Felt very unsafe there in the middle of the day, lots of drug users and homeless people. There are a few Chinese shops but a lot of empty retail spaces giving it a very run down, derelict look and feel. The Chinese park was the nicest part, be after visiting I couldn t wait to leave this part of the city!
Nice place to visit. You will explore and find new things in Vancouver.
A great place to visit when in Vancouver to explore and find new activities and household items you can't find most places. Also fun food!!!!
Once upon a time it was a livelier event, but this year (2017) it felt much smaller
It's ok most days the only thing that is wrong is the closeness to the Hastings st drug culture and this ruins some of the experience here!!
Beautiful Chinatown, one of the largest. Full of food and object stores
This is -the- worst Chinatown that we've been to. We live in Milwaukee and frequently visit the Chinatown in Chicago....it's so much better! The San Fran CT is light years ahead.
After staying in Victoria over the weekend and enjoying their Chinatown, we took the ferry over to Vancouver. During the boat ride, we spoke with a Vancouver local. He suggested that we not go to Chinatown and especially not at night. I was pretty surprised and couldn't believe that a Chinatown area would be so dangerous. I brushed off his advice and decided that he just couldn't be correct.
Today, we walked from our hotel near Stanley Park east down Pender which leads directly through the Chinatown arch. We immediately noticed how run-down the area is: so many open storefronts, litter all over the streets, homeless people...not just homeless but crazy doped-up people. Walking along, we smelled pot numerous times but worst of all we noticed a guy with a lighter, spoon, and needle...maybe crack or heroin? Also, you'll frequently smell the sweet fragrance of public urination.
It was around lunchtime and we expected to find some good restaurants. Can you believe that there are no more than six or seven restaurants...not a one with a decent menu and all requiring cash payments only. We were so disappointed and my wife (born in Chongqing and worked in Dongguan) was literally scared and disgusted. The interesting thing that we noticed was that there were only elderly Chinese people there...no young or middle-aged people. Basically, it seems that the middle class Chinese population has left Chinatown for dead. So incredibly sad.
This was a good experience to visit some years back with a great range of food and goods. The vendors are friendly and genuine in wanting to help you. It would be a shame if it has lost its charm over the years.
Renovated Dim Sum restaurant in the heart of Chinatown, Vancouver B.C.
It's not like what it use to be. Now it's full of druggies and old chinese people who can't move on. There are some new and neat stores and residents here, so I think Chinatown is really dying out.
Rich China-Hong Kong characteristics, but a strong sense of history
Erm I don't know what's there to see here, it is a very dodgy neighbourhood and strong smell of drugs. Giving 2 stars for the effort in architecture of the place, and the authentic-looking (didn't stay long enough to have a meal there). Would advise tourists to only come in the day if they want to come at all, not a place I would recommend.
It is a large Chinatown, and there are many Vietnamese people. It feels like traveling to Southeast Asia.
I really enjoy the environment. The people here are very nice.
It is nice although in some streets somewhat dirty!
Smells, looks and tastes right...Vancouver's soul definitely lingers in the neighborhood somewhere...one might say Canada's richer for having places like this.
This place is a nice peace of historical Vancouver once you look past all the homeless and drug use it is great.
This is a small community event that just got smaller and smaller....
I am born and raised in Vancouver for the past 20 years. I remember when was 5, my mother took me to Chinatown to go shopping. Today, it is mainly filled with homeless people, crack addicts, and cheap prostitutes. The streets are very dirty, filled with trash and rodents. Go to Richmond if you want to experience fine Chinese cuisine. I strongly advise you not to come down here at night or walk past Pender Street.
<---> XD The Free Chinese garden is amazing... Anytime of the year and it's bigger than the side they charge you for. <--->
Boost the new year with the new service vehicles parade entry WOW
Not bad , I can find many items that I never thought I would find them here.
Historical China town with great walk about features to see & learn about
I love Chinatown it has tremendous character and amazing shops!
Fun but excessively crowded. Who decided that having extensive large kiosks in the mall was a good idea? There was nowhere to walk and I'm sure there was some level of contravention of fire regulations. The parade was excessively long for freezing temperatures (longer than 2 hours!), especially given that most of it was just people walking along.
If you want to visit the real Chinatown nowadays, go to Richmond! This place is full of dangerous people and crackheads. The government seems put the most dangerous people inside Chinatown!
This part of town has gradually become a bit of a let down. Most stores carry nearly identical wares.
Saving point are the vendors. They are very nice and helpful.
But you can unfortunately see that Chinatown has been run down quite a bit over the years.
Beautiful, historic, and cultural centre. Make sure you see and experience it before it is all condos.
It's sketchy in some parts. You'd expect it on East Hastings but it's also on the other streets too. Definitely wouldn't recommend walking around at night alone on East Hastings but seems less sketchy on the other streets. Some great restaurants and stores in Chinatown that are always worth a visit.
Lots of shop and coffee shop around, banks, restaurant, but try to avoid Hastings St, lots of homeless around.
Terrible place to bring kids. Drug addicts and homeless people everywhere. I can't believe this is part of such a beautiful city. Regret regret regret going there. I would have to say this is the worst Chinatown I have ever been to. Avoid it if you can.
Love the historical little parts of it.The garden and variety of stores.great restaurants and stores.
Every year there is less and less authentic Chinese places and more generic places opening, however still an interesting neighbourhoud to stroll through
Bit of a sketchy neighbourhood but the Sun Yat Sen gardens are worth a visit.
Spent the whole day just walking taking in the traditional gardens and all the small shops.
Not impressed and 2 streets over was nothing but homeless people and trash everywhere. Very disappointed!
This is an amazing place to experience some culture! I'm usually here for the spring lunar festival, and it's always a spectacular adventure.
Vancouver's Chinatown. In some ways, Chinatown in Canada and the United States is not pure Chinese food, so if you don't leave the store, you will find delicious food.
New Asians are not opening new shops cause it is so expensive. So Chinatown as a whole is in a decline
The chinatown is very small. Not too many food varieties here. It feels like mini-Chinatown.
I think Chinatown is a nice place to go for long walks on. Because there's so much to see and do.
One of the few areas in Vancouver with a sense of history and culture!
The area seems a little bit run down. But it was still fun to go through the area and visit the different shops.
A place that, compared to the aesthetics of the rest of the city, is in decline. As a good point, it has a variety of services at low prices.
vancouver-chinatown.com
