Yaowarat Road, Bangkok

Once a poultry farm, this one-way street is now the heart of Chinatown's (and Thailand's) gold trade, with over 100 dealers of the precious metal, their shops painted gold and bright red for good luck and flaunting glittering displays of bracelets and necklaces. More often than not, gold is sold here by the bàht (equivalent to 15 grams, or about half an ounce), with daily prices scrawled on the windows.

Chaotic as it may seem, Yaowarat Road serves as the central artery to a network of street markets twisting down side alleys, and as you stroll further toward the intersection of Ratchawong Road, you will get a good feel for the pulse, energy and of course the smells of Chinatown.

There are always plenty of things to satisfy tourists' tastes – from dried fruit and nuts to chintzy talismans and accouterments for Chinese festivals. Each evening the street gets even busier as food stalls and vendors occupy every inch of space available, while the forest of neon signs makes it look in places much like a Hong Kong thoroughfare.