Sam Yan is a downtown area, especially known for being the location of Chulalongkorn University. The neighbourhood is home to shopping centres, public parks, and many famous food shops and restaurants. Strolling from Sam Yan toward Banthad Thong gives you a chance to see both new places popping up and the favourite haunts of the locals.
- Itinerary
- 1. Make merit at Wat Hua Lamphong.
- 2. Visit the snake farm at the Queen Saovabha Memorial Institute, the Thai Red Cross.
- 3. Stroll around Dragon Town for trendy, Chinese-inspired buildings.
- 4. Take a rest at the Chulalongkorn University Centenary Park.
- 5. Try Jay Wan soy milk at Soi Chula 22.
Wat Hua Lamphong
You will find the temple as you come out of the MRT Sam Yan Exit 1. Locals come to this temple to make a donation to the Ruam Katanyu Foundation towards buying coffins for unclaimed bodies. The charity foundation is known for its rescue operations at road accidents. Donations can be made around the clock.
Located in a business district, Wat Hua Lamphong usually attracts a large crowd. The grounds of this Buddhist temple also houses shrines of Chinese deities.
The temple’s main structure: the ubosot, wihan, and chedi are set upon a platform, and worthy of your time to climb the steps. Foreign visitors are requested to make a 40-Baht donation for the upkeep of these monuments.
From the raised platform, you can see that the temple is surrounded by high-rises in all directions. The ubosot enshrines a seated Buddha image in the gesture of subduing Mara.
Visiting a temple and making merit is one way to give you peace of mind – that’s why we are starting the trip at this temple.
The newly-opened pocket park is where you can take a short break before continuing onto the next spot. It is open from 5:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. Although very small, the park is neat and clean.
: 728 Rama 4 Road, Si Phraya, Bang Rak, Bangkok
: 0 2233 8109
2.Snake Farm, Queen Saovabha Memorial Institute, the Thai Red Cross Society
From the MRT Sam Yan Station, you can walk to the Snake Farm run by the Thai Red Cross Society within 10 minutes.
It’s about 750 metres away.
The Queen Saovabha Memorial Institute is where antivenom is produced by milking the snakes from its own farm. The Institute is also an authority on venomous reptiles and helps provide the public with accurate information.
The Snake Farm features both indoor and outdoor zones, and visitors can freely explore the areas on their own.
Most of the outdoor space is shaded by trees. You will learn something about snakes from signposts placed throughout the area. At 2 p.m., a snake demonstration in both English and Thai will be held for visitors
According to the demonstrator, try to stay still when encountering a cobra; it will go away.
You can also take a picture with an adorable python after the show.
Demonstrations of venom extraction are held from Monday – Friday at 11:00 a.m. at the indoor zone of the Maseng Building. On the building’s 2nd floor, various preserved snakes are on display in long glass bottles for the public to study.
snake skeleton
The Institute has been awarded SHA certification, thus ensuring its hygiene standards. Its buildings are also wheelchair friendly.
Admission - Adult 200 Baht; child 50 Baht
- Show
- Venom extraction (Maseng Building) Monday – Friday at 11:00 a.m. / Snake catching (outdoor zone) Monday – Friday at 2:00 p.m.
- : 1871 Rama IV Road, Pathum Wan, Pathum Wan, Bangkok
: Monday-Friday from 9:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., Saturday – Sunday 9:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.- : 0 2252 0161
3.Dragon Town
Dragon Town is a quarter with Chinese-inspired architecture that has become an attraction for locals who love taking pictures in trendy places. You will find shops, cafes and office buildings among the businesses here.
To reach Dragon Town from the Snake Farm, walk towards Samyan Mitrtown from where you can continue to stroll for about 1.5 kilometres or simply hop in a tuk tuk.
Eye-catching street paintings dot the town walls.
Dragon Town has a number of photogenic cafes for visitors to choose from.
- : 188 Soi Chulalongkorn 5, Wang Mai, Pathum Wan, Bangkok 10330
- : Open daily from 9:00 a.m. – 10.00 p.m.
- : 08 6975 3377
Chulalongkorn University Centenary Park
Chulalongkorn University Centenary Park is situated across from Dragon Town. The Park is an oasis of calm and welcoming greenery amidst the concrete jungle of Sam Yan.
The Park has been designed to retain water with its sloping landscape, a concept inspired by the roots of the rain tree, a university symbol. All the water used in the Park is also stored and circulated in accordance with the “monkey cheeks” concept.
Early in the morning and late in the afternoon are popular times when you will see people in the neighbourhood come to enjoy the landscaped park, either running, playing guitar, or exploring the plants and herbs.
Try riding these bicycles to exercise and add oxygen to the pool. They have been modified from the Chaipattana Aerator, which was patented under the name of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulydej The Great.
- : Soi Chulalongkorn 5, Wang Mai, Pathum Wan, Bangkok 10330
- : Open daily from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
- : 0 2218 3590
5.Jay Wan Soy Milk at Soi Chula 22
Sam Yan – Banthad Thong has long been known as a food haven, especially in the late afternoon. Across from the Centenary Park is a legendary soy milk shop, Jay Wan, which usually boasts a long queue of soy milk fans as early as 4 or 5 p.m.
Here, you will find all the usual soy drinks and Chinese style sweets; such as, tao huai (dou hua) and tao tuang (dou tang).
Jay Wan serves big portions with extra brown sugar on the table for those who have a (very) sweet tooth. While enjoying your sweets of choice at Jay Wan’s, you will also see that this area is packed with new eateries, some of which have been granted the Michelin Bib Gourmand award. An update on more shops in this area is coming up. Stay tuned!
- : Soi Chulalongkorn 22, Banthad Thong Road, Wang Mai, Pathum Wan, Bangkok
- : Open daily from 3:00 – 11:00 p.m. (closed Sundays)
- : 08 1421 3761
