Song Wat Bangkok – 10 Things To Do Guide + Photos 2024
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Bangkok has many hip neighborhoods like Ari and Thonglor but Song Wat is often seen as the trendiest. It is buzzing with cool kids, charming cafes and traditional Chinese-Thai restaurants that have been around for decades.
A marvellous mix of the old and new, Song Wat has seen somewhat of a resurgence in recent years with warehouses and jaded shops transformed into craft shops plus buildings adorned with some of Bangkok’s best street art.
Many artists and creatives have also moved to the area, to help form the local movement “Made in Song Wat”, which you’ll see advertised in numerous stores, murals and museums.
A former Chinese settlement and one of Bangkok’s oldest neighborhoods, there are so many things to do in Song Wat – it is also a great place to combine with Chinatown and / or Talat Noi.
From bao buns to braised goose, coffee roasters to cool murals, here is our guide to Song Wat Road, Bangkok’s latest hipster hangout with photos.
You might like – Things to do in Ari, Bangkok >
Table of Contents
How to get to Song Wat Road
Located close to the Chao Phraya River and nestled between historic Talat Noi and Chinatown, Bangkok’s Song Wat Road is walkable from either Wat Mangkon station or Hua Lamphong.
Alternatively, take a Grab taxi or get a river shuttle from the old Lhong 1919 site. Another way to get to Song Wat Road is to take the Chao Phraya Express to Marine Department, alight and walk through Talat Noi to Song Wat.
Check out this Bangkok bike tour near Song Wat >
You might like these Bangkok neighbourhood guides:
Sukhumvit
Ari
Talat Noi
Silom
Song Wat
Thonglor
Recommended Bangkok accommodation near Song Wat Road
When we explored Song Wat Road, we stayed at the Chao Phraya Quarter, a new hotel overlooking the river with excellent dining facilities and a huge heated pool.
We took the river shuttle and walked from River City to Song Wat.
Read our review / guide to Chao Phraya Quarter hotel here >
Alternatively, these hotels and hostels are near Song Wat:
PhotoHostel
The highest rated and most central accommodation in Talat Noi. Given how beautiful the inside is, we’ve also included Photohostel as one of the top things to do in Talat Noi later on. Check rates and availability on booking.com and agoda.com
Ago Hotel Chinatown
A 3 star hotel with affordable prices that is a short walk from Talat Noi and the riverside. Check rates and availability on booking.com and agoda.com
Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok at Chao Phraya River
Sophisticated 5 star riverside hotel with outdoor infinity pool, onsite restaurants, bar and hot tub. Check rates and availability on booking.com and agoda.com
Thailand checklist
We love using booking.com for researching and booking all our hotels, and Hostelworld for booking hostels.
For booking tours, transfers and SIM cards we recommend Get Your Guide, Viator or Klook.
Things to do on Song Wat Road, Bangkok
1. Song Wat street art
As one of Bangkok’s trendiest neighborhoods, it is no surprise that one of the best things to do in Song Wat is just wander around discovering random street art.
Like any blank canvas, you never know what you are going to see and each time we revisit, something new has appeared or replaced old artwork.
On our most recent visit to Song Wat Road in Bangkok in summer 2024, there were around a dozen huge murals located on the buildings along Song Wat plus more to discover in the side-streets.
One new Song Wat street art mural for 2024 is a massive mural of a lady holding a fan by Belgium based artist Kitsune Jolene, commissioned to celebrate Thai Belgian relations.
Also make sure you see the falling elephants painted by Roa plus awesome alley artwork all around the area.
You might like – Our guides to getting a Grab Taxi from Bangkok airport or our guide to the Bangkok Airport Rail Link
2. Talat Noi
One of the most historical neighborhoods in Bangkok, Talat Noi (aka Talad Noi) is an epic and endearing enclave full of hidden alley-ways, and is where Song Wat Road begins.
It is packed with sublime street art, cool coffee shops, riverside views and some of Bangkok’s best restaurants.
A creative hub and industrial area that is fast becoming a hipster hangout, Talad Noi (which is translated as ‘small market’) is one of the oldest areas of Bangkok, with a large Chinese community.
For every instagrammable coffee shop or bubble tea kiosk in Talat Noi, you’ll also see a grimy garage or huge warehouse of car-parts with locals hard at work – it is such a diverse area to explore and amble around the side-streets.
From the peaceful surroundings of riverside shrines to warehouse cafes, here is our guide to the best things to do in Talat Noi >
Try this – Bangkok street art and street food walking half day tour or a street art e-scooter tour of Chinatown and Talat Noi.
3. Song Wat Coffee Roasters
Song Wat is never short on cool coffee shops but one of the busiest and most popular is Song Wat Coffee Roasters, located down Rong Khom Lane.
Housed in a restored shophouse, half the challenge is trying to get into the store without ruining someone’s photograph outside – there is so much posing going on (just drink your coffee)!
The storefront is indeed very Instagrammable but stick around for damn fine iced latte or their signature Viennese coffee – there are also lots of coffee bean choices from all over the world plus decadent desserts like pandan canales (oh la la)!
You might like – Our guide to the 25+ best shopping malls in Bangkok >
4. Chinatown & Yaowarat Road
Song Wat is on the cusp of Bangkok’s Chinatown, but just a little more under the radar (and so much quieter and calmer).
Chinatown is busy any time of day but it comes alive at night and transforms into a neon soaked nirvana of sublime street food, gourmet goodness and Speak-easy style bars. Centered around Yarowat Street, Bangkok Chinatown is a whole district dedicated to food vendors and outdoor tables and chairs.
We love wandering the streets in Chinatown at night with no particular plan in mind – we just follow our noses and seek out where the locals get their night-time snacks.
Check out these Bangkok Chinatown tours with Viator >
You might like – 40+ Things to do in Bangkok at night >
5. Rong Khom Lane
Like taking a step back in time, this is the best way to go between Chinatown and Song Wat – a small alley full of old school shops, family run restaurants and cool cafes, Rong Khom Lane brings you out into one of Chinatown’s busiest markets.
We visited Song Wat on a very hot afternoon so even the local cats were seeking respite in the fridges along Rong Khom Lane and you could see families huddled around their huge fans, watching TV – truly a unique place in Bangkok.
You might like – Our guide to 7-Eleven in Thailand, the world’s biggest 7-Eleven in Pattaya and a 7-Eleven alcohol and beer guide
6. Lao Pun Tao Kong Shrine
So this obviously isn’t on the scale of Wat Arun but Song Wat has a small neighborhood Chinese style shrine called Lao Pun Tao Kong dedicated to the deity Pun Tao Kong.
It is located in the grounds of a Chinese Language school and is free to visit – enter through the large red gate at the front or via the side entrance in Rong Khom Lane. Please be respectful of local worshippers and ensure you are dressed modestly.
You might like – Things to do in Chiang Mai including Chiang Mai’s best temples
7. Luang Kocha Itsahak Mosque
Hidden away in one of Song Wat’s side-streets, the bright yellow Luang Kocha Itsahak Mosque is a quiet place away from the hustle and bustle (and mopeds) of Song Wat Road.
The mosque architecture is colonial in style and when we visited on Sunday morning, there was a small group of children in a school room by the mosque learning prayers.
You might like – Things to do in Sukhumvit, Bangkok or our Silom in Bangkok neighborhood guide
8. Gu Long Bao Artisan Bun Shop Song Wat Branch
Located at 983 Song Wat Rd, we could rave about the old school Gu Long Bao buns in Song Wat Road all day long – we’d recommend grabbing a couple as a snack before exploring Song Wat’s side alleys or having a seat in a nearby restaurant.
Various flavors are available including sesame, taro, BBQ pork (plus plant based meat) plus several sweet fillings – prices start from 17 THB for a smaller bun up to 28 THB for a big bao (we like BIG baos and we can’t deny).
Also check out the sublime long bao bun street art in the side-alley; what a sign-post!
You might like – Our guides to Bangkok’s Benjakitti Park or Lumpini Park
9. Urai Braised Goose / Urai Han Palo
One of the most famous Song Wat Chinese restaurants to dine in, you may want to arrive at Urai Braised Goose early as it often sells out quickly – grab a seat outside, graze on goose and watch the world go by along Song Wat Road.
Prices are reasonable and locals have been coming here for over 50 years – a small stewed goose bowl serving 1 to 2 people costs 250 THB plus 70 THB for goose soup or 10 THB for a bowl of rice, best served with a cup of Chinese tea.
Try this – Bangkok by night: temples, markets and food tuk-tuk tour >
10. Lim Lao Ngow Fishball Noodle
Reputedly some of the best fishball soup in Bangkok (with lots of competition from nearby Yaowarat Road, Lim Lao Ngow Fishball Noodle is a heavenly hawker stall with an outdoor seating area consisting of red plastic seats and little else (other than fine fishy flavors).
A Michelin Bib Gourmand recognised restaurant, Lim Lao Ngow Fishball Noodle stall is open from 3pm to 9pm daily and costs around 60 THB a bowl – many say the fish wonton soup is the best dish so work your way through the menu.
You might like – Our guides to Chatuchak Weekend Market or Asiatique Night Market (open 7 days a week)
Found this Song Wat Bangkok article helpful?
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