Song Wat Road (Bangkok): A Guide to Art, Cafes & Food
Song Wat Road, in our opinion, has the best location in all of Bangkok - sitting strategically between Chinatown and the Chao Phraya River. The area was once a trade hub but transformed itself into a trendy art and coffee district. Wandering down, you’ll naturally stumble across side alleys that shoot off to quiet courtyards, old shophouses and vibrant street art.
The road eventually leads to the Talat Noi neighborhood where even more hidden gems can be uncovered. We loved Song Wat for its rich blend of the old and new: Thai-Chinese families sell herbs and dried goods (as they have for generations), next to coffee shops and boutique clothes stores.
Song Wat Road
Song Wat Road
The History of Song Wat Road
This long road was once home to a maze of alleyways, until a series of fires hit in the 19th/20th centuries. This prompted the king (Rama V) to map out a new thoroughfare to act as both a firebreak and streamlined trade route. In fact, the name “Song Wat” literally translates to “drawn by the king”.
Then, all sorts of Sino-Portuguese shophouses and brick warehouses started to pop up due to the booming maritime trade. Today, these spaces are used in contemporary ways such as for brand launches (Nike and Netflix) and brand collaborations (Adidas Originals x % Arabica).
Song Wat Road
Top Things To See & Do on Song Wat Road
Hunt for Street Art
There’s some awesome street art and wall murals to be found down Song Wat Road, from the famous Elephant Mural by the Belgian street artist ROA to the Two Bowls Mural found directly beside the Gu Long Bao bun shop. If you’re looking for something a bit more curated, you can always stop by the Play Art House which is a gallery that showcases pieces from local artists inside a beautifully restored Sino-Portuguese shophouse.
Elephant Mural
Two Bowls Mural
Go Shopping at the Boutiques
The most famous shop in Song Wat is called Road of Cinnamon, which sells an endless array of antiques and trinkets. Kat picked up a cool Bangkok bag here and three little tuk-tuks for her friends back home. Another popular spot is Oyster & Things - a dreamy boutique that offers ocean-inspired ceramics and decor. There’s also the Copenn fragrance store, the Khong Suay vintage shop and the Clay Circle pottery studio.
Road Of Cinnamon
Road Of Cinnamon
Road Of Cinnamon
Check Out the Temples, Shrines & Mosque
To add a bit of culture to your walk down Song Wat Road you can visit the Lao Pun Tao Kong Shrine as well as the Luang Kocha Itsahak Mosque. Built by Teochew Chinese immigrants and Muslim traders respectively, these two very different sites showcase exactly how multicultural Song Wat Road’s riverfront shipping community was over a century ago.
Lao Pun Tao Kong Shrine
Get Lost in Soi Ban Ya Wat
Soi Ban Ya Wat is one of those classic wee alleys that you can get lost in. It leads to Lost in Songwat - a coffee shop, and occasional live music venue, set inside a restored Chinese heritage house. The house has a banyan tree wrapping its roots around the walls, which adds to its photogenic charm.
Lost in Songwat
Soi Ban Ya Wat
Soak Up the Charm of Soul Songwat
We spoke about repurposed warehouses earlier and the best example of this is at Soul Songwat: a trendy creative hub spanning a few floors, with a retro elevator taking you up and a relaxing terrace overlooking the Chao Phraya River. Inside you’ll find a vintage, industrial design full of courtyards, indie fashion boutiques, art galleries, and pizza and dim sum vendors.
Venture Down “Old Wooden Gate Alley”
Old Wooden Gate Alley, otherwise known as Trork Pratumai Mai Kao, is a small path off the main strip that runs down to the river. Historically it was only accessible through an old wooden gate but today has evolved into one of the most iconic spots of Song Wat. It’s home to the chocolate cafe Choch, the tea house Matchamaru and a few other hidden gems.
Continue Walking to Talat Noi
If you continue to the end of Song Wat Road, you’ll link up with Talat Noi which is bursting with its own shophouses and street art. This area used to be a mechanic’s quarter, seen in the rusty old car parts and metal artwork dotted throughout the streets. One unique example are the metal statues of Bumblebee and Optimus Prime, located at the Khao Lam roundabout. Talat Noi also features 965BKK (art space/cafe), and a few more beautiful Hokkien shrines such as Chow Sue Kong Shrine and Rong Kuak Shrine.
Talat Noi
Talat Noi
Talat Noi
Have Dinner in Chinatown
Since Chinatown runs parallel to Song Wat Road, you might want to stay until the evening so you can have dinner down Yaowarat Road (or down one of its side alleys). At night, the streets around Chinatown are teeming with activity: there are neon signs, tuk-tuks and endless street stalls selling things like seafood, Chinese hotpot, duck noodles and colorful desserts.
Chinatown
Chinatown
Where to Eat & Drink Around Song Wat Road
Cafes
32Bar X
Local Boys Coffee
a)pink rabbit + Bob
a)pink rabbit + Bob
a)pink rabbit + Bob
Restaurants/Bars
NAAM 1608
Urai Braised Goose
Hansa River House
Ang Yi (Secret Speakeasy Cocktail Bar)
Beef noodles
Street Food
Gu Long Bao
Gu Long Bao
Gu Long Bao
Practical Info for Song Wat Road
How to Get There
Getting to Song Wat Road is fairly easy thanks to its central location - just take the MRT (Blue Line) to Wat Mangkok Station or go via the Chao Phraya Express Boat to Ratchawong Pier. Another option, if you’re based in the Old Town, is to take a tuk-tuk ride which gets you there in 15 minutes or so.
Tuk-tuk
Best Time to Visit
The best time to visit Song Wat is 9:00 AM, which gives you the chance to photograph the street art without the crowds and then grab a coffee just as the cafes are opening. From there, you can go shopping, stop for lunch and cap off your day with dinner under the neon lights of Chinatown. We started from one end (by Ratchawong Road) and continued down to Talat Noi - the guaranteed way to ensure you don’t miss anything along the way.
Shops opening
Final Thoughts on Song Wat Road
The only downside to our visit was the roadworks - nothing more than simple pavement work to beautify the streets and make them more walkable. Apart from that, we found Song Wat Road to be an awesome hangout area of Bangkok. It’s a place you could easily spend an entire day and night, there’s that much to see and do. If you’re short on time, you could book the Secrets of Chinatown tour by Tuk Me - exploring the hidden gems of Song Wat, Talat Noi and Chinatown in an electric tuk-tuk.
Talat Noi
Talat Noi
