippest streets that boats a huge concentration of even hipper drinking establishments

And most importantly, get a chance to use your best English and sign language to sample an insane array of food - as much or as little as you want - from some of the busiest street food stalls in Bangkok. Be it fresh seafood, handmade noodles, roasted chestnuts, fried dough, steamed duck, rolled noodes, fresh fruit or the King of Fruit - durian - I challenge you to emerge from this tour without feeling stuffed (in a good way)