THAILAND – Bangkok – Walking Along the Dragon’s Backbone

Description

Walking along the dragon’s backbone – Bangkok’s Chinatown while discovering remarkable landmarks such as the biggest Golden Buddha in the world, Odeon Circle and the Street of Gold as well as other lesser known but none-the-less captivating places: a mosque and its peaceful graveyard, a temple and it’s ironic location where illegal gamblers pray, the prostitution temple and a temple where they can donate coffins for the poor. This walking tour is a great opportunity to see street vendors that have been operating for generations, smell the fresh food market and its plethora of exotic produce, visit some of the oldest shops in Bangkok and learn about the local community and its fascinating Chinese traditions.

Selling points

• A must-do for people who like lively neighborhoods and bustling places
• Another way to learn about the culture off the beaten paths
• An opportunity to try food that is not available elsewhere (Thai and Chinese)
• A great spot to learn what to ask for and how to order

Time And Transportation

Duration

• 3h30 – 4h tours with approximate 1 hour 15 minutes’ walk. Rest is sightseeing.

Min pax

1

Max pax

35

How to sell it

• Clients who like crowded and bustling neighborhoods
• Recommended in the morning.
• Not recommended for older clients or those with mobility issues – requires a lot of walking (4 kilometers)
• Private tour only
• Tour is more focused on culture than food around Chinatown neighborhood.
• Thorough visit Yaowarat – one of the most iconic neighborhoods in Thailand
• Easia own signature Chinatown walk
• Family Tours but with children 8+ is recommended.

Why this activity

• Easia Travel own signature Chinatown tour

Good to combine with

• Afternoon activities – but no food tour or Chinatown again
• Wat Phra Kaew visit in the afternoon

Do not combine with

• Food tour in the afternoon – some places are similar.
• Dragon’s Belly food tour
• Evening biking in Chinatown
• Regular walking tour in Chinatown

Market suggestion

Competitor comparison

• Most DMCs offer walking tours in Chinatown, however, this one is an Easia Signature one focusing on the culture of the area. Nobody offers this exact tour.

Pros

• Easia own signature Chinatown walk

Cons

• Available only from Tuesday to Saturday
• Guide must be trained and follow the map of the tour.
• Big groups need to split up into two smaller groups (crowded area and narrow streets)

Information

• Not a food tour – but snacks are included on the way and will be adapted by guide on the spot.
• Private tour only
• The tour can start either at Rachawong pier (arrival by local boat) or at Wat Trimit (private transport or MRT walking distance)
• It’s arguably a long walk.
• Can be difficult to walk in hot season.

Alerts

• Available only from Tuesday to Saturday
• Big groups (more than 18 pax) need to be split up into two smaller groups (crowded area and narrow streets), in this case an extra guide needs to be quoted!

Price range

560 THB (2 pax basis)

Quotation guideline

ERP – Activity – Easia Signature – Walking along the dragon’s backbone
The cost depends on the number of pax -verify with Production – Contracting

Inclusion

• Snack
• Herbal drink
• Drinking water
• One soft drink
• Entrance fees

Exclusion

• Transport in and out
• Guide

Important notes

Routing for FIT (up to 18 pax)

1. Start at Ratchawong Pier. Go along the Ratchawog Road and take the first turning into right in Song Wat Road full of old beautiful Chinese shop houses (fruit building)
2. Visit the Peing Public school (toilets available) – a century year old school where many famous Thais had their education (including Chang beer owner)
3. Continue along the road to visit the only one mosque in Chinatown (Luang Kocha) and its peaceful graveyard.
4. Furhter along the Song Wat Road, turn left to Trok Saphan Yuan which leads to Soi Wanit 1 Road and turn left onto it. Pass Yaowa Phanit road and turn left into Yaowa Phanit soi 1 where backdoors shops produce Chinese bums. 
5. Continue by these small alleys along Trok Rong Dome and Rong Khom making a loop coming back to Soi  Wanit  1 where Toh Kang Gold shop and First Bank (6) is located on the crossroad with Mangkok Road
6. Bank
7. Go along Mangkok Road, crossing Yaowarat to stop at the Tesco Lotus shop at (toliets available). Take the escalator to the second floor wth many massage parlours and find old  men playing Chinese chess – Xiangi and enjoy Chinese tea prepared in a traditional way
8. Further up along Mangkon Road you reach Charoen Krung. Turn right and enter Wat Mangkon Kamalawat Temple – the most famous Chinese temple in Yaowarat9. Leave by side entrance and walk along Mangkon Road and turn right to Soi Chaokhamrop entering Poh Tek Tung temple where you can donate coffin to the poor. Learn about the history of Body Snatchers (Poh The Tung) and their foundation
9. Visit located next door Buddhist temple Wat Khanikaphon. See the statue of the founder at the back and learn why it is called Prostitute temple 
10. Cross the street where Prachapa Police Station is located and use the lift at the back of the building to go to the roof where you find Er ger Fong temple where many gamblers and involved in illegal businesses pray
11. Continue by Phlap Phla Chai Road and see the paper goods shops which sell offering burnt in Chinese temples
12. Turn right to Charoen Chai 2 road with many old houses and living community fighting for not being evicted. Stop at Ban Kao Lao Ruang museum preserving community. See the house which survived from fire and check old photographs and Chinese opera costumes presented there
13. Come back to Charoen Krung and enter Talad Mai (Soi Itsara nuphap) towards Yaowarat – market full of different food, herbs, fruits etc
14. See the oldest Chinese temple  in  Thailand – hidden and peaceful Leng Buai Eia Shrine
15. Drink pomegranate juice
16. Go along the Yaowarat Road and visit Lor Yaowarat Store – 70 year old shop run by the same family for four generation. After refurbishment it has more modern face right but still stock up by more than 5000 products
17. Turn left into Plaeng Ngam Road and stop at Yin Sui Fung – Chinese accessory shop with opera and rituals stuff
18. Continue along the road and stop at the entrance to Vietnamese temple Wat Yuan for Khanom Jeeb sold by Pae Siah’s family
    
19. Turn right onto Charoen Krung Street passing by face threaders
20. Walk further along Charoen Krung street and drink a herbal drink at Kham Khi Nam Tao Tong
21. Cross the  parking lot to Rama IV road where coffin shops are located
22. Visit a traditional Chinese medicine shop on  the crossroad of Rama IV and Lamphun Chai road
23. Turn right into Lamphun Chai road and walk along this street until you reach Yaowarat again and its Shark fins and Birds’ nest shops and restaurants
24. Pay respect to happy Buddha at Thian Fah foundation – first charity organization
25. See the celebration Arch at Odeon roundabout
26. Finish the tour while marveling the biggest golden image of Buddha at Wat Trimit (toilets available)

Suggested routing in case the group needs to be split up (GIT with more than 18pax):

Start at Wat Mangkon MRT station:

Group 1: https://goo.gl/maps/MtV5QaUfwbHvnu1R9

Group 2: https://goo.gl/maps/vgMNfeWFY1tkpt7UA

Special Guide notes

• Fully operated by guide – see itinerary above
• The tour can start either at Rachawong pier (arrival by local boat) or at Wat Trimit (private transport or MRT walking distance)

Special Information

• This activity is aimed at FIT mainly, but for GIT it can be operated by splitting up into smaller groups. Otherwise it is too difficult to handle for a guide and some places have limited capacity.

English

Walking along the dragon backbone
Visit Bangkok’s Chinatown while discovering remarkable landmarks such as: the biggest golden Buddha in the world, Odeon Circle and the Street of Gold as well as other lesser known but none-the-less captivating places: a mosque and its peaceful graveyard, a temple and its ironic location where illegal gamblers pray, the prostitution temple and a temple where you can donate coffins for the poor. Have the chance to see street vendors that have been operating for generations, smell the fresh food market and its plethora of exotic produce, visit ancient shops and learn about the local community and its fascinating Chinese traditions.

French

Balade sur le dos du dragon
Le Chinatown de Bangkok possède de nombreuses attractions comme le plus grand Bouddha du monde, la porte Odeon et la Rue de l’Or, mais aussi d’autres sites moins connus mais tout aussi captivants comme la mosquée et son cimetière tranquille, un temple insolite où les parieurs clandestins viennent prier, le temple de la prostitution et un temple où l’on peut donner des cercueils pour les pauvres. Pendant cette balade, vous pourrez voir des vendeurs présents depuis des décennies, sentir le marché du frais et sa multitude de nourriture exotique mais aussi visiter de vieilles boutiques et en apprendre plus sur la communauté locale et ses fascinantes traditions chinoises.

Spanish

Pasee a través de la espina dorsal del dragón
Disfrute de Chinatown en Bangkok a la vez que descubre notables monumentos como estos: el Buda de oro más grande del mundo, el Círculo de Odeon y la Calle de Oro y otros lugares menos conocidos, pero igualmente cautivadores, como las mezquitas y sus cementerios llenos de paz, un templo y su irónica localización donde rezan los jugadores de apuestas ilegales, el templo de la prostitución y un templo donde puede donar ataúdes a los pobres. Durante este paseo, tendrá la oportunidad de ser testigo de la forma en la que los vendedores han trabajado durante décadas, disfrutar de los olores del mercado fresco y su plétora de frutas exóticas, visitar antiguas tiendas y aprender sobre la comunidad local y sus fascinantes tradiciones chinas.

Italian

Passeggiata lungo la spina dorsale del drago
Durante questa passeggiata alla scoperta di China Town, avrete la fortuna di addentrarvi nel labirinto di viuzze del vivace quartiere. Scoprite alcuni dei gioielli di Chinatown: il più grande Budda d’oro massiccio del mondo, l’Odeon Circle e la Strada dell’oro, stipata di negozi di gioiellieri. Vi troverete a scoprire anche luoghi del tutto sconosciuti e peculiari quali una moschea ed il suo silenzioso cimitero, un tempio dove i giocatori d’azzardo si recano a pregare, il tempio della prostituzione e quello dove è possibile donare bare destinate ai meno abbienti. Perdetevi nei meandri del peculiare quartiere, per scoprire venditori ambulanti che espongono i loro prodotti lungo le strade da decadi. Resterete frastornati dai forti profumi contrastanti che impregnano l’aria, dal febbrile flusso di veicoli e dalle centinaia di bancarelle improvvisate, con in bella mostra un numero inimmaginabile di prodotti locali. Quale occasione migliore per godere dell’affascinante influenza cinese che permane immutata in una delle aree più palpitanti e caotiche della città?

German

Spaziergang auf dem Rückgrat des Drachen

Entdecken Sie bemerkenswerte Sehenswürdigkeiten in Bangkoks Chinatown, wie etwa den größten, goldenen Buddha der Welt, Odeon Circle oder die Goldstraße, sowie auch weniger bekannte, aber nicht weniger faszinierende Orte, wie zum Beispiel eine Moschee mit ihrem friedlichen Friedhof oder den Tempel „Frucht der Prostituierten“, in dem ironischerweise illegale Glücksspieler beten und in welchem Sie Särge für die Armen spenden können. Während Ihres Spazierganges haben Sie die Chance, Verkäufer zu sehen, die ihre Tätigkeit bereits seit Jahrzehnten ausführen. Genießen Sie die frischen Gerüche auf dem Markt von der Unmenge an exotischen Früchten, besuchen Sie uralte Läden und erfahren Sie mehr über die lokale Gemeinschaft mit ihren faszinierenden chinesischen Traditionen.

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