Mention Song Wat and most people picture weathered shophouses with Chinese-style storefronts. What they don't realise is that tucked between these century-old buildings, something rather brilliant has been happening. The younger generation has been slipping bits of modernity into every corner, and it's now become one of Bangkok's most interesting districts to explore.
Song Wat isn't just about the food, though there's plenty of that. The art scene here is properly thriving. Shopkeepers and artists have been working together, turning the whole district into a sprawling outdoor gallery. The recent buzz has given confidence to people who actually care about preserving history and culture in old commercial areas. Support it to grow with the times and what you get back is architecture that future generations can still see with their own eyes, not just in history books.
Song Wat has basically become Bangkok's hipster area without really trying. Art is everywhere throughout the district. Street art on walls, designer bits in unexpected shops, galleries that range from big impressive spaces to tiny rooms down alleyways or tucked behind coffee counters. If you love art, Song Wat is brilliant. You just need to know where to look.
Right now there are loads of new places opening. Restaurants, cafes, galleries, bars worth staying in until late. If you fancy a change of scene and want to walk around taking street photos, stopping for snacks and coffee, trying food at some of the district's best restaurants, this is your spot.
Song Wat grew around a historic street that used to be Bangkok's main commercial hub and distribution centre for imported goods. The Chao Phraya River runs alongside it, and over time, people from different ethnicities and religions settled here, living together quite harmoniously. This mix created something you won't find anywhere else in the city.
Walk through Song Wat today and you'll see this heritage everywhere. Architecture tells the story: shophouses next to mosques, shrines beside Buddhist temples, those odd fruit-shaped buildings. The food does too, and so does the way people actually live here day to day. Contemporary artists keep drawing inspiration from all of this, making work that respects the past whilst pushing things forward.
If you're driving, you'll probably need to find parking on Yaowarat Road then walk the rest of the way. Bus route 204 stops at Ratchawong Pier if you prefer that, and boats come to the same spot. But most people take the MRT these days. You'll need to walk a bit after you get off though.
Starting from MRT Wat Mangkon Station works well. Whichever direction you're coming from, get off at Wat Mangkon Station and take Exit 1, which brings you out onto Plaeng Nam Road. Honestly though, you can exit anywhere and walk any direction because there are loads of different routes.
BTS (Skytrain): Get off at National Stadium Station and transfer to bus route 204 (2-52). Stay on until the last stop at Ratchawong Pier, cross the street and you've found Song Wat.
Or get off at Saphan Taksin Station or Sala Daeng and walk to MRT Wat Mangkon Station to carry on from there.
Chao Phraya Express Boat: Get off at Ratchawong Pier, then walk to Song Wat Road for about five minutes.
Walk around with your camera and hunt for original art pieces sitting amongst the century-old architecture. These interactive installations pop up around corners and add a playful element to wandering around. Street art takes over some walls whilst designer products catch your eye in shop windows. Galleries range from big spaces you can't miss to hidden rooms in alleyways and cafes that double as exhibition spaces.
Rong Klan Nuea right on Song Wat Road, in an old shophouse that's kept all its original bits. The wooden stairs are still there, climbing up steeply, and you can spot those holes in the wooden floors upstairs that every old Chinese house used to have. Their main thing is beef noodle soup with bone marrow broth, going from B95 to B250. Get the patongko to dip in your soup, whatever you order. Opens daily from 10am.
Want rice instead? Walk a bit further and there's e-ga Bangkok, a Thai restaurant from the It's Happened to be A Closet team. The menu does Thai food from different regions and cultures, meant to remind you of meals you've had whilst travelling around. Come with mates because sharing lots of dishes is how you're supposed to eat here. Try the e-ga crispy noodles (B220), stewed pork with salted egg (B220) and fried snakehead fish with fish sauce (B490). Opens at 10am, closed Wednesdays.
For dessert and snacks, FV is basically next door to e-ga. This Thai dessert cafe has nailed the atmosphere, mixing old and modern really well, from how it's decorated to what's on the menu. They use unusual ingredients, stuff we normally ignore, to make their food. Inside there's this whole wooden house they've brought in and set up, and you can go up and sit on the second floor. The house is special because it was built using old methods, no nails at all. Opens from 10am every day. Just so you know, they don't do coffee here.
We Didn't Land on the Moon Since 1987 is a small bar that moved from Chiang Mai to Chinatown after nine years up north. The owner calls it a love letter to all the people who've been part of his life. Personal stuff is packed everywhere: his father's glasses on a shelf, letters from close friends on the walls, travel bags hanging from hooks. Every bit of the space has a story behind it.
Drinks are straightforward classic cocktails. mojito, old fashioned, gin tonic, long island plus small bottled beers. It feels like being at a friend's place, relaxed and easy. Prices are reasonable too, B150-B260. They've got simple food like fried eggs and hot dogs for snacks.
Or head to BARBON, which is on the top floor of a riverside hostel. The best bit is the balcony behind the bar with views across the Chao Phraya River. Gets quite peaceful when there aren't too many tourists about. The drinks list covers classic cocktails and signatures that change regularly so you don't get bored if you come back. Craft beer fans will find options as well. Drinks start at B220-B270.
Road of Cinnamon picks Thai craft products really carefully, gathering pieces from local handicraft makers. The products have a proper Thai feel and show what craftspeople can do through woven work, hand-painted tiles, old pictures, puppets, shadow puppets, elaborate headdresses. Products are piled across the floor, inside wooden cabinets, balanced on top of them. You'd be hard-pressed to find another chance to see these works outside this shop. It's basically like a small museum. Just browsing the Thai craftsmanship makes it worth visiting and foreign tourists particularly love what's here. In a tourist district packed with food places, one of the country's hottest areas needed a souvenir shop that actually represents Thailand's identity.
Not too far away is SAAN Song Wat which mixes a cafe with a lifestyle store on Song Wat Road. One section has handicrafts from village artisans, another shows processed products from Thai ingredients like balm, hand cream and herbal soaps. A third bit displays work from Thai designers who've taken traditional Thai elements and made them contemporary. Then there's the craft soda zone with homemade ice cream from local fruits. The shop came from loving art and design, plus wanting to support Thai products. The space welcomes Thai-style works, whether they're based on local wisdom or made using new technology. Together, these pieces show what Thai-ness means now.
Take a proper walk around. Song Wat has district street art you really need to see. Look for the black and white elephant art with two elephants, painted by ROA, a Belgian artist whose work appears on walls all over the world. He only works in monochrome, drawing with impressive dimension. This piece is on a wall in a parking lot on Song Wat Road. Stop for photos but watch out for cars coming in and out.
Check out PLAY art house, an old shoe warehouse that's now a gallery space. It's near that street art, just a short walk. PLAY art house changes exhibitions all the time and getting in is free. The gallery stands out because of its blue building facade that really contrasts with everything around it. Opens at 11am, closed Mondays.
From the relatively quiet Song Wat Road, slip through small alleyways for a few moments and you'll come out onto Soi Wanit 1, which people call Sampeng. The scene completely changes here. Merchants rushing about, motorcycles weaving through carrying goods, foreign tourists looking around wide-eyed at this commercial district that's been busy since Bangkok started.
LUK Hostel is in a building that used to be Sampeng Plaza, now done up as a chic hostel and cafe that gets everyone's attention. Exposed concrete walls inside and out. The sixth floor rooftop has RISE Bar, this secret bar with a glass house roof that welcomes everyone, whether you're staying at the hostel or just passing through.
Song Wat is an Old Town district where you can walk to the end of every alley and still want to see more. Years back, nobody would've guessed this area would become so fashionable. This is one of the places that grabbed the opportunity at the right time, setting up in the district to share stories about Thai identity in an interesting way, showing culture that works for today whilst appealing to younger people and international visitors.
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