If you’re wondering whether you should stay in Sukhumvit or Chinatown, you’re in the right place. In this article, I will compare these two areas based on their locations, accommodations, nightlife, shopping, food, and attractions.
Sukhumvit and Chinatown are some of the most popular places to stay and visit in Bangkok. Both areas have a lively atmosphere, great food scene, and a convenient location to explore different parts of Bangkok.
I stayed in different areas of Bangkok including Sukhumvit, and I explored most parts of Chinatown, so I hope to give you some good recommendations based on my personal experiences.
Is it better to stay in Sukhumvit or Chinatown?
I personally prefer staying in Sukhumvit than in Chinatown. I enjoyed its central location, international atmosphere, excellent connection to public trains, a wide range of shopping malls, nightlife, and food.
Generally speaking, Sukhumvit is a better choice if you want to stay in the heart of Downtown Bangkok. This area has an international vibe with a diverse selection of malls, restaurants, bars, and shops. It is also a great base to explore other modern parts of the city like Siam, Silom, and Pratunam.
Chinatown is best suited for those who want a unique cultural atmosphere and vibrant street food scene. Unlike Sukhumvit, Chinatown is packed with cultural attractions like temples, museums, street art, and wholesale markets. It is a better location to explore Bangkok Old Town and the Riverside area.
Another factor to consider when choosing Sukhuvit or Chinatown is the distance to the airport. Sukhumvit is located closer to Suvarnabhumi Airport, which is the main airport in Bangkok. So, if you want to stay close to the airport, Sukhumvit is a better place to stay.
My recommended places to stay in Sukhumvit:
- luxury: Grande Centre Point Hotel Terminal21
- mid-range: Mercure Bangkok Sukhumvit 24
- budget: ibis Styles Bangkok Sukhumvit 4
Best Hotels in Bangkok Chinatown:
- mid-range: Shanghai Mansion Bangkok
- budget: Lhong Yaowarat hostel
Location
Chinatown is around Yaowarat Road, located on the east side of Chao Phraya River. It is between Bangkok Old Town and Silom, which are the two other popular neighborhoods in Bangkok.
Major attractions in Chinatown include Yawarat Night Market, Sampheng Market, Wat Trai Mit, Chinatown Gate, and Talat Noi.
Sukhumvit is around Sukhumvit Road, with major points of interest like Nana, Asok, Terminal 21, Emporium, EmQuatier, Thong Lo, and Ekamai. This area is bordered by Siam shopping district and Silom.
Chinatown is closer to the historic and cultural attractions in the old town and along Chao Phraya Riverside. Sukhumvit is closer to the Suvarnabhumi Airport.
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Public transportations
Sukhumvit is well-connected to BTS skytrain and MRT subway systems. There is a canal boat at the northern edge of Sukhumvit, that offers boats along Saen Saeb Canal to Pratunam and the Old Town.
Both BTS skytrain and MRT subway trains are well-connected to the airport rail link, so you can easily use public trains to reach your hotel in Sukhumvit from the airport.
You can easily use the BTS Sukhumvit line to get around Sukhumvit visiting major sights along Sukhumvit Road like Nana, Soi Cowboy, Terminal 21, Em Shopping district, or Thong Lo, Ekamaai. This train also takes you to Siam, Chatukchak Weekend Market.
The MRT train line in Lower Sukhumvit will take you directly to Jodd Fairs Night Market, Silom, Chinatown, and the Old Town area.
Chinatown is well-connected to MRT subway trains and the boat systems along Chao Phraya River and its surrounding canals. There is a BTS skytrain running past this neighborhood.
You can easily use the MRT train to visit both the modern and old parts of Bangkok. There are just a few train rides from Chinatown to Old Town for sightseeing. It also takes you directly to Silom AND Sukhumvit for more shopping, nightlife.
There are several piers along the riverside area of Chinatown. It is very convenient to hop on hop off boats to visit major sights along the river like Wat Arun, Wat Pho, Grand Palace, Icon Siam, and Asiatique.
Accommodations
Both Sukhumvit and Chinatown have a good selection of hostels, and hotels for all budgets. Sukhumvitt is a larger and more popular area in Bangkok, so it has a wider range of accommodations. If you want to stay in a luxury and upscale hotel, Sukhumvit has more options for you.
Accommodations in Chinatown have more unique characteristics like being located in an old building and nicely decorated with a Chinese atmosphere.
No matter where you choose to stay, Sukhumvit or Chinatown, I always recommend booking your stay well in advance. Accommodations in Bangkok and all around Thailand are often in very high demand in the high season from November to May.
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Nightlife
Both areas have a lively atmosphere at night. The nightlife in Chinatown is mostly about checking out a good place to eat. The nightlife in Sukhumvit is more diverse with red light district areas, as well as lots of bars, clubs, restaurants, and malls.
The center of the nightlife in Chinatown is along Yaowarat Road and its surrounding alleys. The main road is lit up with neon lights, people, and busy traffic, creating a scenic and lively atmosphere.
Chinatown is packed with street food stalls and restaurants serving local Thai food, and Chinese food. It is one of the best places in Bangkok to eat authentic street food. There are several trendy bars in the area, so you can still enjoy good drinks.
If you want more bar scene while staying in Chinatown, you can take a short Grab taxi ride to the nearby Khao San Road and Soi Rambutri for more bars and night clubs.
In Sukhumvit, you can explore the adult entertainment areas at Nana Plaza or Soi Cowboy. There are dozens of trendy bars in Sukhumvit Soi 11, Thong Lo, and Ekamai.
If you are not into the bar scene, Sukhumvit has lots of restaurants and food courts to explore. You can explore the popular food court at Terminal 21, as well as various cuisines from all around the world. There are Arab, Indian, Korean, Chinese, Japanese, Italian… lots of cuisines for you to explore.
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Shopping
Sukhumvit has a better shopping scene with several malls inside the neighborhoods, and at nearby Siam and Silom. If you’re coming to Bangkok for shopping, Sukhumvit is a better base than Chinatown.
Sukhumvit is home to the famous Terminal 21, Emporium, Emquartier, and EmSphere. You can find everything from budget and luxury products in these malls. These malls have great air conditioning and food courts, which make the shopping experience more comfortable and enjoyable.
From Sukhumvit, you can take a short train ride to its neighbor Siam for more shopping. Siam is home to the popular CentralWorld, Siam Square, Siam Paragon, and MBK malls. Most people who come to Bangkok to shop cannot miss Siam shopping district.
There are no significant shopping malls in Chinatown, but small shops and local markets in the area offer good bargain shopping experiences. Chinatown is home to Sampheng Market, which is a famous wholesale market in Bangkok where you can buy goods in bulk for a cheaper price.
Even if you don’t plan to buy anything, Sampheng Market is still worth a visit to sightseeing. The narrow alley is one of the oldest areas in Chinatown.
Food
Sukhumvit has a more diverse food scene with lots of international cuisines like Korean, Japanese, Arab, Indian, Mexican… There are street food stalls, food courts, and Michelin-star restaurants. If you enjoy diversity and an international vibe, Sukhumvit offers better choices.
The food scene in Chinatown is mostly about Thai and Chinese street food. You can find lots of street food stalls, and restaurants along the area’s main road, Yaowarat Road. The Chinatown night market and the small alleys along the main road are places to go for food in Chinatown.
You can explore the food scene in Chinatown by yourself using Grab taxi, Grab bike, or tuk tuk. There are also lots of food tours in Bangkok that take you to Chinatown and use tuk tuk to get around.
Some popular dishes in Bangkok’s Chinatown include pork noodle soup, seafood, grilled meat, Chinese doughnuts, Jek Pui Curry, or oyster omelette.
Attractions
Chinatown, without a doubt, is a better place to stay for sightseeing. The neighborhood itself is full of cultural and historical attractions. Additionly, it is within a short train ride or Grab taxi ride to the old town, which is home to the city’s iconic Wat Pho and Grand Palace.
Within Chinatown, you can explore ancient temples like Wat Mangkon Kamalawat, and Wat Trai Mit Witthayaram Worawihan. You can check out Chinatown gate and visit the Talat Noi area with lots of street art and graffiti on old houses.
Sukhumvit is all about shopping, nightlife, and food. It lacks historical charm and cultural attractions. If you want to visit the city’s famous cultural sights, you need to travel around one hour by train to get to the historic old town or Chinatown.
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There you have it, my comparison between Sukhumvit and Chinatown. Overall, Sukhumvit is a better area to stay if you want a central location, cosmopolitan atmosphere, and well-mixed shopping, nightlife, and food. Chinatown is a better area for those who enjoy the vibrant street food scene, and close proximity to Bangkok Old Town and Chao Phraya River.