Surprise and delight: Enjoy a taste of Lisbon in Bangkok

There's a "Little Portugal" in the Thai capital and it's full of surprises.

Like most visitors to Thailand's buzzing metropolis, I wasn't aware that Bangkok had been hiding a cultural treasure right underneath my nose - that is until my most recent visit.

Centrally located in the district of Thon Buri, in a prime position alongside the Chao Phraya River, the little-known Portuguese enclave of Kudi Chin is one of Bangkok's oldest - and one of the most culturally diverse - communities, with its majority of residents the descendants of the first Portuguese settlers.

Just a short ferry ride from major attractions like the Grand Palace and Wat Arun, this unassuming and serene slice of Lisbon in the heart of bustling Bangkok, sits as it has done for centuries, just waiting for lovers of both cities (like me) to discover it.

With European-style squares filled with ornate architecture, and with foodie delights and spiritual sites tucked down charming laneways here are four top reasons to visit Bangkok's "Little Portugal".

Acquaint yourself with the history of Kudi Chin and influence of Thailand's first Europeans by making Baan Kudichin Museum your first stop. If you've ever spent time in Portugal, upon arriving at the museum that's resting down a quiet soi (or laneway), you'll immediately recognise the traditional blue and white tiles known as azulejos decorating its entrance. Inside you'll be drawn to the museum's fascinating collection of images, artefacts and documents - from 16th-century Portuguese traders through to the descendants of missionaries and mercenaries who were granted Kudi Chin's land by King Taksin in 1769, for their assistance defending Siam from the Burmese, following the fall of Ayutthaya.

With its leafy courtyard cafe where you can enjoy refreshing Thai teas and delicious Portuguese pastries, the multi-storeyed museum - set within the former teakwood home of one of the oldest Catholic families in the neighbourhood - also makes a perfect place to pause and ponder. baankudichinmuseum.com

Besides its Portuguese-Thai residents, the Kudi Chin community is also made up of a small Malay and Vietnamese populations, plus the descendants of Chinese merchants who also settled in the area around the same time. Known and admired for being a cultural melting pot, and for its successful amalgamation of different faiths including Buddhism, Taoism, Catholicism and Islam, the compact nature of Kudi Chin allows you to experience it all in one afternoon.

Hop off the ferry at spectacular Wat Kalayanamit to ask a blessing from the temple's giant golden Buddha before following the boarded river walkway along the Chao Phraya River to view one of the country's oldest Chinese joss houses, Kian Un Keng Shrine, with its intricate murals and teakwood carvings. Then, follow the tolling of bells around the corner to Santa Cruz Church.

First built by the Portuguese in the 1700s after King Taksin granted them land, Santa Cruz was reconstructed in the neoclassical style in 1913 after damage due to fire. Look up at its red-domed roof and you'll see why the Roman Catholic church - one of Thailand's oldest and most important - has been likened to Italy's Florence Cathedral.

Lastly, make your way to Bang Luang Mosque - not only a must-see because it's the only mosque in the world to be built in the style of a Thai temple, but because it's the perfect example of Kudi Chin's coming together of cultures.

If there's ever a cupcake deserving of celebrity status, it's got to be Kudi Chin's Khanom Farang. Translated as "foreigner cake", these mini desserts are a big deal here with Bangkok's City Hall recently naming them one of six "local wisdoms" worth preserving.

Following the original recipe of the Portuguese settlers who introduced eggs to Thai baking, the cakes have remained the same for more than 250 years, handed down through five generations of bakers. Made with the simple ingredients of duck eggs, flour and sugar, Khanom Farang's dry-style sponge derives from Portugal, while its topping of dried persimmon, winter melon and raisins are an influence of Kudi Chin's Chinese community, making the sweet symbolic of cultural unity.

Though numbers are dwindling, you'll still find a handful of family-run bakeries, such as Thanusingha Bakery House, making and selling Khanom Farang. Stroll down Soi Kudeejeen and seek out the house with the bright blue shutters to taste some fresh from the charcoal brazier. facebook.com/Thanusingha

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Did you know that ingredients commonly used in local dishes, such as chilli, peanuts, pineapple and papaya, didn't exist in Thai cuisine until they were introduced to Thailand by the Portuguese traders?

Not only that, but the influence of the Portuguese settlers meant that Thai adaptations of savoury Portuguese dishes and egg-based desserts such as fios de ovos, ovos moles and tigelada are commonly found in Bangkok today.

While there are a few different places to try Thai-Portuguese fare in Kudi Chin, the one that will take your tastebuds on their own voyage of discovery is family-run restaurant and cooking school, Baan Sakulthong.

Family history dates back to the original settlers at this establishment, and meals are not only made following the original recipes of the Thai-Portuguese owner Pravee Sakulthong's great-grandmother, but also inspired by his wife Kanittha's great-grandparents, who served as chefs within the Royal Court during the reign of Rama V. Including the likes of its signature dish, khanom jeen (a non-spicy minced chicken curry topped with fermented vermicelli), jeep tua nok (dumplings shaped like birds) and tom mafaad (a Thai take on the Portuguese vegetable stew, cozido), you could say it's a meal fit for a king. instagram.com/baansakulthong

The writer was a guest of the Tourism Authority of Thailand.

Pictures: Bonita Grima; Tourism Authority of Thailand.