Crowded neon signs and shining red lanterns might be familiar sights in a Chinatown, but these iconic cultural enclaves offer far more than chinoiserie motifs. From religious landmarks to ethnic cuisine, they celebrate the Chinese diaspora along with their storied past and are worth adding to your travel bucket list.
San Franciso, USA
Located on Grant Avenue and Stockton Street, San Francisco’s Chinatown is not only the oldest in America, but also the largest outside of Asia. The iconic Dragon’s Gate leads to alleyways teeming with authentic dim sum restaurants, family-run eateries, tea houses, and art galleries. Before you leave, you must try Hing Lung Company’s Cantonese-style barbecue meats, such as honey-brushed char siu and roast pork with crackly skin.
Bangkok, Thailand
Originally located around Sampheng, the core of Bangkok’s Chinatown now lies along Yaowarat Road and offers a fascinating mix of sights, sounds, and smells. Combining Chinese and Thai cultures, the area is famous for fusion street food such as jok (Thai congee), yen ta fo (tangy and pink noodle soup), and guay jub (peppery rolled rice noodles with crispy pork and offal).
Melbourne, Australia
Vibrant and buzzy, Melbourne’s Chinatown is located on Little Bourke Street, between Swanston and Spring Streets. Low-rise brick buildings just over three stories high characterise the heritage streetscape. Here, the majority are Asian grocery stores, Chinese medicine halls, and herbalist clinics. This area is full of historic restaurants offering a range of cosmopolitan Asian cuisine, including Thai, Japanese, Malaysian, and Vietnamese.
Singapore
The city-state’s Chinatown is a love letter to its obsession with good food. The ethnic enclave’s name, Niu Che Shui, means “bullock water cart”. It refers to the animal-driven carts that transported most of the city’s water supply in the 19th century. Embark on a food trail and discover hidden gems like Spring Court, Singapore’s oldest family-run restaurant established in 1929, and Chinatown Complex, which offers delicious local dishes at pocket-friendly prices.
