English
Introduction
Many countries have their own unique Chinatowns. For Thailand, the best-known is Yaowarat. It is famous not only for Chinese but also for local Thais and foreigners. Yaowarat is renowned for its incredible selection of street food vendors. However, there are many other things to buy at this place. Whether you’re looking for Chinese ingredients, dried fruit, Chinese herbs, or even pretty gold and jewelry, there is surely something for you, and today, we chose at least 20 of them that you shouldn’t miss.
Some recommended shops
Before going deeply into the details of 20 things to buy, let’s start with our recommended shops. Today, we chose 4 shops and 1 market zone, and our shopping list will based on these selected shops, except for gold ornaments, which you can buy from over 100 gold shops around Bangkok’s Chinatown.
1. Yaowarat Old Market Zone
If you’re a cooking lover, especially Chinese cuisine, this zone will be a one-stop supermarket for you. You can find both imported and homemade products. Some shops have been in this zone for many years. Many shops are family-owned businesses from generation to generation, and you can buy ingredients and snacks such as dried fruits, nuts, and Chinese desserts.
Location: https://maps.app.goo.gl/ANG3X7e7pDvg9cbp9
2. Beijing Pharmacy and Chinese Herbs (Pei Jin)
Although there are many herbal shops in Chinatown Bangkok, this one has all Chinese herbs and drugs. It can guarantee that you’ll get good-quality Chinese herbs at a reasonable price, and you can choose from a wide selection of products. Moreover, besides having a shop in Yaowarat, Beijing Pharmacy also offers delivery service.
Location: https://maps.app.goo.gl/aRSxw8wBeH4t7V5E9
Address: 743/38 Mangkorn Road, Chakkrawat Subdistrict, Samphanthawong, Bangkok 10100
Mobile: 063-816-9196
Line ID: @8888beijing
Website: Beijing Pharmacy
3. K. muikeetea
Located near the MRT Hua Lamphong station, just a 2-minute walk from the station (using exit 1), it has been open for around 90 years. There are many types of imported Chinese tea for you to choose from. The shop owner is ready to make tea for you so that you can taste it until you find the one you like. Moreover, next to K. muikeetea, there is a shop selling Chinese herbs and herbal drugs.
Location: https://maps.app.goo.gl/5g2ekLjhY6X5MjUd9
Address: 122 Rama 4 Road, Talat Noi Subdistrict, Samphanthawong District, Bangkok, 10100
Mobile: 081-627-3168
Facebook: K.muikeetea
4. Chiangpoo, chestnuts, and imported fruits
Even though many stalls sell roasted chestnuts throughout Chinatown Bangkok, this one is the original. This first shop imported chestnuts to Thailand. The shop is located at the beginning of Yaowarat 6 alley. Besides chestnuts, there are also various fruits and nuts for you.
Location: https://maps.app.goo.gl/L1GUkAQHfTSHmhnx8
Address: 293/1, Soi Yaowarat 6 (Issaranupap), Bangkok, 10100
Mobile: 089-445-4544
Facebook: Chiangpoo
5. Lin Zhen Xiang (Lim Jing Hieng)
You can choose from over 100 items, especially Chinese dried foods such as crispy pork and dried shredded pork. There are also many types of dried fruits as well as Chinese snacks.
Location: https://maps.app.goo.gl/DDkUbdCjiK3Bq85t8
Address: 360-362-364 Yaowarat Rd., Chakkrawat, Samphanthawong, Bangkok 10100
Phone: 02-224-5296
Facebook: Lin Zhen Xiang
20 Things to Buy in Chinatown, Bangkok
1. Dried Shiitake Mushrooms
The Reasons
Buying dried shiitake mushrooms in Chinatown Bangkok guarantees you’ll get good-quality ones. Many shops sell this product in different sizes or qualities to suit your needs.
Description
Shiitake mushrooms have many benefits for your health, such as stimulating the immune system and reducing blood cholesterol levels. You can add them to any clear soup or stir-fry menu.
Tips to buy
Choose ones that are grayish, almost black, not dull, and have thick flower flesh. Most importantly, they shouldn’t contain chemical fungus protection.
Recommended shop
We suggest buying it in the Old Market Zone because many shops are selling this product so that you can choose the best for your cooking.
2. Dried Vegetables (Choi Kon)
The Reasons
This processed vegetable comes from Chinese wisdom. So, the easiest way to buy Choi Kon in Bangkok is only in Bangkok’s Chinatown.
Description
It is dried fermented Chinese mustard greens, used in Chinese vegetable soup together with other kinds of vegetables, or can be cooked as a side dish for boiled rice. Prepare by boiling the vegetable in boiling water, then pouring out the water to make it less salty when cooking.
Tips to buy
Packaging must be complete and free of tears, stamped with the store name and phone number, production and expiration dates, and food standards, if any. Then, observe the product’s condition to see that it is the driest, there is no water vapor or moisture, no abnormal black marks, which may be harmful fungus, and no stinky smell. You should buy enough to eat for a while because it may develop mold if left in storage for a long time.
Recommended shop
The best place to buy Choi Kon is in the Old Market Zone. Many shops sell these processed vegetables and other dried foods and ingredients.
3. Chinese Sweet Sausages
The Reasons
Chinatown Bangkok is where you can find authentic Chinese sweet sausages, either imported or homemade.
Description
It was initially made from pork. However, many other meat types exist, such as chicken and fish sweet sausages. You can bring it to make fried rice, deep-fried or spicy salad as a side dish for boiled rice, etc.
Tips to buy
Choose homemade products to avoid preservatives and other chemical elements. Moreover, the meat and oily parts of sausages must be well mixed.
Recommended shop
We recommend buying it at Lin Zhen Xiang, especially when you need it with other dried foods.
4. Dried Fish Maw
The Reasons
We recommend buying fish maw at Yaowarat, especially if you’d like to buy it to use with Chinese herbs. You can get these two things together in the same place.
Description
Fish maw has many benefits for your health, like nourishing cells and tissues, increasing energy, and stimulating the immune system and blood circulation. Some popular menu items are stir-fried dried fish maw and fish maw soup with Chinese herbs.
Tips to buy
Dried fish maw comes in various colors; choose the one that’s right for the menu. The white one is good for dried stir-fried or spicy salad; the yellow one is for both stir-fried and soup; and the golden or darkest color is suitable for soup that needs a long time to simmer.
Recommended shop
If you’d like to buy fish maw and Chinese herbs, we recommend buying them at Beijin Pharmacy, but if you’d like to buy them in large quantities, you should buy them at Lin Zhen Xiang.
5. Monk Fruit (Luohan Guo)
The Reasons
When you buy monk fruit in Chinatown Bangkok, you’ll have a chance to choose from many varieties of products.
Description
It is a sweet herb used as a sugar substitute. You can drink it as juice or tea to get many benefits, such as preventing colds, relieving headaches, clearing phlegm, and relieving allergy symptoms.
Tips to buy
Choose the type that suits your needs—an instant drink, dried herbs, or a fresh one.
Recommended shop
If you need a ready-to-drink product, you can buy it at the Old Market Zone; if you need dried herbs, you can get them at Beijing Pharmacy.
6. Red Lingzhi Mushroom
The Reasons
Buying Lingzhi mushrooms at an herbal store is good because you can get some recommendations, and Chinatown Bangkok has many herbal stores.
Description
It is one of the most popular Chinese herbs, considered an herbal of life. It’s suitable for your total immune system. You can brew it and drink it as tea. You shouldn’t brew dried Lingzhi mushrooms for more than 9 grams daily to avoid side effects.
Tips to buy
Choose from a trusted store in perfect condition, undistorted, consistent color, and new. It must also be dry, not have any green or black traces that may be contaminated with mold, and not have a musty or rotten odor. If purchasing capsules, it must be noted that they are extracts only because they have more benefits than crushed medicine. The packaging must have the manufacturer’s details and meet GMP standards.
Recommended shop
We recommend buying Lingzhi mushrooms at any herbal store in Chinatown Bangkok, especially one with an herbal specialist to give you some suggestions.
7. Goji Berry
The Reasons
If you’d like to get goji berries, coming to Chinatown Bangkok can guarantee you’ll get them because every herbal store always has them.
Description
One of the most well-known Chinese herbs has many benefits for your health, such as nourishing eyesight, reducing blood sugar levels, and being anti-aging. You can brew it with tea or desserts such as cookies.
Tips to buy
Dried goji berries can be kept in the fridge for a long time so that you can buy them in large quantities at once.
Recommended shop
You can buy goji berries at Beijing Pharmacy and other herbal stores around Bangkok’s Chinatown.
8. Ginkgo
The Reasons
Yaowarat is the best place in Bangkok to buy ginkgo, especially if you want to buy it in large quantities.
Description
The main benefits of ginkgo are that it nourishes the brain and eyesight and reduces anxiety. You can use it in desserts such as ginkgo and red beans in syrup or Chinese food such as ginkgo porridge.
Tips to buy
There are various types of ginkgo: fresh, boiled, or dried. So, choose the one that suits your needs.
Recommended shop
You can get ginkgo at an Old Market Zone or an herbal store, depending on your desired type.
9. Chrysanthemum Tea
The Reasons
Bangkok’s Chinatown is heaven for Chinese tea lovers, so buying herbal tea here guarantees you the best quality.
Description
The main benefit of chrysanthemum tea is that it can refresh and cool your body.
Tips to buy
Each tea shop will have chrysanthemum tea in various grades and sizes, so taste from many tea shops until you find the one you like.
Recommended shop
You can get this herbal tea from K. muikeetea, especially the large, premium quality one.
10. Longjing Green Tea
The Reasons
This is the most famous Chinese green tea that you can find in almost every tea shop around Chinatown Bangkok.
Description
This is the most well-known Chinese green tea, and the main benefit of green tea is to eliminate toxins and waste from your body due to its rich antioxidants.
Tips to buy
Like other types of tea, the best choice is to taste until you find the one you like.
Recommended shop
You can also get premium Longjing from K. Muikeetea.
11. Baimudan Tea
The Reasons
It’s the kind of white tea that’s hard to find anywhere besides Chinatown Bangkok, especially the one directly imported from China.
Description
This is the most famous Chinese white tea, “White Peony.”
Tips to buy
Like other types of tea, the best way to choose is to taste from various tea shops until you find the one you like.
Recommended shop
You can also get premium Baimudan tea from K. Muikeetea.
12. Shui Xian
The Reasons
This is the primary type of oolong tea that you can find in every tea shop around Bangkok’s Chinatown.
Description
It is a kind of oolong tea that plays a crucial part in Chinese tea culture and is the one that almost every Chinese drinks. You can drink Shui Xian throughout the day, unlike some teas you can only drink during meals.
Tips to buy
Shui Xian has many quality grades, so taste until you find the one you like.
Recommended shop
We recommend buying Shui Xian from K.muikeetea. There are many grades, from standard quality to premium.
13. Licorice Plum
The Reasons
There are many processed plums in Bangkok’s Chinatown; besides this one, there are also salted plums.
Description
This can be your perfect snack throughout the day; taste it once, and surely you’ll love it.
Tips to buy
Licorice plums can be kept for a long time so that you can get them in large quantities at once.
Recommended shop
You can get this dried fruit at the Old Market Zone or Lin Zhen Xiang.
14. Spicy Dried Guava
The Reasons
We recommend buying this dried fruit product in Chinatown Bangkok; it’s hard to find anywhere else.
Description
A perfect blend of guava and spicy will be your snack, especially when you need refreshment.
Tips to buy
Any shops that sell this snack will sell it together with other products. So, take some time to try the other snacks as well.
Recommended shop
You can get this dried fruit at the Old Market Zone or Lin Zhen Xiang.
15. Various Nuts (such as pistachios, chestnuts, etc.)
The Reasons
There are various kinds of nuts and other grains in Bangkok’s Chinatown. It is a one-stop supermarket for people who want to buy large quantities of dried nuts and grains.
Description
Choosing nuts as a snack during your day will be tasty and good for your health.
Tips to buy
Many shops in Bangkok’s Chinatown sell nuts and grains, so compare prices from many shops before buying.
Recommended shop
We recommend buying this product, especially the chestnut, at Chiangpoo.
16. Assorted Boxes of Mixed Chinese Snacks
The Reasons
There are many famous Chinese desserts, and you can find great selections in Chinatown Bangkok.
Description
Many Chinese snacks are related to auspicious ceremonies. Some include five desserts, so-called Chan-ab in Thai, and moon cake, which comes in various flavors.
Tips to buy
Choose homemade products to avoid preservatives and other chemical elements.
Recommended shop
You can get Chinese snacks at Lin Zhen Xiang or the Old Market Zone.
17. Necklaces
The Reasons
If you’re a gold lover, Yaowarat is a place for you. There are over 100 gold shops in this area. So, buying necklaces here is the best.
Description
Thai gold is famous for its quality and craftsmanship, and you can choose from many styles of necklaces.
Tips to buy
The price of gold depends on the world’s gold price, styles, and level of craftsmanship.
Recommended shop
You can find necklaces in various styles at Yaowarat. Each gold shop is ready to present you with its unique craftsmanship.
18. Gold Ring
The Reasons
As you already know, there are over 100 gold shops in Yaowarat. So, it’s the best place if you’d like to choose a gold ring for your loved one.
Description
A gold ring is a good choice if you’d like to find the perfect gift for your loved one.
Tips to buy
The price of gold depends on the world’s gold price, styles, and level of craftsmanship.
Recommended shop
You can find gold rings in various styles at Yaowarat. Each gold shop is ready to present you with its unique craftsmanship.
19. Earrings
The Reasons
Yaowarat is also a great place to buy earrings. Due to the large selection of gold shops, you’ll surely be able to find the right earrings for yourself or your loved ones.
Description
A perfect set of gold ornaments will only be complete with earrings. Remember to include earrings in the collection if you’d like to give your loved one a precious gift set.
Tips to buy
The price of gold depends on the world’s gold price, styles, and level of craftsmanship.
Recommended shop
You will be satisfied no matter what kinds of gold ornaments you need, necklaces, gold rings, earrings, etc., coming to Yaowarat.
20. Chinese Porcelain Tea Set
The Reasons
There are many tea shops in Chinatown Bangkok, and they sell tea leaves and tea accessories. So, you won’t be disappointed when you come here to buy a tea set.
Description
There are both porcelain and clay tea sets. The clay set is suitable for Pu’er tea, and the porcelain set is ideal for other types.
Tips to buy
There are many tea sets in different sizes: a large one with many tea cups for a group, a set for a couple, or a small one for drinking tea alone. So, choose the one that suits your needs.
Recommended shop
We recommend you buy a tea set at K. Muikeetea. There are a wide range of tea sets for you to choose from. From large tea sets to portable ones, whether porcelain or clay, you can find them here.
Conclusion
Besides those 20 things, there are countless gift ideas at Sampeng Lane: you can find almost everything: photo frames, dolls, hair accessories, bags, etc. Moreover, many items come in incredibly cheap compared to the same things in other places.
In conclusion, Chinatown Bangkok is not only a place for foodies who’d like to try street foods but also a place for shopping, especially for Chinese products. It is easy to get there by MRT, and there are many things for you to buy (dried fruits, snacks, souvenirs, gold ornaments, etc.). This is a place in Bangkok that you should take advantage of!
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