Yaowarat Road (Chinatown), Bangkok

Bangkok's Chinatown comes alive at night, when Yaowarat Road's neon signs light up and street-food stalls fill the pavements. It's one of the best places in the city to eat: try grilled seafood, rolled rice-noodle soup (guay jub), oyster omelette, roast duck and sweet bird's-nest desserts.

In the daytime, explore the gold shops, Chinese medicine stores and narrow market lanes of Sampeng, and visit Wat Traimit, home of the 5.5-tonne Golden Buddha. Many stalls close on Mondays, so go on another night, from about 6 pm. Take the MRT to Wat Mangkon station, which opens right onto the area.