Melbourne Chinatown

Step through the ornate red gate of Chinatown, and colors and flavors start to shine a little brighter. Diners flock from across the city to feast on the community's authentic Asian cuisine. From steaming platters of har gow to delicate egg tarts, the range of Shanghai, Canton, and Szechuan-style dishes and cocktails seems endless. Hanging red lanterns and intimate laneways give the area a festival-like atmosphere. Another worthy stop is the Museum of Chinese Australian History to hear the stories of the area's Chinese community.

• Chinatown's parade dragon comes out for the Chinese New Year and Moomba Festival (Melbourne's annual Labor Day festival in March) celebrations; at other times of the year, you can see it at the Museum of Chinese Australian History in Cohen Place from 10am to 4pm.

• Several hotels, including Punthill Little Bourke and Mantra on Russell, are in the Chinatown area.

• Four shopping malls in the Chinatown area contain fashion boutiques, upscale retailers, and practical shops for daily living such as Chemist Warehouse, Kmart, Daiso, banks, and beauty salons.

Chinatown Melbourne is made up of 19th-century buildings located between Swanston and Spring Streets on Little Bourke Street. If driving, there are plenty of paid parking lots and on-street parking, albeit with strict time allotments. If you prefer to take public transit, Melbourne's city center offers free tram rides with stops along Bourke Street, Swanston Street, and Collins Street.

While most of Chinatown's retail shops stay open all day, the area livens up at night, when karaoke bars, restaurants, and bars are open and busy. Every spring, the area hosts the Asian Fun Festival, which showcases Asian culture, food, and music. And, of course, in early winter the area celebrates the traditional Chinese New Year, which brings crowds, entertainment, and lots of fun.

Chinatown offers culinary feasts at a wide range of eateries. While most are known for yum cha, dumplings, or chili-doused Szechuan dishes, German food is represented at Hofbräuhaus and Japanese favorites sing at Shoya. For fine dining, head straight to Flower Drum, renowned for Cantonese cuisine. To try a sampling of delicious dumplings, the best bet is HuTong Dumpling Bar, Shandong Mama, or China Red while a memorable yum cha lunch is guaranteed at Shark Fin Inn or Westlake.