The best Chinatowns in the world


It is not difficult to find a Chinatown in major cities around the world. CNNGo magazine has compiled a list of best chinatowns on the planet where you can find the most colorful Lunar New Year parades, fireworks, lion dances, as well as good food. The main ones are in Asia and the Pacific, two in America and one in the United Kingdom, Africa and the Caribbean.

The one with the HavanaCuba, known as Havana’s Chinatown, was the largest in Latin America in the 1840s when Chinese workers were brought in to work in the plantations of sugar. There came a time when there were some 50,000 Chinese in Cuba before leaving for the United States after Fidel Castro's revolution in 1959. Currently, some 150 Cuban-Chinese natives remain on the island.

In CalcuttaIndia, Chinese immigrants, mostly from southern China, came to town to escape the 19th century war. Taoist temples can still be found in some areas of the city. Chinese food is still a very popular cuisine in Calcutta, where one can find very specific ingredients. Another Chinatown that you should know is that of Bangkok, Thailand.

It is known as Yaowarat, and resembles that of Hong Kong. Again, food is one of the main attractions. Bangkok Food Tours, for example, offers a “Chinatown Foodie tour” that takes visitors to a total of seven restaurants in which to taste great dishes.

10 Best Chinatowns In The World (April 2024)


  • Chinatowns
  • 1,230