The Artist House Bangkok — Restaurant in Khuha Sawan Subdistrict

Artist Town Bangkok (also known as Khlong Bang Luang Artist House or Baan Silapin) is a charming and artsy spot tucked away along a quiet canal in Thonburi. This hidden gem is perfect for those who love art, culture, and a relaxed atmosphere away from Bangkok’s busy streets.

Why Visit? This small artistic community is filled with galleries, workshops, and cozy cafés. Local painters, sculptors, and craftsmen work here, creating a creative vibe. You can watch artists at work, browse handmade souvenirs, or even join a short art class. The wooden Thai-style houses and canal views add to the peaceful setting.

Things to Do Explore Art Galleries – The main attraction is the Artist House itself, a 200-year-old wooden building with rotating art exhibits.

Watch Puppet Shows – On weekends, traditional Thai puppet performances take place (usually around 2 PM).

Try Local Food – Small cafés and food stalls serve Thai snacks, coffee, and coconut ice cream.

Take a Boat Ride – A short canal trip gives a glimpse of local life along the water.

Google Map Tips 📍 Location: Easy to find on Google Maps as "Artist House Bangkok" or "Baan Silapin." It’s in Thonburi, across the river from central Bangkok. 🚗 Getting There: Best reached by taxi or tuk-tuk. The nearest BTS is Wongwian Yai, but you’ll need a short ride from there. ⏰ Best Time to Visit: Weekends (more activities), but weekdays are quieter.

Final Thoughts Artist Town Bangkok is a lovely place to unwind, enjoy art, and experience a slower side of the city. It’s not a big tourist spot, so it feels authentic and peaceful. If you love creative spaces or just want a quiet escape, this is a great choice!

A unique, artsy hideaway...

Was here in July 2018. Spent a wonderful afternoon here. I took public transport and some serious walking (and some serious local food sampling along the way); google maps kindly gave exact route to follow. Note : arrive about an hour earlier to enjoy the atmosphere before the show. I bought a cup of ice o-liang (local coffee, mild but very refreshing!) and just sit by the riverside, simply enjoying the peaceful atmosphere. Felt like the time itself slowed down here. After that I took a stroll along the riverside 'village', browsing the various arts offered. People lived along the river, and opened their door wide so passers-by could look everything inside. Really enjoyed the absence of yammering and cajoling to buy the wares. Almost everyone here understand English. Don't forget to roam in the Artist's House before the show! Paintings, masks, puppets, costumes, small knick-knack souvenirs. Those who want to do craft could do that too; I saw tourists and locals did paintings and sketching everywhere. Some snack and drink provided in the cafe downstairs with very decent price. The puppet show starts at 14.00, get your seat early, it's limited! Soon the small place got very crowded, some even sit on the floor. The greetings was in Thai, seemed the guy who delivered it was very funny! Few English were provided by recordings, but I still enjoyed the show very much. All performance concluded in 30min. They played the puppets beautifully, even interacted with the audience up close. The show is free, but they receive donations for maintaining the traditional show. I do think this place is wonderful for any kind of traveler, solo/couple/family with (small)...

This is a nice place off the beaten track for most tourists. We came here on a Sunday during lunch time. It became busier before 2 PM when the puppet show starts. It's free but a donation is highly recommended if you don't buy or eat.

We toured the Artist's house, bought some nice and cheap hand-crafted souvenirs and ordered some paintings. The place is not as noisy as it used to be and the boats are slowing down when passing.

Enjoy setting indoors or outdoors and enjoy the many arts and craft shops and galleries around. Lunch is served daily. However in week days it will be served until it the limited cooked food is over. In weekend days, it might not last beyond 5 PM depending on the number of visitors, rain or not, etc.

If you eat there, I recommend the "mieng kham" (miang kam, miang kum) Thai: เมี่ยงคำ see my picture of the wild pepper green leaves topped with various tidbits. You will not find it on a menu or see it. It's a great as starter or snack. We ordered green curry chicken and masaman curry. Cooked by the ladies in the open. Very decent taste and not big portions.

The coffee shop served decent coffee and teas. The prices are so reasonable. If you drive from Bangkok, I suggest that you set your google map to the near Wat (temple) named Wat Khuha Sawan, on the other side of this area and walk on the water side to the Artist's house. You will pass by many interesting local shops. Otherwise, Google will take you to a very narrow confusing road.

Most of the visitors were Thai with a handful of farang tourists. This might change soon. This place has just been featured on the top list of Lonely...