Yaowarat, Bangkok

Yaowarat is Bangkok's Chinatown, centered on Yaowarat Road near the Chao Phraya river and close to Hua Lamphong railway station. It is one of the city's oldest districts, with gold shops, temples, shophouses and a famous street-food scene. It is a ride away from Sukhumvit and Silom rather than a walk.

Lively, crowded and food-led. The street fills with open-air stalls, neon signs and queues for seafood and noodles, and the side alleys hide small cocktail and jazz bars. It is a place to eat and wander first, then drink somewhere quiet. It is not a red-light street, so expect no touts.

No. No red-light hub is listed in Yaowarat, and there are no gogo bars or beer bars. The adult side is the 7 massage shops and 1 nightclub, Chinatown Yacht Club, among the listings. It is a food and cocktail district, so go for the eating and the bars rather than for punting.

Of 33 places, 21 are bars, 7 are massage shops, 3 are attractions, 1 is a nightclub and 1 is a rooftop, Chyna. Samphanthawong Museum and Bangkok Railway Station are among the attractions, and bars include Foo John Jazz Club, Opium Bar and Independence Cocktail Bar, so it is a drinking and eating district.

Both are old riverside districts with cocktail bars and few adult venues, but Yaowarat is busier and built round street food, while Charoen Krung is calmer, with riverside hotels and Asiatique. Yaowarat has more bars on the list and a stronger local feel, and either one works as a break from the red-light strips.

Start with dinner at the street stalls, then try the bars in the side alleys. Stay here only if you want to be among the old shophouses and the temples, because the red-light areas are a taxi ride away. A hotel near a metro stop is the easiest base for a short visit.

By MRT to Wat Mangkon or Hua Lamphong stations, or by river boat to the nearby piers. The streets are narrow and clogged with traffic, so taxis are slow in the evening and walking is often quicker once you are close. After the trains stop around midnight, use Grab or Bolt.

Crowds and traffic. The pavements are packed and the street is narrow, so keep your phone in a front pocket and watch for scooters. Check the price of seafood before it is weighed, since some stalls quote by the kilo. Some bars are small and hard to spot, so check the address in advance.