Reviews of Victoria’s Chinatown (Tourist Attraction)

Chris Cross Crafts

Such a fascinating little area of Victoria British Columbia. Cute little shops and lots and lots of restaurants.

Laura Sturgeon

Love Chinatown. So many things there to buy and lots of good places to eat. So interesting browsing the shops. You can find the coolest things. Shop staff are really nice too.

David Walsh

I would visit this wonderful spot during the day to see the hassle and bussel of a real China town, then at night when it's all lit up with lanterns hanging over head. So great!

GUNTAJ SINGH

Awesome place to visit I feel good vibe over there ????

Emma D.

Despite being the oldest Chinatown of Canada, it’s quite small, just about one block. It was fun to come here on lunar new year and enjoy the atmosphere. There’re some Asian grocery store that you can pretty buy most Asian stuffs from.

aman virk

Not many Chinese restaurants in Victoria's China Town. Its small and few shops small but Great selection.

Chels

Lots of construction in the area but still stunning

Robert George

A fun place to relive the past of Victoria and a great stepping off point if you're looking for a water taxi destination. Kitchy little shops to explore if you want to pick up something fun.

Ken Smith

Not a lot to see. It's not very big considering that it is one of the oldest China towns in the province. Still a nice walkabout.

Roger Huizinga

Fun and interesting place to visit. Great Chinese food restaurants and if you want some Chinese groceries it is the place to go. Many shops that you can spend hours in. A must stop when visiting Victoria.

Tan Hoang

old town nice place to see

Nathan Chrcek

Excellent for shopping. Vinyl record store in the infamous alley is the best

shivniD

It's super cute to walk around and there are a lot of great restaurants. It is a bit small (only about 3 blocks big) so don't plan on spending half a day there or something. A few hours is good, dinner or lunch time included.

Eva Webb

Just loved this Nautical themed furniture and accessories. It's on Store Street but can't remember the name. So wish I could remember it.

Noah O

Canada's oldest Chinatown is a great attraction, lots of history there. Great resturants, coffee shops, and a fun little shopping (also supposedly haunted) alley called Fan Tan alley is a must see.

Dave backeland

Very sad most stores are now gone. Used to love this place but not much left. What a shame

Gabri “GabeStudio72” Pes

Nice to have a quick walk around. Nice shops and bar everywhere. Please visit also the three fun alley a very tiny street very particular.

Thomas Cowan

Best neighbourhood in downtown Victoria for shopping and lunch/brunch! So Many noodle shops (my fave is fantan sweet spicey noodles) or Jam cafè near by. A ton of history being Canada’s oldest China town. Well worth a visit and stroll to grab some photos and at least a trinket or two for souvenirs.

Kathy McKay

Lots of nice little shops. Restaurants and grocery stores as well. Fun to watch the people.

Bridgette H

This was such a cute place to visit. It had a variety of cute little shop, good restaurants, and the alleys were cute to visit and take pictures.

Idolina Camargo

I am a Chinese food lover and Peking style Duck is my favorite. I found a little restaurant there that had them hanging and we could see them through a window, so I went in and ate this delicious duck...there are several restaurants that have them in Fisgard St. Don't miss walking around Chinatown....

Kayla Shaw

Good way to waste a few hours away, dip into the vintage stores and grab some bubble tea!

Sumit Kumar

Nothing special like Toronto. Too small in comparison.

Rye _

This is a fantastic place to visit! So much history and untold stories. I love spending an afternoon browsing the shops in the alleys. Both the Fan Tan and Dragon Alley are open for the public usually until six. There are many fantastic boutique stores tucked into the old towne buildings of downtown Victoria along side some amazing pieces of Pioneer history. Keep your eye out for the old Chinese "graffiti" asking people not to pee!

Angry Old Man

I used to go here a lot when I lived in Victoria. It’s a good place for tourists and locals alike. If you are local then this is a perfect place to get fruits and vegetables. The prices are always changing so be sure to compare stores, each stores fruits and veg will be different, at different times. You will always be rotating to get the best deal. The shops have wide varieties of Asian food products. At night, this is a cool place to hang out. I once shared a gigantic bowl of wonton soup, at a place here, with this old man who was trying to pick me up. Well at least I got to know him better, but he didn’t stand a chance. The soup was great. Stretch your arms out and grab onto them-that’s how big the bowl is. Definitely something to check out. The store on the right hand side when first entering sells it. Be sure to eat and buy from every store here, they all are worth trying.

Cori Worlton

Small but lovely! FanTan Alley is small but has some fabulous shops!

Candela Canseco

This is the first China Town in Canada and also the smallest one. Super cute, full of Chinese stuff. They are friendly (I was surprised as they are always super rude) Fan Tan Alley is in there, super small. Great little local stores around it.

Nicholas Kong

Very clean and various Chinese shops and restaurants. A bit less than I thought but food choices are sufficient. Many other shops in the area are not owned by Asians

Serge Fjetland

our favorite china town in the west coast of canada! very clean, full of cool stores. Will always go back

Stéphanie laforest

Favorite chinatown that i’ve seen ????

Jeevan Virk

Really nice place to visit for fun specially hidden shops in the alley ways and good quality products to buy

Vincent J. Spencer

Very cool visit and enjoyed walking the area. Beautiful landscapes

Sakib A

Being Canada's first China town, it has tons of characters to it. Amazing cafes & shiny decoration makes it full of life. Those narrow sub-path will reminds you of the ashes it has seen.

Diego Gocher

There is a variety of delicious restaurants along the street. The alley is a beautiful spot to take pictures and it looks wonderful at night.

Nimet Sag

Best Chinatown, hidden places everywhere. Good arts on every other corner. Lovely:)

Marta Borowska

Lots of shops with knick knacks here as well as produce and other food. A bunch of restaurants. Some cool sculptures. Nice entrance on the way in.

Walter Cameron

this top secret hidden gem in Victoria is the one spot locals dont want you to know about! trust me when i say it, there is no place like this anywhere in bc. truly a unique area with a distinct history!

MAi Quyên Nguyễn Thị

There are some special store here. Come and check it out friends

Travis McCrea

Go here before they raise their prices. Everything was so delicious and very reasonable.

Sheree Zielke

Don’t miss this teeny tiny Chinatown with its charming skinny alleyways. Well worth a visit. Harry Potter fans will delight at Fan Tan Alley with its Potter style addresses. Walk down Dragon Alley, too. Lots of eateries and grocery stores. We love it here, rain or shine. A photographer’s happy place.

Peggy Richardson

One of the oldest Chinatowns around. Beautiful shops and some modernization have not dulled the experience of this elegant neighbourhood. Many longstanding immigrant families still run businesses in this area. While some new construction has occurred in recent years, the original buildings have been respected and repaired, with seismic upgrades, new frontages, repairs to original brickwork, etc. A fun family day to walk around and sample delicacies in this varied multicultural quarter.

Justin Platnar

Has a very palpable atmosphere. Feels like you’ve been there in a dream before.

Fiona Speedy

Great atmosphere and lots to see and great food

Shun

Historical important landing place in Canada's past for early Chinese immigrants. A few restaurants and good free tourist sightseeing walking area.

Sarah Neasloss

It was very beautiful to drive through next time I will definitely have to stop and talk a walk around! :)

Bonnie Wong

Like most Chinatowns now; small, old, and being taken over by more modern, stylish shops. I saw a few Cantonese style restaurants that we would have be interested in trying, but unfortunately, due to covid, we can't even enjoy the full experience of eating inside. So we passed. We also saw 2 bbq meats places on Pandora St, but the meat in both the shops looked very unappealing and dry. I wanted to help these restaurants, but I'm not brave enough to attempt what may taste like moistened paper towels.

Megan Coburn

Chinatown was so much fun! We enjoyed walking the street more than once - during the day and evenings, weekday and weekend. The bustle of the street can change a lot depending on the time of day. My favorite stops on the street include La Roux Patisierre and Silk Road for #tea ! Don't forget to pay attention to the sidewalks, which are patterned after different characters depending on the part of town you are in! #letsguide

Jorge Francisco Gomes

There is a wonderful charm to Victoria's Chinatown. From the quaint little shops tucked away in Fan Tan Alley. To the authentic Chinese cuisine of the restaurants that are very deserving of at least a few return visits to try all the wonderful dishes. Fresh produce is available daily and the shops have novelties from China that range from decorative to crafting supplies. Truly worth a look around as there is a lot of History in the Second oldest/largest Chinatown on the West Coast.

Cynthia Osiemi

Great place for a stroll. Great restaurants as well. I had some good Thai food there.

Dimple Wraich

This place has a nice vibe. Would highly recommend rent a bike or walk

Asymmetric_Invest

Nice interesting area of town. Not as many traditional Chinese stores as you might think.

RG whatup

A nice historical place about the past of Victoria. Parking can be hecting but worth it

P. Sosin (psosin)

Not too big and not too small. Shops close early so come before 6pm.

apf

One of the oldest in Canada, this China town has the best mixture of old Victoria and 1900's China mixed together. With plenty of little alley's to explore it's truly a spectacular place to explore.

Atis Metuzals

Experience the old Chinatown of Victoria with all its charming little small shops. Lots of restaurants to choose from. Plenty of chinese grocery stores to stock up on ginseng and chinese spices & herbs. Fan Tan Alley is very funky and fun to photograph. The chase scene in the movie Bird on a Wire with Mel Gibson was shot in this alley.

Rico C. Young

Looks amazing. Very unique art!

Ken L

Canada's oldest Chinatown, so they claimed. It's also not very big, so it's easily walkable.

Mike Vedder

Honestly for the amount of Asian population on the Island, China Town was rather lack luster. Not to many shops of interest and not a lot of restaurants to pick from. The entrance was just about the nicest thing about the place.

D Dasilva

Everytime I go to Vic I hit up China town. So much to see and the shops are fab. The food is great! And the atmosphere is fun.

Antonin Votava

Nice place & good food.

A L

The Victoria Chinatown is a neat mix of its historical past and revitalized present. It may be very small and sometimes uninteresting, but it is certainly safer and cleaner than Vancouver's Chinatown. The narrow Fan-Tan and Dragon Alleys are interesting spots that shed a small light into the past with small historic information snippets taped on windows and walls. Unfortunately, there are small numbers of homeless seemed to make my experience disappointing. I hope that the homelessness problem in Chinatown it is quickly taken care of before it turns into another Vancouver Chinatown. Sadly, there aren't very many old-style "老華橋" style Chinese restaurants or stores that define what a Chinatown is. I walked through Dragon Alley hoping to see some hidden Chinese businesses but it turned out to be mostly small western "fusion" stores and cafes. Fan Tan Alley was also unexpectedly boring. It gets cramped in there as you have other tourists walking through that are only interested in their selfies. It did not feel like you were walking through "Chinatown" with all the non-traditional stores. Victoria's Chinatown certainly is missing the cultural soul of its past residents. I would say there isn't even much of a Chinatown at all without the culture.

Cenastor

First time in a China town anywhere had a blast and lots of little shops and hidden gems! Must see!

Ni N.

Nice area with lots of stores

Pete vander Zalm

Canada's oldest Chinatown. Something to see while passing through but don't expect too much. FanTan Alley is really neat to see.

H J Melnick

A real nice experience. Check out FanTan Alley. Lots of ethnic history to explore here. Enjoy.

Char Ika-Heimonen

Absolutely charming!! Great photo op here!! Love Fan Tan Alley!! A must see for any visitor!!

GRACIELA E. TERAN TREJO

I love the people and little stores

Christina W

Bustling, colorful, lots of small shops and restaurants.

Angela Beauchamp

Fun to visit

Eman Fyvie

Found the marble drink I looked for for years. Also great food!

Dong Lee

In Canada's oldest Chinatown, you will feel the traces of Chinese immigrants a hundred years ago, and you are worth visiting.

Becky Elliott

Nice place for a short walk with some culture and quaint shops

Texas Spine & Sports Rehab

Great place to eat and shop. Enjoy!

Andy Aras

Historic Victoria Chinatown! The oldest one in Canada. Only a few blocks but worth looking at. Walk along super narrow FanTan Alley, the narrowest alley in Canada at just under a metre wide. The opium dens and gambling rooms have made way for legal tourist shops. Market Square has some interesting facts posted about Chinatown in its heyday. Free to walk around.

Stuart Ross

Great place to explore and look for the little narrow street. You can sample the local Chinese food which is a new experience for me. Nice weather a few degrees more than Vancouver.

Md Rezaul Karim Robin

Tiny but feels nice when you are travelling and needs little bit of asian flavour!

Clarize Aleub

Nice place a lot of Chinese restaurant and store

Phil aw Sufer

Haven't been here in years. Always a blast, love the history and heritage.

Kenneth DeHaan

The area of “Chinatown” is actually very small. Not much to see, but if you have the time. Worth just walking around the area and seeing small local owners. Especially the infamous alley. This is also on the way to the public market.

MissTaken Awakening (STkY)

It's a greatly unique experience if you're from a smaller city or town, probably not if you've traveled to other larger ones, Vancouver, Calgary or possibly Toronto (never been to Toronto) It is however located right downtown and near so many restaurants and pubs, just down from the seawall and other great shops on Governement. The stores are stocked full of awesomely random goods and beautiful garments. The food is pretty amazing too!!

thebrav

I should give this another try during the evening to see the sights and sounds of NAMs 2nd oldest Chinatowns. Overall pretty good shops and great food but could use a few more public art and photo ops.

J.W. S

Occasionally,when I get the craving for BBQ Honey pork, I head down to Chinatown and grab a quick, easy and fresh batch of my favorite pork treat. Sometimes I'll add a couple of delicious honey buns as well and walk 1/2 a block away , where I can relax in Centennial Park, by the beautiful outdoor fountain, and enjoy the tasty food I just grabbed in Chinatown.

Rolanne Taylor

Historic China Town is full of Chinese culture; restaurants, grocery stores, bakeries, meat stores, clothing, furniture and gift shops, to name a few. The famous Fantan Alley is full of cool little shops of all kinds. Some of the authentic stores are full of really different items and the people are so friendly. Do not miss an opportunity to visit this amazing place...A must-see!

Jared Chandler

Very cool ambiance with a historical look. Nice shops and great looking food (I didn't get the chance to eat). Would love to go back.

Damayanti Ghosh

The Chinatown was very unique with ambience and atmosphere which will make you feel transported to China itself. Boasting of Canada's narrowest lane and some really awesome affordable Chinese restaurant this place is a must-visit place in Victoria, Canada.

Jonah Ferguson

Gorgeous place to visit. The last few times I have been through here, you could hear flute music echoing down the street, which created an incredible atmosphere. Fan Tan Alley is a must-see as well!

Constantinos Blachuras

I get there's history but that's about it. You could be all past and barely look twice. Get the pictures and that's about it. It was okay

Susan Kuchman

Nice area to shop and check out some unique shops and restaurants

Nathan Smith

While in Victoria it’s always fun to go exploring and the shops and interesting sites are enjoyable.

Nikita Hall

Honestly - I love Chinatown anywhere. Coming from Melbourne which, I believe, has the lost legit Chinese culture outside of China, I can get a bit judgey of other Chinatowns. But you go Victoria! You did good here. Great food, great vibe, and awesome to see a lot of cultural societies too.

Athyris

The Chinatown here is extremely small but it's really cool to look at. The world's "smallest" alleyway is located here so that's interesting to check out. The stores are quite expensive here compared to other Chinatowns I have walked through but overall I highly recommend checking this area out if you're around! It's a nice street to walk down. 4 stars just because the stores are slightly pricier than what I normally see.

Susan Szikora

it's beautiful especially at night.

Ansara Narine

Go to Fan Tan alley China town Victoria BC ! It is the smallest alley in the world

Dylan Benson

The Chinatown in Victoria, British Columbia is the oldest Chinatown in Canada and the second oldest in North America after San Francisco's. It also features Fan Tan Alley which is a tourist destination with many small shops including a barber shop, art gallery, Chinese cafe, apartments and offices. It is the narrowest street in Canada. At its narrowest point it is only 0.9 metres (35 inches) wide. It was designated as a heritage property by the local government in 2001.

David Rogers

It is less than 1 block long and not really chinese. Decent photo op.

Katherine Jimenez

Wonderful place to visit and you could find a long variety of Chinese restaurants, cafeterias and other stores.

Iffatur Ridwan

Its not a real Chinatown. There is not a lot of shops and all. Also, they won't take debit or credit if the bill is under $5

Štěpán Kráčmar

I heard that this is the second oldest Chinatown in Canada, so I went there with some expectations but it was disappointing. This is the smallest Chinatown in the world I have ever visited. Hence 3 stars rating. To the pros, the street looked clean and well maintained. You can find some Asian spices and products other than Chinese in local shops, will return only for that.

norys 90

walk around china town, and got some chinese food

Michael Moriarity

This section of Victoria is always a special place to visit for the teas, the specialty food products, the visually stunning atmosphere,the restaurants brimming with enthusiastic patrons and the general ambiance which is very distinctive in nature... even a walk through the area brings back memories of the special nature of this section of the city...the Silk Road teas are our favorites ...

Edgar Gronovius

Nice place to visited with a lot of hidden treasures

Christopher Davis

A gem on this island. So many specialty goods that are incredibly hard to find anywhere else on the island as well as quality eating options.

Lion Cheng

This might be the smallest Chinatown in North America, since it's basically half a block only. I grew up here, so it's dad to see all the restaurant were closed, and replacing with restaurants serving food that's inedible.

Dan P

Great shops, awesome Chinese food, fan tan alley was fun, fan tan cafe was excellent the war-ton soup was just like I've had it San Francisco, unique and delocious. Some touristy things but great to walk around and peek in to the shops

John Wu

One of the oldest Chinatown in Canada and it have many small shops and still feel like an old Chinatown.

Ajit Maski

Beautiful place to walk around and shopping

Dave Hopkins

Really liked all the little shops in the alleyways!

Pup Dax

Beautiful sunset!

Rick Diana

Great experience. Went after 9 PM to walk around. Chinatown not very big so doable, easily. Shops were closed when we went but lots to see. High end clothing / home store, Carriage rides, food places, sushi and tea shops everywhere. I would recommend it.

Brian “Flyin' B” Bullas

Pretty cool part of town. Keep an eye out for the narrow in between streets.

Ren Valladares

A fun sight to see but a little bit boring. It is very small and filled with alpt of crappy merchandise. I didnt eat here so I am not sure about the food. The winding alley's were fun to manouver. Lots of great photo ops.

Kevin Ao

Smaller Chinatown but there’s a few stores for gifts and restaurants around here

Àyọbamikale Olukoya

This Chinatown was the smallest and cleanest Chinatown I have ever been to. I enjoyed the cleanliness of the district but it is really small, with not many restaurants which is typical of other Chinatowns such as the one in Vancouver. All in all it is an okay Chinatown.

Jared Bayley

Very interesting part of Victoria! Good place to go to experience culture and to check out some different stores and restaurants in the city. There are places selling really good Chinese food; carefully look at reviews to find the best one, because I know there are some not-so-good ones. Go for a walk through Chinatown and appreciate all the different sights. You won't regret it!

Peter Anderson

The alleys are pretty cool and there are a number of interesting shops to explore and restaurants to enjoy. That said, there isn't much left here that gives this area any cultural identity as "Chinatown" apart from architecture. I was disappointed to find that most of the shops and restaurants are just as western as anywhere else in Victoria. Change happens, and the area is fun to visit. It just lacks the authenticity of chinatowns in Vancouver, Seattle, Portland, or San Francisco.

ben sharp

keep your expectations appropriate to the size of the city. good history provided. lot of fun checking out the shops. not a huge diversity in the different shops. I had fun and a great meal nearby.

cathy b

Chinatown, Victoria is more appropriate. This is a working, living part of Chinatown. I would not consider it a tourist attraction. You have markets, stores and restaurants. Look for the delicious hanging ducks. Checkout Fan Tan Alley most fun to walk through.

Betty Yin

Cutest little China town ever! Great shops, great ice cream too!

Marzieh Bashari

Smallest Chinatown I have ever been! Loved the culture, architecture and stores were amazing. Must see

amardeep gill

Super small. Not much to see if I'm being honest. The best thing on the street is the French patisserie which is ironic. Fan Tan Alley is cool because of its Canadian significance but otherwise you wouldn't be missing much if you gave China town a miss.

Lindsey Koenig

Such a great place to kill a cpl hours. The environment was exciting and new to experience. Didn't eat there but the food smelled exceptional ????????????????

Helen Ma

We loved the quaint little market alleys. They were cute and fun. We also stopped and got some traditional Chinese buns for lunchn and roasted meat for supper. It was the great!

Sebastian Kluth

Victoria's Chinatown is one of the most beautiful of its kind I have ever seen. There are numerous tiny alleys, gorgeous buildings and intriguing statues in a very small area. A stroll through this part of the city takes about ten minutes.

Oksana Mielczarek

Very interesting place to visit for first timers.

Callie Moore

Beautiful area! Fan Tan Alley is so cool and historic. Great shops along the alley. Can't wait to visit again!

Chris Sirinop

Not as big as SF Chinatown, but they do have nice parking space for customer here.

Mike Tuntang

Historical buildings of Chinese history in Victoria, quaint shops

Jannette Lock

Such a diverse experience, our Chinatown! Something for everyone, great coffee shops, awesome prices on fresh fruit and vegetables.

Esfar Zuhayr

Nice place to visit for lunch or dinner. Lots heritage as it is the oldest China Town in Canada. Check out the little alleys!

Clair Lam

Chinatown is lovely - take a stroll and just enjoy the walk.

Gary Muzyka

Cute area with interesting little shops

Kevin Gordon

Super cool history and architecture found in this local alley. Full mix of eclectic shops. Steeped in hundreds of years of history and stories. Perhaps do the walking tour

Google Guide

A must see when visiting Victoria. Take note of the small plaques and signs giving historical information of the area and it's early settlers. The narrow streets and back alleyways are unforgettable.

Sacalamachia

Small and not feel safe around the place

Shannon

History unchanged........

Eric Light

It's cool the history of the place I was expecting it to be a bit more Chinese tbh but overall good place to visit !

Belinda Wang

Victoria’s Chinatown 500 Fisgard St, Victoria, BC ????‍♀️The first Chinatown in Canada ????????Victoria's revitalized Chinatown is a popular area for tourists as well as for the artistic community. The focus is the 500–600 block of Fisgard Street, including famously narrow Fan Tan Alley, the old Chinese School and a small selection of historic buildings and Chinese businesses. Many historic buildings have been well preserved in Chinatown and also in the larger area it once occupied along Government Street, Herald Street, Store Street, and Pandora Avenue. The modern Chinatown continues to be a key component of Downtown Victoria with its many tourist attractions, hotels, bars, restaurants, movie theaters, services, and shopping areas. The district was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 1995. Some of the tourist attractions of Chinatown are the previously mentioned Fan Tan Alley (originally a private walkway, now home to offices and retail shops), and its ornate gate, The Gate of Harmonious Interest. The stone lions that are part of the gate were built in Suzhou (Soochow), one of Victoria's sister cities. Many of Chinatown's most historical and important places are out of public view, like the Tam Kung Chinese Temple, which is the oldest of its kind in Canada. The Chinatown in Victoria, British Columbia is the oldest Chinatown in Canada and the second oldest in North America after San Francisco's. Victoria's Chinatown had its beginnings in the mid-nineteenth century in the mass influx of miners from California to what is now British Columbia in 1858. It remains an actively inhabited place and continues to be popular with residents and visitors, many of whom are Chinese-Canadians. Victoria's Chinatown is now surrounded by cultural, entertainment venues as well as being a venue itself. Chinatown is now conveniently just minutes away from other sites of interests such as the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre, Bay Centre, Empress Hotel, Market Square, and others.

Lorna Knowles

Oldest Chinatown in North America. The tours are great.

Thomas Robson

A vibrant historic neighbourhood filled with good food and curio shopping.

Daniel Benson

It's pretty small compared to other Chinatowns. Overall, it's like every other Chinatown. Pretty dirty and generic shops.

Brandon Starcevic

This is one of my favourite places to visit and always a place to bring visiting family. Honey buns, bubble tea, Fan Tan alley and so much more. Clean, never too busy but always a hustle and bustle.

Kevin Mullett

Very interesting and touristy little area. There are a few little alleys to explore. A lot of the stores are kitschy and have the same stuff. But it is neat to check out

K C

Nice clean and very well kept.

Nathan Au

Very pretty. Lot of cute shops mixed in with classic Chinatown spots

Leonard Erlandson

Very charming and humble atmosphere. Fan-tan alley is filled with character and interesting shops. Great a meal and spend a few hours bowling through the shops, there are some real treasures to find.

Maranda Nielson

Victoria's Chinatown is a must see when visiting Victoria! It is full of delicious restaurants and cute stores. It is a beautiful street that is easy to walk. You will find many places to explore while walking through Chinatown.

LILY CHAI

Victoria ‘s Chinatown is Located on Vancouver Island on the west coast of British Columbia, Victoria’s Chinatown is the oldest in Canada, and one of the oldest in North America. I have been taking my friends there and had a cup of coffee or tea , just park along the street or paid public parking. You can walk around the downtown Area or hanging out with your friends, it is easy access to Bay Center, that is what we always do. My daughter loves to look around in these little Chinese shops and get herself something . And the famous Fan Tan Alley is an alley in Victoria, British Columbia's Chinatown. It runs south from Fisgard Avenue to Pandora Avenue in the block between Government Street and Store Street. Named after the Chinese gambling game Fan-Tan, the alley was originally a gambling district with restaurants, shops, and opium dens. It is one of attractions in Victoria BC ????????.

C Gordon

Good. A few hidden alleys and bubble tea shops if your feeling the need for a flavorful adventure. And the usual tourist shop to share your travel experiences with friends and family.

Shawn Robins

We really enjoyed our time in Victoria’s Chinatown. Outstanding meal at Fan Tan Cafe. All scratch main when you order it.

Cayenne McIntosh

The grocery store here is great. Amazing selection, if you can’t get something at superstore you can get it here. The area is lovely, good place to take people

Marc Rivard

I found my experience of walking around the narrow alleys and exploring the shops to be quite beneficial to my understanding Victoria in the late 19th century, interesting to have a modern day perspective on historical attitudes towards the people and businesses that were operated in this portion of Victoria. I am grateful for the dedication of individuals, groups, and benefactors working together to preserve the memory and highlight the significance, hard work and sacrifices that people have gone through in the search for livelihood and prosperity.

sayar samanta

Great place to shop. Varieties of shops are available here with restaurant. Must visit if you are visiting Victoria. Will definitely recommend to all of my friends and others.

Clare Jones

There are some great little shops through China Town if you care to look through them. China Town is easily accessible by foot, if you’re up for a little walk from downtown. The hop on - hop off bus also stops here if you’re looking for an easier way (but this is $$).

Jason C

Oldest China town in North America! Pretty Colonial and super cool

Tanis Abuda

I love going to the New Year celebration there. It also looks really cool there after the snow!

Ava Black

Going in the culture was bright and welcoming, with small alleyways full of little shops on either side it was so safe, a great to take my little boy.

Benjamin Kalish

This is a charming and vibrant China Town with lots of fun shops catering to the local population and visitors both. Make sure to go down fan alley. It's really narrow and doesn't look like much until you get into it and see all of the awesome hidden shops and restaurants.

yi teh liu

From the inner harbor to Chinatown it was less than a ten minute walk. If you took a taxi or a bike cart you could be there in less than that. Chinatown felt pretty small, but there were plenty of restaurants and shops to walk through.

Robert Kent DesRochers

Canada's oldest Chinatown. Fan Tan Alley. Historical.

Mags

Wonderful variety of shops, markets, restaurants, and historical places. An easy walk from the harbor and plenty to do and see. Don’t forget to visit Fan Tan Alley.

Michelle Yarbrough

The street smells like food, there are lovely shops, and its comfortable. The area is small but packed with a lot of store fronts. Parking is easy to find and the area feels safe.

Joanna Dee

Fun place to walk around, good food stands and Fan Tan alley also nice to stroll

Jackie W

The Gate of Harmonious Interest is a great photo opportunity as well as the entire street behind it as there are original buildings and hanging lanterns. We ate lunch at Don Mee which had great authentic dim sum. There aren't that many Asian stores considering its Canada's oldest Chinatown but there are a few. Other businesses include cafes and some folk artsy type places. Everyone speaks English fluently and the business owners are very friendly and accommodating. Fan Tan Alley is short but worth a quick visit. You can spend about 1 to 1.5 hours here before going to the harbor.

Tanya Bilde

Historic! One of the oldest Chinatowns around, if not the oldest. Full of an eclectic mix of stores, both Asian and non Asian. Great picturesque location with intriguing alleyways. A very nice place to take photos and just wander around and explore

Robert Bryan

Amazing area. So many nice details and architecture. Definitely worth a visit.

Lana Lenore

One of the best and most affordable places downtown to get fresh produce. There are a lot of unique shops and restaurants in Chinatown as well. Don’t go to the restaurants expecting servers to speak perfect English and to cater to your whims (you’re not at Moxies or Earls). There are cultural differences and that is the whole point. If you’re kind and respectful the business owners and staff will be too, just like anywhere else.

Ilana Y

Maybe it was the timing, but I came there on a Tuesday at 6 pm and everything was already closed. There were some nice narrow passages, otherwise, not much to do.

Char McC

Not bad for a 1 block Chinatown. Don Mei dim sum excellent.

Donald Pfaff, GRI

The Time to visit Chinatown is at the start of the first New Moon of the year... In celebration of the Year of the "RAT"... The New Year.!.

J. Cheung

Great place for all. The architecture and history behind this Chinatown is pretty amazing. There's also many hole in the walls which you should not let pass you by!

avi kande

Lovely place. Very Colorful and you see a different environment over there.

Elizabeth Armour

Fun to visit. Be sure to check out Fan Tan Alley and Whirled Arts. The Fan Tan Cafe has good street noodle dishes.

GWoo

Always enjoyable. Lots to look at and if you are hungry a good choice of inexpensive restaurants to choose from. Close to most of the major hotels in Victoria.

ily tian

Authenticity as its finest.. we enjoyed the food and culture but the place is a bit dirty compared to calgary china town???? Visit facebook page Family Travels Treasure Forever for more pictures

Alton Beach-Bradshaw

Although very gentrified nowadays there is still a fun flavour of culture in the downtown setting. Would like to see less Caucasian owned places for sure, but for the shops that have been here for years they offer quality services and goods from what I've experienced! Usually bustling and fun; good visiting place for friends or even quick shopping trips. Be sure to check out fantan alley!

Mohamed Niang

Nice restaurants ;) a lot of small shops it’s the place to go if you visit Victoria !!!

unpredicable man

Beautiful at night. Full if life and just a sight to see with your own eyes. Hard to describe with pictures. This is a place to visit personally. It IS the oldest intact Chinatown's in Canada during early settlements.

jonathan pizanti

Chinatown Victoria BC is a must stop destination in the city. Besides this beautiful arch welcoming you to the neighborhood there are nice shopping alleys with wonderful shops ranging from produce, metaphysical, Saltspring Soap, to chocolate and bakeries. Plan to spend a few hours cruising the neighborhood on foot. Bring some cash and your appetite you wont be disappointed.

Bridgette H

This was such a cute place to visit. It had a variety of cute little shop, good restaurants, and the alleys were cute to visit and take pictures.

Aida Noroozi

Really cool place with many deffrent restaurants and foods.

Kevin Lyons

Nice to visit... the smells are incredible. Next time we will bring our appetites and try a meal.

kiara w

I adore China town! Growing up on the island, Chinatown has always been a favourite place to go and explore. Not only is it beautiful, and fun..it also holds a lot of history for how Victoria started!

TKP

I'm not sure why they call this Chinatown. It's completely gentrified, coffee shops, overpriced western furniture, etc. . Honestly, if you walked through it and didn't know you were there you'd never guess this was Chinatown. Maybe a handful of Chinese type shops. It's a pointless visit. If you want to experience a Chinatown go to Vancouver. Don't get excited about these 5 star reviews, they're highly over gracious.

Harry Peng

Despite its small size, the Victoria Chinatown has many things to offer: colorful buildings, many little neat shops, and narrow alleyways. However, everything is very westernized and few shops are authentic.

Danyelle Catini

Beautiful place, wonderful food!

Mic Boad

Victoria's chinatown is not big - one or two blocks organized around a main street, but it's a safe, authentic spot, full of local life. Lose yourself in the mazes of its narrow alleys and sample from an array of craft boutiques and restaurants. Getting there is an easy walk from the Government House or RBC museum - preferably by Government Street, which allows to visit Market Square and Bastion Street on your way.

Amanda Loughlin

Beautiful place. If you're interested in checking out a bunch of shops most things don't open until 11am but if you're just out for a scenic walk it's quite around 10am

star simran

was not really fun there was nothing special to watch i don't recommend to visit during weekdays. i am not sure about weekends

Cleighton Simons

A historic site in Victoria. Staple Chinese cuisine. Lost it's unique vibe.

Rod Clint

Don mee,s Great asian meats...... bbq pork and rise yum!!!!!!@

Tim Chu

A good cultural display of what is left of the Chinatown generation. Other than those artifacts left here, there is nothing “China” related at this region anymore. As new comers bring different ways of living, plus the locally born are associated with rest of Canadians - this is what’s left of a dying generation that once shared similar language and value.

Kurt Harker

Go check out the loy sing co. Best and only Chinese sausage in Victoria. Other cool stuff here too

Kshipra Dhindaw

I loved how it was little place depicting China , it surely felt I was in a different country. I would have really wishes it has more options for vegetarians to eat so I could have stayed longer.but being me the little things make me happy and just the whole architecture of the place was splendid and I enjoyed my time.

Georges Younes

Victoria's Chinatown is relatively small, especially when compared to the ones in larger North American cities, but you have to keep in mind that Victoria is not a big city. If you keep it all within the right perspective, you will discover its charms. It's got the usual businesses and its restaurants attract many clients. Recently, I had dinner there with a friend, but the restaurant was not memorable. Walking around and discovering the neighborhood was the better part of my visit.

dina karan

Visited on a Snowy day... A historic place but nothing much to explore...

Nish Rajah

Very cute little strip. Wanted to to check it out since it is the oldest Chinatown in Canada. Glad we did and it is amazing to see and walk through the very narrow paths. Nothing to big but very nice experience.

J C

Really cool place. Check out The Umbrellatorium!

Jason Yee

First and foremost, Victoria's Chinatown is incredibly clean! It looks and smells clean! You don't really see the gum stuck to the sidewalk either! The shop signs and street signs are all easy to read. My main disappointment was that I didn't see any open air shops around Chinatown. It's possible that I did not venture into the correct places but if the places that I did check out, I did not see anyone with their produce, trinkets, or sorts on the sidewalk in front of the shops. I didn't hear or see any shop owners screaming to get your attention. Maybe that's just how Victoria Chinatown works. There nothing won't with that. There's a fair amount of parking all around Chinatown whether it be street parking or in parking lots.

Brad Zakreski

Neat corridors and interesting shops. Worth a walk threw

Douglas Chen

This Chinatown is the oldest Chinatown in Canada. It's also probably the smallest one in North America. It features a few very narrow small allies, where some boutique shops line up the road. Like a typical Chinatown, you can find many chinese restaurants here although they are mostly Cantonese styles, and some other Chinese flavors are still missing here. This place is your best bet if you live in Victoria downtown area and want to buy Chinese specific merchandise.

Mel PF

I love Victoria's Chinatown!! It's so pretty and fun to walk thru. There's lots to see and plenty of opportunities to take pics with the sights and surroundings! The food is delicious and the people are very nice! It's a really great place to go for a great meal at a reasonable price and a fun time!

Dan Pitcairn

Ok that is their china's culture. First restaurent no communication with mask, i decided to ignore first restaurent so second restaurent did good combination ordered and take out. Meal was so excellently

TS C

Such a relaxing place. Clean. No smell of pee. People are friendly. Unlike Vancouver Chinatown. Drug problem or homeless is not an issue in Victoria Chinatown Wished there are more traditional Chinese restaurants and shops. Becoming more westernized. The identity is lost. Sad.

Desi Sloan

Step back in time and experience the magic of our Chinese culture. Old world meets modern Chinatown. The food will awaken you’re taste buds, plus a little fortune cookie to share the lucky you. From small Chinatown great opportunity to explore the ancient ways. I have personally attended Lunar celebrations and this was an opportunity to enrich the senses. There won’t be a railway through British Columbia had it not been for the labourers who arrived from China. There was a thriving Artist scene painters,sculptures,architectures, poets,writers and photographer’s who were embraced by this noble Chinese community. I think that it’s important to persevere this old town for generation’s to experience this thriving community.

Michelle Chow

Took a nice walk through China town, thought it was going to be bigger but it was still fun.

qingqing shan

Great time there, especially I found the place called Reuben Krabbe.

Margaret Pater

I love the place visit everyone I'm in vic

A.C. Greveling

Interesting place. Lots of small shops and restaurants near by. Great place to visit.

yan kit chan

Second oldest China town in North America after San Francisco , well preserved, lots of good authentic chinese restaurants please don’t order the typical chilli squid or prawn toast or whatever that no one in China ever has.

Terry Bodaly

I loved Victoria Chinatown. Felt safe and comfortable. Lots to see. Lots of food. Clean.

Zeyuan L

Not Chinese at all, dirty plus messy. Had a Chinese dinner but the food tastes awful, not authentic at all

Theresa Schaudies

What made this visit awesome was the walking tour guide. He gave a history of the development of Victoria and the role played by the Chinese immigrants. Without the guided tour it would be pretty disappointing because there are few Chinese living in the downtown core anymore. Stay for dim sum!!

Wade Plante

On a cold snow day.. always glad there is a place open in Chinatown for a nice hot tea and warm wonton egg noodle soup to fill the belly after shoveling snow today.

Jul Dickson

Fun place to wander around in. Our grandson was on a mission to find black doors in the alleyways as he had heard they were secret entrances ????. We didn't find any but we had fun looking.

Brad Calberry

Super fun and always enjoyable! Loved it and urge others to check it out.

Kristin Phillips

Small but super cute. Make sure you see Victoria's skinniest street through the heart!

Samuel Yeung

Visiting the oldest Chinatown in North America does give a certain appreciation of how far the Chinese community have come. Imaging the most ghetto FanTan lane back in the day vs the upscale boutique shops we see today.... it’s truly amazing the history & stories behind these walls in Chinatown. Keep in mind the shops do close early in FanTan lane, so the best time to tour around would be during lunch or early afternoon.

Arun Kumar

Canada’s oldest China town. Try to visit in the evenings for colours and lights.

takdeer dhaliwal

Canada’s oldest Chinatown????????????

Shannon Gibson

So fun to explore! So many shops to keep us busy with such a variety of food & sopping to choose from!

Ray Staats

Not a very large Chinatown, the alleyway leading in is quite nice. Interesting stores in the alley. On the main drag it is pretty much like a city street.

Jennifer Penner

There is not much to do here as a local but it is a beautiful spot and as a tourist it is a must see even at least once. Amazingly cute shops and bright lights. I love it for taking pictures.

Mike Dangschat

It's like being on vacation. Leaving the city of Victoria behind and stepping in to an old city, A step back in time. Lots of great places to shop and eat. Tiny alley ways with unique shoes and services.Fantastic experience.

Terry Bridlemore

The Village does eggs benny quite well. I recently went to the new location and got their estaven sandwich... should have stuck with the eggs benny. The sandwich is fine, I mean the bread is great and so are the condiments but there was only one little slice of deli chicken for the entire sandwich. The menu says chicken breast and I guess that's technically what I got, but it was pretty underwhelming overall for the price. Breakfast there is great, service is always wonderful, definitely will keep going for the benny's.

Ino W

This Chinatown is very nice and clean, there re some decent boutiques and a Market Square mearby. It's very close to downtown Victoria too, some come and check out.

Norman Yu

A step back to another era! I felt as if I was transported back in time!

D'Arcy O'Byrne

A Victoria institution. Indoor and outdoor dining. Great staff, great food. Evenings are very busy so go for reservations.

Bianca I. Marquez

It was quite the surprise! Very clean in a beautiful city!

Mark Adams

A small yet eclectic area on the island that was fun to see , follow the locals to eat not look at the boards outside .

Petrus W

The location is very central... The wharf, Parliament building, 5 star hotels, restaurants, etc. Ironically, there are not that many Chinese grocery stores and restaurants in Chinatown.

Ricky D

Very nice Chinatown but a lot of homeless people and you have to be aware of your surrounding I would go in evening time.

Melody M

Don’t bother trying to get Asian food here - they’re a lot more expensive. Might get same variety from Walmart or Fairway

ace baker

Victoria's Chinatown is Absolutely NOT FAKE! It has, however, been "revitalized" and "renovated" beyond recognition. This has caused rents to skyrocket and most of the original Chinese merchants and restaurants no longer exist. The storefronts are full of trendy, upscale and mostly very pricey shops and restaurants that have nothing to do with Chinatown. I actually saw very few Asian people in the stores or on the streets. If you're looking for a trendy shopping district, with a cute Asian vibe, this is it. If you're looking for a more traditional "Chinatown" go to Vancouver's Chinatown, where you can walk for blocks without hearing English.

yames ble

Beautiful architecture and history to this place. A must-see when in the city. Contains fantan alley and a bunch of cool restaurants and shopping. One of the oldest Chinatown in Canada and still in good condition.

Darryl Stauffer

Always love to visit here when in Victoria

Robert Monico

A great piece of history with some nice educational signage that explains different features. Also some beautiful shops to see.

Wilma Montz

Cute shops with typical tourist items imported from Mainland China. Was disappointed in quality of gift items for sale. Shop staff were pretty standoffish until you went up to the register with cash in hand. No problems making purchases with US dollars. Disappointed in dim sum restaurant. Nothing special compared to North Texas options.

Jennifer

Not very large and alot of stores are not Chinese owned and ran. It won't feel like you're in China is basically what I mean. A must go to place if visiting Victoria but not a place that will take all day to explore

Em Stephenson

Small and quaint. Novelty store a little pricey.

Lara Hochhalter

One of the nicest and most interesting Chinatowns I've been to - great place to walk around, eat something and buy some chinese products.

Thomas Bomhower

More sizzle than steak. If you're already primed by hearing the claim that it's the oldest Chinatown on any three planets that you could both name and spell, and tend to be wondrously dazzled by tour guide narratives and mythology, rather than relying on the evidence of your own senses, then you may well have a great time - or at least wind up telling yourself that, indeed, the emperor was magnificently clothed. However: - it's a small geographical area - many shops in Chinatown close remarkably early for it being promoted as a tourist attraction. Spent 10 days staying in a third floor condo apartment on Fisgard. Evening after evening, both weekdays and weekends, I would see both small and large tour buses disgorge their tour groups into a parking lot across the street, only to see those tourists wandering around, looking obviously disappointed at just how many of the shops were already closed for the day. Sometimes they would be so bored silly, waiting for their bus to pick them up again, that they would wind up photographing motorcycles parked along Fisgard. Bikes that looked quite ordinary to me. But hey, they were parked in exotic Chinatown. - too many of the shops in Chinatown are the equivalent of too many of the shops elsewhere in the downtown area of Victoria, full of touristy souvenir type offerings ranging from tacky quality to better than tacky quality. (Although the plush toy moose about the size of a very large dog, in the one shop window downtown, I thought that was entertaining. Had a sort of Calvin and Hobbes look to it.) - local groceries, not just in Chinatown itself, but in the downtown area of Victoria more generally, are expensive and limited in selection, if you are staying right there at rental accomodations with a kitchen. Spent more than two and a half hours over the course of two days, checking dozens of stores, local independent stores plus some major, nationwide convenience and/or drug store retailers, a block after block grid search, before finally finding one last carton of lactose-free milk. Apparently, 99% of downtown Victoria is supplied by just the one dairy, and they don't produce much of a range of products. - the downtown area of Victoria, from Chinatown to Beacon Hill park, because of its climate, or perhaps because it is over the western mountains and far away, has a cosiderable homeless and/or street people population.

A Doctor's Orders

Very glad I found this rather special Chinatown - the oldest one in Canada! You can also see the world's narrowest commercial street. Great place for photos!

Corey Church

We enjoyed our visit to Chinatown especially the hidden alleys where I need to eat find turned out to be one of the highlights of our trip

Frank Robinson

Losing all the old iconic places. Such a shame to see new business with nothing to do with chinatown. Losing the charm....like the rest of downtown.

Nick Koh

Beautiful Historic street, very well maintained.

Stan Chan

Nice area to walk around. Brunch was very enjoyable at Jam which is close by.

Vanessa Bassole

It’s a very small Chinatown but you can find what you need. The street is also very clean

Drew Madia

It wasn't so much the size of Victoria's Chinatown, but rather the lack of expected bustle that was a little underwhelming. Perhaps we went in expecting more of the feel of a Chinatown similar to New York and didn't have the right mindset. What I will say is that many of the shops and restaurants appeared to be exactly what you'd expect, but there wasn't much excitement in this area.

Ashraf Paruk

Authentic Chinese cuisine. Nice to browse through. Doesn't take more than 20 minutes to walk both streets.

Sarah L.

So many different little stores and markets to see. The variety of Asian foods available is awesome. I love the small hole in the corner shops, best places to get affordable house goods or snacks!

jason tremblay

Very cool even great Chinese food and stores

Anne Jenkins

Don Mee's dim sum is delicious!

Logan Saunders

There are so many Chinese restaurants, funky alleyways, shops, inspired streets, and all very accessible by bus! My girlfriend came through here two out of three days in our stay in Victoria. Other than an ice cream shop, it's our favorite spot in the downtown area. A definite Victoria highlight. Come here before or after your sunset outing!

Mark Peterson

Victoria's Chinatown is a really fun and amazing place. Definitely a hot spot for incredible Chinese food. The infamous Fan Tan Alley feels like an Asian version of Harry Potter's Diagon Alley.

K T

The best part is it's clean, safe, and quaint. Nice to take a walk through and take a picture in the narrow alley way. Many of the stores are for hipsters so you don't always get a very China Town feel.

Summa Lai

A great place for eating. great food and services with fair price!!

Mark Wilson

Worst Chinese food ever. Will not mention the restaurant out of fairness to them.

Mitch Copas

I love that place on the corner they give you tea with your meal and is amazing. And amazing shops everywhere

Lavery Ng

Fan Tan Alley is the best part of Victoria's Chinatown

Rafael Oei

Having dinner at a newly opened Indian restaurant along Fisgard Street. Only a month old, the owner just moved to Victoria from Vancouver. The owner was very friendly. We were sat down with water and free papadum. Ordered the fish pakora and chicken biryani, and so far, it's delicious. We also ordered chai to accompany our meal - our habit whenever savouring Asian food. This restaurant, 'Indian Aroma', offers a lunchtime buffet. No regrets.

Charles Reinhart

Somewhat authentic atmosphere remains though more spoiled as millennial college kids take over much of the jobs completely erasing any presence of a Chinatown being more than a poor attempt at a tourist attraction

Nicole Janzen

We got a very weird vibe walking through this Chinatown. Nobody in the shops were friendly, most didn't even say hi. It was like the shop owners were upset that you had come in. None of the shops really interested us and were so jam packed full of stuff. It was just meh. The architecture was cool, the area was relatively clean, but other than that it wasn't anything authentic or special.